The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) an early 70's American thriller starring Walter Matthau as a member of the New York transit authority who finds himself the negotiator when a group of terrorists hijack a subway train.
The four terrorists are not the modern day terrorist types, these aren’t middle eastern jihadists who fight for what they believe in, religion, race and creed play no part in their demands these are four ordinary 'joes' whose only motivation is greed. Led by Robert Shaw they demand a million dollars and threaten to kill a hostage for every minute that the authorities waste in getting them the doe! They aren’t fooling around either as they make good on their promise when some trigger happy cop in the tunnel where the train has stopped fires off a single shot resulting in a fire fight and the subsequent demise of one of the hostages.
Naming themselves after the colours of the hats they wear Blue, Green, Grey and Brown, its Mr Grey who is the psychopath among the group. Played by Hector Elizondo who usually, (in later years), plays more mellowed out roles such as the concierge Barney Thompson in 1990's 'Pretty Woman'. Grey is the one who refuses to take orders from Shaw’s Mr Blue who has everything planned to the minutest detail. Martin Balsam is Mr Green, who should really have been more careful where and when he sneezed, and Mr Brown is played by Earl Hindman who would go on to play Bob Reid in the long running US soap 'Ryan's Hope (1975-1989), and later would play Wilson, the guy forever behind the garden fence in Tim Allen's comedy 'Home Improvement'. Jerry Stiller, (father of Ben), also makes an appearance as a transit cop Rico Patrone.
The film has a great 70's score written by David Shire, whose wife at the time, Talia Shire, suggested that the end theme be more 'expansive' and it almost bookends the film after the exciting opening the ending gives a sense of the city returning to normality with the crisis now passed. It went on to be nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Film Music in 1975 losing out to John Williams for both his scores for 'Jaws' and 'The Towering Inferno'.
The result of the film led the real New York transit authority to ban any train leaving the Pelham station at 1:23 for many years and although that ban has been lifted schedulers still generally avoid said station with time.
A TV remake was released in 1998 starring Vincent D'Onofrio in the role of Mr. Blue and Donnie Wahlberg in the role of Mr. Grey. Then in 2009 a big budget remake was released, directed by Tony Scott it starred Denzel Washington in Matthau’s role and John Travolta as 'Blue'.
