The Getaway, based on
the novel by Jim Thompson
The Getaway has its good moments
Nevertheless, it is not Papillon, The Great
Escape, Bullitt, Junior Bonner or The Towering Inferno.
Steve McQueen was one of the best actors in Hollywood
and in this film and we can see why, even if it is not his best role.
He plays Doc McCoy, a recently released robber
who is involved in a Getaway with his wife Carol.
The latter is portrayed by Ali MacGraw, one of
the stars of past decades, launched by The Love Story.
Robert Evans was the husband of this actor and
he talks about their relationship in the book called:
The Kid Stays in the Picture
This book is an excellent narrative about the
movie industry, even if the author sounds false at times.
As a former actor, producer and head of The
Paramount Studio, Robert Evans offers insight into so many aspects of
Hollywood.
From the making of The Godfather and the way an
Italian director had been selected, with whom so many differences have erupted,
to the selection of actors like Al Pacino- an artist so unknown at the time
that various people involved did not know how to spell the name of this new
comer-to the producing of hits like Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, the
aforementioned Love Story, The Kid Stays in the Picture is packed with
incredible information and gossip on the movies.
Robert Evans reveals many secrets from his
marriage to Ali MacGraw, the meanness of her partner in Love Story, the manner
in which this film was conceived and released and the separation.
The actor has a love affair with her partner on
The Getaway, the very hot at that moment star of this film.
Carol McCoy helps her husband get out of jail
and in the first part it is revealed that she had to cheat on him for that.
Doc is so mad that he kicks his wife, even
after a scene where it looked for a while that she might kill him.
The robber says that he only believes in money
and nothing else.
The marriage is under pressure and the
atmosphere between husband and wife, who are partners in crime is heavy.
-
“in God we trust”
Doc shows his spouse the stacks of bills they
get from robbing a bank and says that he only trusts in those bills.
Along the way, there are many developments…and
the ones involving an enemy, a vet and his wife are among the most interesting.
One thief pretends to help Carol as she tries
to place the bag with money in a box at the rail station.
However, while he took the bag, put it in the
compartment, he switched keys and later stole the luggage.
“The oldest trick in the book” says a disappointed
Doc when they open the door and there is no money inside.
Taking back the money from the stranger makes
for some thrilling moments and there is humor involved.
There are some car chases, but they look dated
when compared with today’s special effects enforced scenes.
One other scene highlighted the differences
between the sixties and the attitudes of today, regarding waste.
The hero and his wife have to take refuge in a
garbage bin and they are collected by a truck and thrown at the waste zone.
All the refuse, bags, filth is not sorted and
what is worse, it keeps flying away in an awful manner.
The Getaway is not a
masterpiece, but it can be enjoyable.
