Outfit Forever

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35 years and six months ago, Roger Ebert wrote a perceptive, positive and fair-minded review of John Flynn's The Outfit -- a crafty, brass-tacks crime pic that I mention every so often in hopes of goading Warner Home Video into putting it out on DVD. My most recent mention was spurred by the recent death of Donald Westlake, who wrote the book the film is based upon.

Ebert called it "a classy action picture, very well directed and acted, about a gangster's revenge on the mob for the death of his brother. An outline of the plot would make it sound pretty routine, but what makes the picture superior is its richness of detail. [In no small part because] the people in this movie are uncommonly interesting.

"The lead is a guy named Macklin, played by Robert Duvall. He and his brother made the mistake some years ago of sticking up a bank that was owned by the outfit. In revenge, his brother is wiped out by a couple of stone-faced gunsels. Duvall gets out of prison and hitches up with an old partner in crime, Joe Don Baker. They also take along Duvall's girl (Karen Black), but mostly she just gets to ride in the back seat.

"Like so many movies of the last five or six years, this one is essentially about a relationship between two males. Duvall and Baker make it work better than usual by suggesting real, fundamental friendship and mutual respect, [being] just a couple of old pals who are quick and mean and very professional. And Duvall is reasonable, too; he doesn't want total vengeance, he only wants a quarter of a million dollars. The outfit takes in more than that before noon on a good day -- or so observes Robert Ryan, who plays the mob chief. But Ryan double-crosses Duvall, and then it turns out that for $250,000, he would have been getting off cheap.

"Duvall and Baker raid a series of mob operations, including a gambling club and a bookie wire room, and finally they raid the mansion of Ryan himself. The nice thing about all the raid sequences is that they're carried out realistically; no James Bond gimmicks or impossible heroism, just a few well-executed plans.

"Flynn, who wrote and directed, fills The Outfit with a series of supporting characters who are allowed to seem complex and real. I especially remember a couple of dealers in hot cars and the nymphomaniac wife of one of them (Sheree North). And Marie Windsor, as Baker's wife. And Ryan, in his next-to-last role, playing a man with great strength but very little happiness.

"The scene at the farm of the two stolen car dealers is handled with such attention to character detail that it could stand by itself; with a few small strokes, Flynn gives us three characters and their relationship, Instead of just throwing in some stock dialogue.

"There's something else that's good about the movie: The relative restraint with which Flynn uses violence. Instead of going for a lot of fancy gunplay, Flynn more often than not examines the way in which violent situations tend to be clumsy and confused. A scene in a skid row mission, for example, comes alive when Duvall and Baker, trying to escape a couple of hit men, set off a fire alarm. Bums and firemen and cops and killers all mill around trying to find the fire; it's exciting, but it's fun too."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 11, 2009 at 5:56 AM

comment #1

actionman says ...

Have never seen this film. Hadn't even heard of it until now. Sounds very sweet. Would love to be able to check it out.

Ebert's reviews are my favorite to read.

Posted by actionman at March 11, 2009 6:33 AM

comment #2

Krazy Eyes says ...

I didn't read this post because I've wanted to see THE OUTFIT for years and I'm certain Jeff has spoiled at least a few plot elements in the above. Am I right?

Posted by Krazy Eyes at March 11, 2009 6:49 AM

comment #3

creepingmalaise says ...

"I didn't read this post because I've wanted to see THE OUTFIT for years and I'm certain Jeff has spoiled at least a few plot elements in the above. Am I right?"

If you've waited 35 years you deserve to have the spoliers ruin your day.

Posted by creepingmalaise at March 11, 2009 6:59 AM

comment #4

raygo says ...

Karen Black ... an unsung talent of the 70s.

Posted by raygo at March 11, 2009 7:05 AM

comment #5

AtticusRex says ...

I want to set up a drive-in night of 3 flicks back to back:

The Outfit
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
Prime Cut

Now that's a '70's hard-edge triple feature!

Posted by AtticusRex at March 11, 2009 7:30 AM

comment #6

Manitoba says ...

I saw The Outfit when it first came out around the time of Robert Ryan's death. The old single house theatre I saw it in has been closed for years. But it still exists as a local historic site for future interior redevelopment. The cast also included the late Elisha Cook Jr. of Maltese Falcon fame and Robert Mitchum's old RKO co-star Jane Greer. The prolific Donald E. Westlake wrote the novel Outfit is based on as Richard Stark. Though much of Robert Ryan's best work was on the stage, he did get to do some outstanding work in John Frankenheimer's film of The Iceman Cometh, also released in 73. Great to see Jeff quoting vintage Ebert. I have an old Christmas gift of Roger Ebert's 2000 Movie Yearbook on my desk. Ebert's review of the political satire from 98 "Bulworth" seems quite timely as the U.S. wades into possible health reform. Ebert noted the fictional Senator Bulworth was convinced both parties were still in the pockets of the insurance companies. Is The Outfit's director John Flynn still around for a DVD commentary? I did see cast member Joanna Cassidy on tv recently and I guess Joe Don Baker and Duvall are still around.

Posted by Manitoba at March 11, 2009 7:31 AM

comment #7

AtticusRex says ...

RAYGO: I remember that one of the best movie posters in terms of art from the '70's featured Ms. Black... try and find the advance version for the best use of the art...

Day of the Locust

Posted by AtticusRex at March 11, 2009 7:32 AM

comment #8

raygo says ...

