Review of The Outfit (1973) by Stephen C — 21 Feb 2012
Their is boiled and their is hard boiled and this film is just about as hard boiled as they come ,with lean and mean direction and some outstanding tough guy performances.
Robert Duvall plays Earl Macklin a small time bankrobber who is out for revenge when he learns his brother has been rubbed out by the Outfit .
With the aid of his partner Cody (Joe Don Baker excellent) he smashes and slugs his way towards the top man played by Robert Ryan in his last screen role.
During the course of the film direc tor John Flynn fills his film full of tough noir character parts including Jane Greer from Out of the past, Richard Jackel from the Dirty Dozen and Timothy Carey ,Marie Windsor and Elisha Cook Jr from Kubricks the Killing.
This casting and some thick ear violence give the film a real hardboiled edge ,and its no coincidence that the film is based on a book by the same author as Point Blank Lee Marvins 1967 noir classic.
Like that film the story never lets up as Macklin dishes up his own brand of justice.
A mid 70s noir masterpiece this film relly does deliver the goods.
This review of The Outfit (1973) was written by Stephen C on 21 Feb 2012.
The Outfit has generally received positive reviews.
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