The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
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- R
- 1h 44min
- Action, Crime
- 14 Nov 1974 (West Germany)
- Movie
Four armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. The city's police are faced with a conundrum: Even if it's paid, how could they get away?
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations.
- See more »
Reviews:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Walter Matthau | ... |
Lt. Garber
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| Robert Shaw | ... |
Blue
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| Martin Balsam | ... |
Green
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| Hector Elizondo | ... |
Grey
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| Earl Hindman | ... |
Brown
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| James Broderick | ... |
Denny Doyle
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| Dick O'Neill | ... |
Correll
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| Lee Wallace | ... |
The Mayor
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| Tom Pedi | ... |
Caz Dolowicz
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Beatrice Winde | ... |
Mrs. Jenkins
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| Jerry Stiller | ... |
Lt. Rico Patrone
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| Nathan George | ... |
Ptl. James
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| Rudy Bond | ... |
Police Commissioner
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| Kenneth McMillan | ... |
Borough Commander
(as Kenneth Mc Millan)
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| Doris Roberts | ... |
Mayor's Wife
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| Julius Harris | ... |
Inspector Daniels
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Cynthia Belgrave | ... |
The Maid
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| Anna Berger | ... |
The Mother
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Gary Bolling | ... |
The Homosexual
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Carol Cole | ... |
The Secretary
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| Alex Colon | ... |
The Delivery Boy
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Joe Fields | ... |
The Salesman
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| Mari Gorman | ... |
The Hooker
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| Michael Gorrin | ... |
The Old Man
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Thomas La Fleur | ... |
The Older Son
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María Landa | ... |
The Spanish Woman
(as Maria Landa)
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| Louise Larabee | ... |
The Alcoholic
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| George Lee Miles | ... |
The Pimp
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Carolyn Nelson | ... |
Coed #1
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Eric O'Hanian | ... |
The Younger Son
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| Lucy Saroyan | ... |
Coed #2
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William Snickowski | ... |
The Hippie
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Barry Snyder | ... |
The W.A.S.P.
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Walter Jones | ... |
Mr. Mattson
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Jerry Holland | ... |
Bud Carmody
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| Robert Weil | ... |
Marino
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Penny Krompier | ... |
T.A. Secretary
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| Christopher Murney | ... |
Dispatcher
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Timothy Meyers | ... |
Plumber
(as Tim Myers)
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| Ruth Attaway | ... |
Mayor's Nurse
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Thomas Barbour | ... |
T.A. Chairman
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Marvin Silbersher | ... |
Comptroller
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Neil Brooks Cunningham | ... |
Ptl. Miskowsky
(as Simon Deckard)
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| Sal Viscuso | ... |
Ptl. O'Keefe
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Tony Fasce | ... |
Ptl. Wentworth
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Burtt Harris | ... |
Ptl. Ricci
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Gene Gross | ... |
Muscat
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Walter Lott | ... |
Executive on Train
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Conrad Yama | ... |
Mr. Tomashita
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Sho Onodera | ... |
Mr. Matsumoto
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Toru Nagai | ... |
Mr. Yashimura
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Tura Nakamura | ... |
Mr. Nakabashi
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Rowena Rollins | ... |
Angry Woman
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Joseph Attles | ... |
Angry Man
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Willis Pinkett | ... |
Towerman
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Michelle Matthow | ... |
T.A. Receptionist
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Isabella Hoopes | ... |
Woman on Platform
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| Bill Cobbs | ... |
Man on Platform
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| Jim Pelham | ... |
Subway Guard
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| Joe Seneca | ... |
Police Sergeant
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Gino Gennaro | ... |
Police Lieutenant
