The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Timing: 1:44 (104 min)

7.445/10
604

7.582/10
2339

7.6/10
41000

All about film

Video 4

Photo 28

Actors and characters

Release date

1974-10-02

Country

United States

Production

United Artists, Palomar Pictures International, Palladium, Palladium Productions

Genre

Crime, Thriller, Action, Drama

Budget

$0

Revenue

$0

Website

Director

Joseph Sargent

Actors

Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman, James Broderick, Dick O'Neill, Lee Wallace, Tom Pedi, Beatrice Winde
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Edgar J. Scherick, Gabriel Katzka

Operator

Owen Roizman

Composer

David Shire

Artist

Audition

Alixe Gordin

Editing

Gerald B. Greenberg, Robert Q. Lovett
All team (48)

• The film is based on John Godey's novel 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three' (1973).
• The noticeable gap between the edge of the platform and the edge of the train is explained by the fact that a significant portion of the scenes in the subway were filmed on a closed branch of the Independent City Subway system, which uses wider cars than those used in the IRT subway system.
• The relevant authorities in New York initially refused the filmmakers permission to shoot directly in the subway, fearing that real criminals might take advantage of the idea of such a crime. (This did not happen, but such concerns proved well-founded when the criminal world later picked up on the idea around which Joseph Rubin's 1995 film 'Money Train' was built.) Producer Steven F. Kesten (1935-2001) in turn insisted that filming had to be done only in the New York subway and nowhere else. Eventually, thanks to the intervention of city mayor John V. Lindsay (1921-2000), permission was granted, but 'United Artists' had to purchase $75,000 worth of insurance and pay another $275,000 for the use of the subway.
• Filming of scenes in the subway began in late November 1973 and continued until the end of January 1974. The filming took place on a section that had not been used since the 1940s, but was close enough to the active 'A' and 'E' lines to conveniently fit filming of takes between the arrival and departure of trains at those stations.
• During filming in the subway tunnels, all members of the film crew had to wear respirators.
• The noticeable gap between the edge of the platform and the edge of the train car is explained by the fact that a significant portion of the scenes in the subway were filmed on a closed branch of the Independent City Subway System, which uses wider cars.
• Authorities initially refused to allow the filmmakers to shoot in the subway, fearing that real criminals might take advantage of the idea of such a crime. Producer Steven F. Kesten insisted that filming had to be done only in the New York subway and nowhere else. Eventually, thanks to the intervention of Mayor John V. Lindsay, permission was granted, but United Artists had to purchase $75,000 in insurance and pay an additional $275,000 for the use of the subway.
• Filming of the subway scenes began in late November 1973 and lasted until the end of January 1974. The filming took place on a section that had not been used since the 1940s, but was located close enough to the A and E lines.
• During filming in the subway tunnels, all members of the crew had to wear respirators.