Review of Boxcar Bertha (1972) by Davey M — 14 Apr 2011

I ain't a criminal. I'm a union man.

Bertha is traumatized by the death of her father. She decides to live off the land and the railroad tracks. Her life is hard, but she meets some unique men, former railroad workers, which can help her survive on the path that she has chosen. However, living off the land by robbing, sex, and other illegal activities can be tough in the south...

"Don't believe anything you hear from a cop...even if it sounds good.".

Martin Scorsese, director Taxi Driver, Casino, Good Fellas, Raging Bull, Cape Fear, The Departed, Shutter Island, and Gangs of New York, delivers Boxcar Bertha. The storyline for this picture is very compelling and well paced. Scorsese does a good job of presenting each character and keeping the plot unpredictable. The end concludes the picture perfectly. The cast delivers solid performances and includes Barbara Hershey, David Carradine, John Carradine, Barry Primus, Harry Northup, and Bernie Casey.

"What's happening out there? Are we getting robbed?".

"Why, do you have something to rob?".

Boxcar Bertha is a film I grabbed for my wife this past Valentine's Day. We're both grindhouse fans and I saw Scorsese's name attached to this movie about a female rebel and had to see it. I adored this picture and thought it was brilliant in terms of how the crimes were executed and the characters were presented. I strongly recommend seeing this if you're a fan of Scorsese.

"You boys sure made a mess.".

Grade: B+/A-.