The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

R

1974

1h 44m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

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Critics Consensus

Breezy, thrilling, and quite funny, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three sees Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw pitted against each other in effortlessly high form.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Sep 21, 2023

The movie must have been an editor's nightmare: the scenes are thudders, and the whole thing was punched together -- with no glue but the basic idea.

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Jerry Renshaw

Austin Chronicle

Mar 7, 2021

Stiller is terrific as a transit authority police lieutenant, as is Matthau as the rather sour cop who has to outsmart the bad guys.

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John H. Dorr

The Hollywood Reporter

Oct 3, 2018

The large, well-characterized cast is ably headed by Walter Matthau, whose wonderfully weary sense of irony is perfect.

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Justin LaLiberty

Screen Slate

Aug 26, 2026

Its no-holds-barred approach toward capturing the city in a state of economic turmoil and disrepair anticipates how other filmmakers would document its streets through the decade.

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Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

Sep 26, 2023

This movie walked... err... rolled so "Die Hard" could run a decade and a half later.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 15, 2023

4/4

Filled with distinctive characters and crackling dialogue -- and always with another surprise up its sleeve.

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gungi T

@WhatWhere 5 days ago

Pelham is quick and moves fast, grounding itself in witty interrogation and decision-making. The vast network of train lines under the city captures the immediacy of the conflict, meaning that the men who take the train captive and the law enforcers engage in a tense, turn-based game to outmanoeuvre their respective adversaries by anticipating the variable outcomes of the many twists and turns of the underground railway. Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw's chess game to outdo each other and checkmate the options that correlate to the railway system's available endpoints provides an entertaining train movie.

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Chad M.

@TheChiefCigar May 5, 2026

I love finding classics I should have seen before now and finally biting the bullet. This did NOT disappoint. Robert Shaw is a looming villain and Matthau serves as a witty protagonist, with help along the way from the entire cast. Funny, engaging, tense at times, and just a well made film.

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Jason H

@RT50328122 Apr 24, 2026

One of my favorite movies from the '70s.

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Nathan Y.

@NathanYatesDouglass Apr 4, 2026

Somehow funny and off-beat while serious. Akin to Die Hard in ways. Dips a little heavily into NYC stereotypes but that kind of works somehow. A fun ride. Walter Matthau just at peak charisma in this.

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Lars N

@movie_douche Apr 1, 2026

Fun as a product of it's time rather than an actual thrilling film. Every New York stereotype on display here.

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Irene M

@igawel Mar 11, 2026

Watching as part of a "competency porn" festival. I was expecting something very gritty and serious, like "Dog Day afternoon", but instead I was pleasantly surprised by the mix of comedy with the drama. And yes, it is a microcosm of NYC in the 70s.

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Joseph Sargent

Director

Walter Matthau

Lt. Zachary Garber

Robert Shaw

Blue

Martin Balsam

Green

Héctor Elizondo

Grey

Earl Hindman

Brown

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - I'm Taking Your Train

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Gesundheit!

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Rolling in Dough

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Mayor and His Wife

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Money Has Arrived

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Meeting the Demands

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - You're a Sick Man, Rico

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Mr. Blue Electrocutes Himself

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Runaway Train

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Synopsis

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

Director: Joseph Sargent
Producer: Gabriel Katzka, Edgar J. Scherick
Screenwriter: John Godey, Peter Stone
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 2, 1974, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2010
Runtime: 1h 44m

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