Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Movie review - "The Hot Rock" (1972) **1/2

WiWilliam Goldman has written extensively (and entertainingly) on his various adventures in the screen trade, positive and otherwise, but rarely mentions this effort. It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of - and from other thing he's written he says he was a friend of director Peter Yates (who later directed Goldman's Year of the Comet), it was a Robert Redford film at the time of Redford's great popularity, is a New York crime story (two things Goldman loves).
The script also seems to be very much Goldman - tight, bright dialogue, well constructed, some twists. It is minor Goldman - and minor Yates and minor Redford for that matter.
Golden locks plays a crim who tries to rob a diamond with three others. The twist is they end up having to rob it three more times. This does get a little repetitive, especially without some sort of subplot: a love interest, or a pursuing police officer. The main subplot involves Zero Mostel, good fun as the conniving father of one of the crooks.
Redford is in handsome leading man mode here; he seems awkwardly cast in the film, which feels as though it needs someone with a bit more New York pizzaz to mix in with the rest of the gang (which includes a broad George Segal and Ron Liebman).
Also there is a scene where the gang make a distraction by pretending to die in a car crash, relying on the sympathy of security guards - this isn't a very nice thing to do and serves to make them unsympathetic (important when this is a comedy). Some bright moments, like talking in the park long distance and a little old lady sits down between them, and Redford's walk at the end.

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