I remember The Day of the Locust well. I may even have a poster somewhere. I used to be on the film committee at Va Tech, and we scheduled all the films each semister. I got to keep some artifacts. I have an original Chinatown poster. Still my favorite movie. Day of the Locust may have been Richard Amsel artwork? He was quite prolific in the 70s and 80s.

Posted by raygo at March 11, 2009 8:25 AM

comment #9

arnold stang says ...

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I remember reading a story not too long ago about how director Flynn originally wanted to shoot THE OUTFIT as a 40's period piece, hence the supporting cast that included Jane Geer, Henry Jones and Elisha Cook Jr. to give it a noir feel. Unfortunately, MGM didn't want to spend the money and they shot it contemporary.

Posted by arnold stang at March 11, 2009 8:46 AM

comment #10

AtticusRex says ...

RAYGO: Wow, now that I think about it and without me digging through my stash to find it as well, I believe the artwork is by Byrd another prolific poster artist.

Chinatown is also a most wonderful poster from that period. That was done by Pearsall but he didn't do much work in this field.

Posted by AtticusRex at March 11, 2009 9:29 AM

comment #11

raygo says ...

Atticus, Wikipedia claims Amsel did the poster for Chintown. I'm not sure that's correct, since I have it under glass in my house. I'll check tonight. But typically the Amsel signature was prominent. I also have the poster for Murder on the Orient Express. Another favorite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Amsel

Posted by raygo at March 11, 2009 11:17 AM

comment #12

AtticusRex says ...

RAYGO: Wiki isn't wrong it's just that the regular issue poster for Chinatown is done by Pearsall, Amsel did do a variant used especially for foreign releases.

Now Murder on the Orient Express along with another Christie movie Death on the Nile are Amsel's.

You have to trust me, if there is one subject I know it's movie posters.

Posted by AtticusRex at March 11, 2009 11:33 AM

comment #13

raygo says ...

Atticus, was it bad of me to have the poster dry-mounted on card stock? In hindsight, I wouldn't do that today, but I didn't know any better when I did that (about 20 years ago).

Also, follow some of those wiki links to check out some Amsel tributes.

Posted by raygo at March 11, 2009 11:44 AM

comment #14

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

"you deserve to have the spoliers ruin your day"

So, if someone is serious enough about their appreciation of film to have avoided TV and VHS in the hopes of a home video letterbox or local revival, you can't respect them. Or they simply were too young or not even in existence at the time of the release.

Or, you're just another jackass who saw an excuse for warrantless snark.

Speaking of films that Jeff has actually spoiled for newer generations who weren't around for the initial release, I guess he doesn't know that The Friends of Eddie Coyle is coming out from Criterion in May.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at March 11, 2009 11:47 AM

comment #15

AtticusRex says ...

RAYGO: Drop me an email if you like and we can discuss posters and artists. atticus.rex@verizon.net

Amsel was THE poster and magazine cover king of the '70's.

And you should never, ever drymount/glue any poster that's not a reprint. Unless you careless of it's potential worth.

Posted by AtticusRex at March 11, 2009 12:25 PM

comment #16

nemo says ...

Every movie Robert Duvall or Robert Ryan ever starred in should be available on DVD by now.

Posted by nemo at March 11, 2009 1:12 PM

comment #17

JosephB says ...

About a year ago, Turner Classic Movies showed "The Outfit" as part of their WONDERFUL Friday night Rob Zombie Underground line-up. This was before I had a DVR, was sick and had every intention of watching it. I got through the first 5 minutes before falling asleep (again, sickness). Been kicking myself ever since. But, at least we know they have it in the vaults and TCM is great about replaying lost classics.

Posted by JosephB at March 11, 2009 7:14 PM

comment #18

lipranzer says ...

You're reminding me I need to take the tape out from our store one of these days. One of the managers I work with raves about this movie, and we've had it on occasionally, and what I saw looked good.

Posted by lipranzer at March 11, 2009 8:52 PM

comment #19

TVMCCA says ...

At the very least, WB could consider a double-bill DVD of THE OUTFIT and THE SPLIT.

Posted by TVMCCA at March 11, 2009 10:12 PM

comment #20

TVMCCA says ...

Here's Jay Cocks' dismissal of THE OUTFIT from TIME's archives:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,943699,00.html

A key passage from Cocks' review: The Outfit is the sort of yarn (ex-con goes up against the Mob biggies for revenge) that needs to have every moment blasted by visual invention. Director Flynn makes a movie that has been seen before, without either the skill or spirit that distinguished such excellent predecessors as Point Blank and Get Carter.

I didn't see THE OUTFIT until years later (I think it was on TNT), but remember it played a first-run theater in Wichita Falls, TX on a double bill with the Gregory Peck/Desi Arnaz, Jr. made-in-Israel Western BILLY TWO HATS.

Posted by TVMCCA at March 11, 2009 10:21 PM

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travesti says ...

I especially remember a couple of dealers in hot cars and the nymphomaniac wife of one of them (Sheree North). And Marie Windsor, as Baker's wife.

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Though much of Robert Ryan's best work was on the stage, he did get to do some outstanding work in John Frankenheimer's film of The Iceman Cometh, also released in 73. Great to see Jeff quoting vintage Ebert. I have an old Christmas gift of Roger Ebert's 2000 Movie Yearbook on my deskdata entry from home

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Ohh I loved the Outfit. I used to watch it in my auntys house..when she was working on her forex trading signals ohh glory times where films were well made. I think i watched it like 20 times. great movie..if you havent watched it.. ure losing your time here.. go and do so !!

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