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Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw, Ben Johnson, Sally Struthers, Al Lettieri ... see more see more... , Slim Pickens , Jack Dodson , Richard Bright , John Bryson , A.L. Camp , Dick Crockett , Roy Jenson , Whitney Jones , Stacy Newton , Tom Runyon , Dub Taylor , Bill Hart , Bo Hopkins

In Sam Peckinpah's version of Walter Hill's script, from Jim Thompson's novel, an ex-con and his wife go on the lam after a Texas bank heist. Denied parole after four well-behaved years, Doc McCoy (St... read more read more...eve McQueen) sends his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) to dirty politician Jack Benyon (Ben Johnson) to get him out of prison. Carol secures Doc's freedom, on the condition that he does one more bank job for Benyon. Doc and his accomplices Rudy (Al Lettieri) and Jackson (Bo Hopkins) get the cash, but Doc soon discovers how Rudy intends to keep it all for himself and how Carol convinced Benyon to get him sprung. While Rudy hijacks a veterinarian and his wife (Sally Struthers) to take him to get Doc in El Paso, Doc and Carol make their own embattled way south with the money, threatening to desert each other before reaching a trash dump rapprochement after a harrowing garbage truck episode. All sides converge in El Paso for a shootout, but trust a happily married old-timer (Slim Pickens) to help Doc and Carol have a future. With violence shot in his trademark balletic style, Peckinpah does not hide the damage that Doc can do, whether to a cop car or an enemy. Still, as in such other morally relative outlaw movies as Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Peckinpah's western The Wild Bunch (1969), Doc may be a criminal and killer when necessary, but his and Carol's loyalty to each other elevates them above their crooked milieu. With its non-traditional traditional couple played by the then hot (and notoriously adulterous) stars McQueen and MacGraw, The Getaway was a substantial hit. It was lackadaisically remade with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger in 1994. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

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R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

Release Date: December 13, 1972

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DVD Release Date: May 31, 2005

Stats: 581 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (581)

  • fb1664868775
    October 28, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Peckinpah's action flick is well made and original though not one of his best.
  • cosmo313
    October 25, 2011
    cosmo313
    Filmed on location across various parts of Texas this is the story of Carter "Doc" McCoy (Steve McQueen), a bankrobber who gets released from prison after his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) does whatever is necessary to make it happen. As per part of the deal she makes, the two of them... read more, plus a couple of others, are pulled together to pull off a major job, one that could very well be the last one McCoy ever needs to pull. Things go awry, and, following the botched job, the rest of the films follows the characters as they attempt to make their escapes.

    Walter Hill wrote the screnplay, and based the material off of a novel by Jim Thompson. Sam Peckinpah took the reins as director, and Quincey Jones handled the music. Being that this was released in 1972, it easily fits into the canon of tough, gritty crime pictures common for the period. It;s a good solid yarn and (I think) deserves to be better known and more appreciated.

    The cast is ptetty good, and they give some decent performances. The characters, despite beign criminals, are somewhat likeable, even though they don't always do nice things. Of course though, It's McQueen, the King of Cool, so he's pretty hard to dislike in general. The action scenes are well done, and I enjoyed some of the humor as well, even though I wasn't expecting it.

    My only real complaints are the choppy editing and the freeze frames during the opening credits. Those get a little distracting and annoyed me. Also, I'm not real big on how they handled the sidestory involving Al Lettieri's character as he makes his escape. I mean, he does a good job, as does Sally Struthers, I just think it could have been handled better as the way it is now just seems out of place. The music is fairly decent, but some of it seemed inconsistent and not uniformly strong.

