Shades of the great 1970s

Sitting here this morning watching cable television, and just my luck Joseph Sargent ’s 1974 thriller “The Taking if Pelham One Two Three” is on. That’s significant because a remake of the same film, with a different spelling – “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” – is due for a June 12 release.

Sargent has been making movies since 1959, though he’s worked mostly in television. And while he may not rank among the top filmmakers of his generation, his version of “Pelham 1 2 3” – base on Peter Stone’s screenplay adapted from John Godey’s novel – ranks with the best thrillers of the 1970s.

The casting is key. Robert Shaw , best known as Quint in “Jaws,” is the cold-blooded leader. The great comic actor Walter Matthau, in one of his dramatic roles, is the New York transit official who ends up being the negotiator. The two roles in the new film are played, respectively, by John Travolta and Denzel Washington.

The difference should be in the choice of director. Tony Scott, he of “Top Gun” fame, is known for big and flashy features, while Sargent’s film is strictly from the street – just the way all those great ’70s-era films were.

One other thing. I’ve never particularly liked Hector Elizondo . I’ve always found his acting to be obvious and ironic at the same time. But here, as a psycho killer, he affects just the right tone. It’s the same role that, 20 years later, Joe Pantoliano would perfect.

It’s on DVD. I recommend it highly.

Below: The trailer for the original version of “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.”