This film pales in comparison with director Sam Peckinpah's other work from this period.
While "The Wild Bunch," "Straw Dogs" and, to a degree, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" are completely captivating works, blending top-notch acting, direction, and storytelling,"The Getaway" is a feeble sibling with only bits of Peckinpah's usual brilliance.
The plot, which centers around the (mis)adventures a husband and wife heist team on the lam, is likely deftly served by cult crime writer Jim Thompson, it only chugs along clumsily for the first hour on celluloid. There are occasional interesting touches and a good supporting cast, but little in the way of real inspiration.
Surprisingly, there are extended sequences when the film distinctly mirrors the faceless cop dramas that were playing on television at the time the film was released.
Much of the blame can be put on the self-styled "Bogey and Bacall" of the 70s, stars MacGraw and McQueen. While the two attractive leads lend the film an air of a modern day "Bonnie and Clyde," and were box-office draws, they nearly sink the film entirely.
It has been written that McQueen decided to edit this film on his own (!), but as he was one of the better actors of the decade, his ill-advised hubris is unmatched by the near worthlessness of MacGraw's performance.
MacGraw can't even seem to draw upon her life romance with her co-star to kindle any on screen chemistry, and McQueen seems stiff and uncomfortable in his romantic scenes with his wife.
Yet as one somewhat anonymous chase leads to another, the subplot involving a thug, Sally Struthers's dimwitted blonde and her pathetic veterinarian husband takes continually stranger turns, things heat up amidst a hail of bullets, garbage, and sheer momentum. (Peckinpah could obviously handle these types of chores with his eyes closed.)
Despite its many faults, "The Getaway" manages to come to a fairly satisfying conclusion.
Worth a look on cable, and certainly interesting to fans of the stars (if there any MacGraw fans out there) and the director.
While "The Wild Bunch," "Straw Dogs" and, to a degree, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" are completely captivating works, blending top-notch acting, direction, and storytelling,"The Getaway" is a feeble sibling with only bits of Peckinpah's usual brilliance.
The plot, which centers around the (mis)adventures a husband and wife heist team on the lam, is likely deftly served by cult crime writer Jim Thompson, it only chugs along clumsily for the first hour on celluloid. There are occasional interesting touches and a good supporting cast, but little in the way of real inspiration.
Surprisingly, there are extended sequences when the film distinctly mirrors the faceless cop dramas that were playing on television at the time the film was released.
Much of the blame can be put on the self-styled "Bogey and Bacall" of the 70s, stars MacGraw and McQueen. While the two attractive leads lend the film an air of a modern day "Bonnie and Clyde," and were box-office draws, they nearly sink the film entirely.
It has been written that McQueen decided to edit this film on his own (!), but as he was one of the better actors of the decade, his ill-advised hubris is unmatched by the near worthlessness of MacGraw's performance.
MacGraw can't even seem to draw upon her life romance with her co-star to kindle any on screen chemistry, and McQueen seems stiff and uncomfortable in his romantic scenes with his wife.
Yet as one somewhat anonymous chase leads to another, the subplot involving a thug, Sally Struthers's dimwitted blonde and her pathetic veterinarian husband takes continually stranger turns, things heat up amidst a hail of bullets, garbage, and sheer momentum. (Peckinpah could obviously handle these types of chores with his eyes closed.)
Despite its many faults, "The Getaway" manages to come to a fairly satisfying conclusion.
Worth a look on cable, and certainly interesting to fans of the stars (if there any MacGraw fans out there) and the director.