    Other than all that, this is a fine motion picture. It's cool, it's gritty, and McQueen is a bad ass. Do yourself a favor and check this out. It was remade in 1994 with an equally impressive cast, but, even though i haven't seen it yet, I have a feeling it'd be best to just stick with this one.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    August 8, 2011
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Peckinpah directs, Walter Hill writes. There are some ups and downs on the script, but this is a solid flick.
  • axadntpron
    July 26, 2011
    axadntpron
    I have a major soft spot for 70's crime movies. They are just so damn gritty and it seems that more of an emphasis was placed on suspense building rather than explicit action. So when I sat down with director Sam Peckinpah's 1972 heist film, I was pleasantly surprised to find tha... read moret this film is a clinic in suspense building.
    I wasn't surprised that Peckinpah could make a good film. In fact, I absolutely love the Wild Bunch and Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia. What surprised me was how lean the film was. With his film such as Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid being a bit on the self indulgent side, I wondered what he would do with a simple heist film. In essence, and with the pun fully intended, he cuts to the chase.
    It is a story about a man in search of a clean slate and Pekinpah never strays from that. Sure he takes a couple of scenes to build up the malevolence of the antagonist, but other than that he keeps it to McQueen. I have never been too impressed with McQueen in the past, but the director manages to get a really good performance out of him.
    But back to my point, the editing is so tight and the directing so sharp that this film just drives. (Too many puns?)
    For those Peckinpah fans, don't worry, it still has all of the trappings of the director. There is some very unglamorous violence, misogyny, and plenty of people falling in slow motion.
    Could the film have benefitted from more character development? Always. But I don't know whether to attribute that flaw to the director or the limited range of MacGraw. While I know her character goes through some changes in the film, the actress doesn't display them well.
    All in all, a great heist film and proof that Pekinpah was quite a force behind the camera.
  • garyX
    September 30, 2010
    garyX
    A career criminal is granted parole by a corrupt politician in exchange for masterminding a bank robbery but when things go awry he and his wife have to make a run for the border with both the cops and their erstwhile partners on their tale. The Getaway is an old school, no-nonse... read morense heist movie that bears all of Peckinpah's trademarks. Despite the presence of McQueen and his effortless cool, it's a very cold-hearted film as he plays such a hard ass it's rather difficult to warm to him and as the plot is little more than a series of shoot outs and car chases there is not much room for in depth characterisation or dialogue. It being Peckinpah, the action is of course brilliantly handled though and it has the tough guy grittiness that is peculiar to thrillers of the 70s such as Dirty Harry and The French Connection and things definitely heat up towards the end with a fantastic climactic shoot out and a nice cameo from Slim Pickens that finally brings a modicum of heart to the story. Maybe not a true classic, but certainly one to see for fans of the genre.
  • ythelastman89
    June 18, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Sam Peckinpahâ??s heist masterpiece, itâ??s one of the best the genre has to offer. Itâ??s bloody, violent and ruthless; something that every crime movie should be. However, this is so realistic and gritty that all those qualities come off even more extreme and powerful. Seeing s... read moreomeone get shot in slow motion with candy apple blood from a shotgun is like nothing else. The storyline is more complex than just a simple bank robbery, itâ??s the follow up that gets far more attention. Steve McQueen is the definition of hard, he slaps his girlfriend around, kills via buckshots and never cracks a smile. However, heâ??s always the one you root for because heâ??s just so awesome doing it.
  • DrZeek
    February 23, 2010
    DrZeek
    Rudy Butler: That's a walk-in bank. You don't have to be Dillinger for this one.
    Carter 'Doc' McCoy: Dillinger got killed.
    Rudy Butler: Not in a bank.

    Steve McQueen plays it pretty cool throughout this Sam Peckinpah action thriller. Its about an ex-con/master thief, Doc McCoy, ... read moreplayed by McQueen, who is released from jail, reunites with his wife, and takes on a bank job from a corrupt politician in exchange for parole and a chunk of cash. The bank heist is successful, but unfortunately for Doc the men he's working with are not on the level. Doc kills the politician but only shoots the other robber who was wearing a bullet proof vest at the time. Now its a race to the border as Doc and his wife Carol, played by Ali MacGraw, are wanted criminals being hunted by both the police and the other robber.

    What I really enjoyed about this film is McQueen's character. Doc is continually frustrated by all those around him throughout. This includes the men chasing him, people getting in his way, and of course his wife. There is one awesome sequence where Carol is given some help by a stranger, who ends up taking all the money, leading to a neat cat and mouse sequence as Doc and the thief have to deal with each other. It is an entire sequence that is relatively unrelated to the main plot, but it further strengthens Doc's frustration, and how he could have done everything clean if he was just given himself to do everything. This is the film that has finally put me on board the cool McQueen train.

    Adding to the film is Peckinpah's direction. Known for his use of bloody action, slow motion shots, and macho characters living by a simple code of honor, all of those elements are present here, and they all add to the slickness and to the point purpose of the feature.

    A well made, entertaining ride.

    Carter 'Doc' McCoy: If you're trying to get me back in Huntsville, you're going about it the right way.
    Carol Ainsley McCoy: Well I just wouldn't worry about that Doc, because I can always get you out, you know I can screw every prison official in Texas if I have to!
    Carter 'Doc' McCoy: Texas is a big state.
    Carol Ainsley McCoy: I can handle it.
    Carter 'Doc' McCoy: Yeah, I bet you can.
  • sononothing
    February 16, 2010
    sononothing
    The Getaway represents another image of the awesomely cool Steve McQuuen etched into our collective minds for an eternity. McQueen plays Doc McCoy, a man on the inside trying to get back on the outside and failing at every attempt. That is until his wife Carol (Ali Mcgraw) starts... read more to play patty-cake with parole board member Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson). Part of the stipulation for Doc's release is that he has to set up a robbery against a bank for Beynon. Of course, as in all movies, the robbery is a dismal failure with the McCoys being chased by Beynon, the police, and left for dead gang member Rudy (Al Letteri).