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Carmine Foresta | ... |
Train Expediter
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| Tony Roberts | ... |
Warren LaSalle
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Hy Anzell | ... |
Toll Booth Officer (uncredited)
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Ines Hellendall | ... |
Train Passenger (uncredited)
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Jean-Paul Hellendall | ... |
Subway Passenger (uncredited)
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| Ben Lautman | ... |
Student on Subway Platform (uncredited)
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| Carey Loftin | ... |
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
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| James Mapes | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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Paul Nuckles | ... |
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
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Jay Rasumny | ... |
Squad Car Driver (uncredited)
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Charles Silvern | ... |
Minor Role (uncredited)
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Dominique St. Pierre | ... |
Minor Role (uncredited)
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| Dolph Sweet | ... |
Police Capt. Costello (uncredited) (voice)
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Frank Ventgen | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Joseph Sargent | ||
Written by
| John Godey | ... | (novel) |
| Peter Stone | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| Gabriel Katzka | ... | producer |
| Stephen F. Kesten | ... | associate producer |
| Edgar J. Scherick | ... | producer |
Music by
| David Shire | ||
Cinematography by
| Owen Roizman | ... | director of photography |
Film Editing by
| Gerald B. Greenberg | ... | (as Gerald Greenberg) |
| Robert Q. Lovett | ||
Editorial Department
| Jay Dranch | ... | apprentice editor |
| Cynthia Scheider | ... | assistant editor |
| Maurice Schell | ... | assistant editor |
| Michael Kirchberger | ... | apprentice editor (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Alixe Gordin | ||
Art Direction by
| Gene Rudolf | ||
Set Decoration by
| Herbert F. Mulligan | ... | (as Herb Mulligan) |
Costume Design by
| Anna Hill Johnstone | ||
Makeup Department
| Irving Buchman | ... | makeup artist |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Michael Haley | ... | second assistant director (as Mike Haley) |
| Burtt Harris | ... | second unit director |
| Sal Scoppa Jr. | ... | second assistant director (as Sal Scoppa) |
| Peter R. Scoppa | ... | assistant director (as Peter Scoppa) |
Art Department
| Joseph M. Caracciolo | ... | property master (as Joe Caracciola) |
| John Gilliar | ... | set dresser (as Bud Gilliar) |
| Harry Lynott | ... | head carpenter |
| Bruno Robotti | ... | scenic artist |
| Walter Way | ... | construction grip |
| Mort Künstler | ... | poster artist (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Stan Bochner | ... | assistant sound editor (as Stanley Bochner) |
| Jack Fitzstephens | ... | sound editor |
| Al Gramaglia | ... | sound re-recordist |
| Marc Laub | ... | sound editor (as Mark M. Laub) |
| David Moshlak | ... | sound recordist |
| Christopher Newman | ... | sound mixer (as Chris Newman) |
| Sanford Rackow | ... | sound editor |
| David Ray | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Pat Suraci | ... | boom operator |
| Stephen Fitzstephens | ... | foley artist (uncredited) |
| Maurice Schell | ... | sound effects editor (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Bill Barber | ... | stunt driver |
| Joie Chitwood Jr. | ... | stunt coordinator / stunt driver |
| Tim Chitwood | ... | stunt driver |
| Daniel Dod | ... | stunt driver (as Danny Dod) |
| Kathryn Hayzer | ... | precision driver |
| Tim Heck | ... | stunt driver |
| Carey Loftin | ... | motorcycle stunts / stunt driver |
| Harry Madsen | ... | stunt driver |
| Paul Nuckles | ... | stunt driver |
| Rick Seaman | ... | stunt driver |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Dick Mingalone | ... | camera operator |
| Gary Muller | ... | assistant camera |
| Tom Priestley Jr. | ... | assistant camera |
| Jack Priestley | ... | camera operator: second unit |
| Ed Quinn | ... | grip |
| Dusty Wallace | ... | gaffer |
| Robert Ward | ... | grip (as Bob Ward) |
| Josh Weiner | ... | still photographer |
| Vinnie Gerardo | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Vic Ramos | ... | extras casting |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| George Newman | ... | wardrobe master |
Location Management
| Robert F. Kocourek | ... | location auditor |
Music Department
| Erma E. Levin | ... | music editor (as Erma Levin) |
| Tony Terran | ... | musician: trumpet player |
| Bob Bornstein | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
| Larry Bunker | ... | musician: percussion (uncredited) |
| Alf Clausen | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
| Vince De Rosa | ... | musician: french horn (uncredited) |
| Milt Holland | ... | musician: percussion (uncredited) |
| Tommy Johnson | ... | musician: tuba (uncredited) |
| Artie Kane | ... | musician: keyboards (uncredited) |
| Milton Kestenbaum | ... | musician: bass (uncredited) |
| Shelly Manne | ... | musician: percussion (uncredited) |
| Malcolm McNab | ... | musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited) |
| Richard Nash | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
| Emil Richards | ... | musician: percussion (uncredited) |
| David Shire | ... | conductor (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Dan Wallin | ... | music engineer (uncredited) / music mixer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Nancy Hopton | ... | script supervisor (as Nancy Tonery) |