    When I found out that this was directed b y Sam Peckinpah I was surprised that this film was rated PG. Peckinpah is notorious for the over the top violent menagerie, but The Getaway steers clear of any major gratuitous violence. Honestly, the worst you'll see is McQueen slapping McGraw- literally.

    The film is a great action piece that doesn't disappoint its audience with the standard cops and robbers uniformity. The McCoys are on the run like Bonnie and Clyde, but they're in a marriage that is strained by Carol's "work" on the parole board and the constant chase from most of the southern United States. The addition of the sub plot featuring Rudy mesmerizing the kidnapped veterinarians wife (Sally Struthers) delivers some comic relief as we watch the McCoy's attempt to salvage their marriage and their lives.

    McQueen and Mcgraw deliver great performance, probably due to the fact that they were in a stormy relationship themselves at this point. First and foremost this is a McQueen picture, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the cast who are great in their roles.

    So if you're looking for another dose of McQueen cool The Getaway delivers another subdued performance by the man that was taken way before his time.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    May 13, 2008
    cancercapricorn2002
    Based on Jim Thompson's novel, The Getaway finds director Sam Peckinpah, and king of cool actor Steve McQueen turn to hard grit drama after the sedate splendour of Junior Bonner earlier in the year.

    Doc McCoy is released early from prison due to some string pulling from influe... read morential gangster Jack Benyon, however it comes under condition that McCoy pulls off a bank robbery for the gruff smarmy Benyon. Thus the seed is sown for double crosses, murder, cross country pursuits, adultery, and carnage Peckinpah style. Steve McQueen is excellent as McCoy, few actors can claim to look so good when popping off a pump action shotgun, or shooting a pistol complete with arm recoil, and here he has Peckinpah to maximise the damage whilst poetically portraying the slow-mo death sequences. Al Lettieri is vile thug Rudy Butler who is in hot pursuit of McCoy & his wife Carol, a wonderful weasel turn full of cold abusive charm that reeks of menace. Sadly the film is let down a touch by the performance of Ali MacGraw as Carol, it's a terribly wooden performance that threatens to undo all the good things in the film, but luckily McQueen manages to ease her thru the production to minimise the damage. This of course is the film where both of them fell madly in love and ended up getting married to each other, the chemistry is good, but it's just that MacGraw's delivery of her lines lacks emotion or fortitude. Peckinpah disagreed with the critics of the time, even sending a letter to MacGraw praising her efforts. However when she turned up for the shoot unable to drive a car, he was less than pleased since her character was the getaway driver ! .

    Full of fine sequences and bloody scenarios, it stands up as a real good Sam Peckinpah picture, it's a kind of city set western where the outlaws are actually coming across as heroes. We get pulled into this couple's world and we want so much for them to achieve their goals, so add that feeling to the gritty structure of the story and you get a real enjoyable piece benefiting from great work from director and charismatic leading man alike,
  • kenstachnik
    October 1, 2007
    kenstachnik
    Steve Mother Fucking McQueen!

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Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

The action and the violence of The Getaway are supported by no particular themes whatsoever. The movie just unravels. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It's like one of those devices for executive desks, with the stainless steel balls on the strings: It functions with great efficiency but doesn't accomplish anything. Full Review

David Nusair
June 29, 2009
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

...ultimately comes off as an above-average thriller that's elevated by the inclusion of several electrifying sequences and an expectedly charismatic turn from Steve McQueen. Full Review

John J. Puccio
March 5, 2007
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

The Getaway scores a triple play: It's a good character examination, a good relationship study, and a good action flick. Full Review

August 30, 2006
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Relentlessly depicts ruthless robbery and murder, not to mention adultery, kidnaping, bribery, extortion, and general mayhem. The vivid direction and lightning pace, however, make the film completely ... Full Review

Rob Thomas
September 29, 2005
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Tough as nails and very effective.

Keith Breese
May 1, 2005
Keith Breese, Filmcritic.com

simply too contrived to be taken seriously Full Review

Bob Bloom
August 22, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A tough crime drama with a steely McQueen performance and the usual quota of Peckinpah violence.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

A trashy good time!

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

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