Additional Crew
| Patrick Burns | ... | production aide |
| Mark Canton | ... | production aide |
| Barbara De Fina | ... | production office coordinator (as Barbara DaFina) |
| Raymond Hartwick | ... | teamster captain (as Ray Hartwick) |
| Richard Hinds | ... | production aide |
| Gaetano Lisi | ... | production aide |
| Harvey Portee | ... | production aide |
| Sheldon Roskin | ... | unit publicist |
| Jonathan Sarno | ... | production aide |
| Connie Schoenberg | ... | production office coordinator |
Production Companies
Distributors
- United Artists (1974) (United States) (theatrical)
- United Artists (A-Asia) (1974) (Australia) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1975) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1975) (Norway) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1975) (Argentina) (theatrical) (as Artistas Unidos)
- Rank Filmes de Portugal (1975) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- România Film (1975) (Romania) (theatrical)
- Vesna Film (1975) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1977) (India) (theatrical)
- Kino Lorber (2016) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2012) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Audio Visual Enterprises (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
- CBS (1976) (United States) (tv) (broadcast premiere)
- CBS/Fox Video (1983) (United States) (VHS)
- Kino Lorber (2016) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1989) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1992) (United States) (video) (LaserDisc)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (United States) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (France) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
- OFDb Filmworks (2018) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Pidax Film (2022) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Pidax Film (2022) (Germany) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (1985) (Australia) (video)
- Warner Home Video (1982) (West Germany) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1987) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- The City of New York (the producers wish to acknowledge the outstanding cooperation of)
- MGM Home Entertainment (VHS package design)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Four seemingly unrelated men board subway train Pelham 1:23 at successive stations. Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Mr. Grey and Mr. Brown are heavily armed and overpower the motorman and novice conductor to take control of the train. Between stations they separate the front car from the remainder of the train, setting passengers in the back cars and the motorman free. The four demand $1 million ransom within exactly one hour for the remaining eighteen hostages, including the conductor. If their demands are not met in time or their directions are not followed precisely, they will begin to shoot hostages dead, one every minute the money is late. Wisecracking Lt. Zach Garber of the transit police ends up being the primary communicator between the hijackers and the authorities, which includes transit operations, his own police force, the NYPD, and the unpopular and currently flu ridden mayor who will make the ultimate decision of whether to pay the ransom. Unknown to Garber, what may be working on their side is the disparate nature of the four hijackers, including methodical and unbending Blue, trigger happy Grey, and also under the weather Green, who may pass out before the caper has concluded. What Garber does know is that there is a plain clothes NYPD officer among the eighteen hostages. What Garber has to try and figure out is how the four hijackers can possibly get away, as they are in a tunnel and have to remain with the train since it has a dead-man mechanism which requires a motorman at the controls at all times. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Before this train reaches the next station it will become the scene of the most spectacular hijack ever attempted See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $5,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | In a TVO (Ontario, Canada) interview, the producer said that this film did terrific box office in New York, Toronto, London and Paris--all cities with subways--but was considered a flop in the rest of the world. See more » |
| Goofs | When the gang separates the train and backs it up to separate it from the train, the young conductor says in amazement, "I didn't know these things went backwards." Cute, but this is a very unlikely line from an apprentice conductor "studying to take the motorman's exam." Besides the usual running back and forth while making up trains in the yards, every subway car runs in both directions, because they usually do not turn the train around at the end of the line. Instead, the operator stops at the last station, walks from the former front to the former back, switches controls to the new "front end" and goes back the way he came. So all subway cars spend half of their life "going backwards," as any conductor would know. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Superman III (1983). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Although many of the scenes in this film were taken on transit property, the New York City Transit Authority is not responsible for plot, story and characters portrayed. The Authority did not render technical advice and assistance. See more » |
| Quotes |
Lt. Garber:
[looking for the inspector]
Inspector Daniels? Inspector Daniels: [identifying himself] Daniels. Lt. Garber: [realizing that Inspector Daniels is Black] Oh, I, uh, thought you were, uh, like a shorter guy or... I don't know what I thought. See more » |