The Outfit (1973)

October 19, 1973 (US) • Crime, Drama • 103m

Overview

A two-bit criminal takes on the Mafia to avenge his brother's death. Earl Macklin is a small time criminal who is released from prison after an unsuccessful bank robbery only to discover that a pair of gunmen killed his brother.

Director

John Flynn

Writers

John Flynn, Donald E. Westlake

Top Billed

Robert Duvall

Keywords

based on novel or book revenge mafia ex-con parker

Where to watch

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Robert Duvall

Earl Macklin

Karen Black

Bett Harrow

Joe Don Baker

Jack Cody

Robert Ryan

Mailer

Timothy Carey

Jake Menner

Richard Jaeckel

Kimmie Cherney

Sheree North

Buck's Wife

Felice Orlandi

Frank Orlandi

Marie Windsor

Madge Coyle

Jane Greer

Alma Macklin

Henry Jones

Doctor

Joanna Cassidy

Rita Mailer

Tom Reese

Hit Man

Elisha Cook Jr.

Carl

Bill McKinney

Buck Cherney

Anita O'Day

Archie Moore

Packard

Tony Young

Accountant

Roland La Starza

Hit Man

Edward Ness

Ed Macklin

Roy Roberts

Sheriff Bob Caswell

Toby Andersen

Parking Lot Attendant

Emile Meyer

Amos Hopper

Roy Jenson

Philip Kenneally

Bartender

Bern Hoffman

Jim Sinclair

John Steadman

Gas Station Attendant

Paul Genge

Pay-Off Man

Francis De Sales

Jim

James Bacon

Bookie

Army Archerd

Butler

Tony Trabert

Lee de Broux

Walter Kinney (uncredited)

Bob Harks

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Charles Knapp

Motel Owner (uncredited)

Mike Ragan

Hotel Doorman (uncredited)

Jeannine Riley

Prostitute (uncredited)

George Savalas

Kenilworth Finance Employee (uncredited)

Jeffrey Sayre

Horse Auction Attendee (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Casino Attendant (uncredited)

Ralph Volkie

Mobster Poker Player (uncredited)

Raven Grey Eagle

Minor Role (uncredited)

Crew

John Flynn

Director

John Flynn

Writer

Donald E. Westlake

Novel

Jerry Fielding

Original Music Composer

Bruce Surtees

Director of Photography

Ralph E. Winters

Editor

Tambi Larsen

Art Direction

James L. Berkey

Set Decoration

Dee-Dee Petty

Hairstylist

Jack Petty

Makeup Artist

William McGarry

Assistant Director

Carter DeHaven

Producer

Ronnie Rondell Jr.

Stunts

Charlie Picerni

Stunts

Jim Henderling

Unit Production Manager

John Thomas Lenox

Second Assistant Director

William F. Sheehan

Second Assistant Director

Richard Raguse

Sound

Hal Watkins

Sound

Paul Nuckles

Stunts

Orwin C. Harvey

Stunts

Duffy Hambleton

Stunts

Jim Burk

Stunts

Dave Friedman

Still Photographer

Wynn Hammer

Still Photographer

Yvonne Wood

Wardrobe Master

James Linn

Wardrobe Master

William Saracino

Music Editor

Jerry Fielding

Orchestrator

Jerry Fielding

Conductor

Lennie Niehaus

Orchestrator

Ronnie Rondell Jr.

Stunt Coordinator

Anthony Bavero

Property Master

Israel Baker

Musician

Arnold Belnick

Musician

Harry Bluestone

Musician

Larry Bunker

Musician

Vince De Rosa

Musician

Chuck Domanico

Musician

Bonnie Jean Douglas

Musician

Dominick Fera

Musician

Carl Fortina

Musician

Ralph Grierson

Musician

Alan Harshman

Musician

Alton Hendrickson

Musician

Norman Herzburg

Musician

Joe Howard

Musician

Artie Kane

Musician

Raphael Kramer

Musician

Bernard Kundell

Musician

Abe Luboff

Musician

Arthur Maebe

Musician

Greig McRitchie

Orchestrator

Peter Mercurio

Musician

Tommy Morgan

Musician

Larry Muhoberac

Musician

Richard Nash

Musician

Dorothy Remsen

Musician

Emil Richards

Musician

George Roberts

Musician

David Schwartz

Musician

Frederick Seykora

Musician

Bud Shank

Musician

Thomas Z. Shepard

Musician

Henry Sigismonti

Musician

Sheridon Stokes

Musician

Tommy Tedesco

Musician

Milton Thomas

Musician

Lloyd Ulyate

Musician

Gerald Vinci

Musician

Ken Watson

Musician

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 9/10

November 4, 2017

The Independent.

The Outfit is directed by John Flynn and Flynn adapts the screenplay from the novel written by Richard Stark (AKA: Donald E. Westlake). It stars Robert Duvall, Joe Don Baker, Karen Black and Robert Ryan. Music is by Jerry Fielding and cinematography by Bruce Surtees.

It arguably took a further decade to pass before the 1970s would be revealed as a superb decade for neo-noir. For where the 60s purveyors cribbed close to the stylistics of the 40s and 50s, the 70s operators often saw a shift in emphasis on noir plotting over stylistics, using their own ideas on style to befit tone of plot. One such case is The Outfit, a cunningly moody piece that's at times brutal and at others a wry revenger pumped full of dialogue barbs.

Nobody's luck holds forever.

Plot finds Duvall as Earl Macklin, who upon being released from prison finds his brother has been murdered by "The Outfit" and he himself is on the hit-list as well. It transpires that Earl and his brother knocked off a bank that "The Outfit" had serious ties to, and the rub-out is on. Only thing is, Earl isn't about to put on a concrete overcoat any time soon and turns the tables on his pursuers.

Macklin's mission of revenge and financial rewards is filtered through a world populated by unsavoury characters in unsavoury period suits, the locations frequented often drab and colourless so as to sidle up with the narrative drive. At Earl's side is Cody (Baker), a cool bad ass who fears no one and can spot a femme fatale from a mile off. Also along for the journey is Bett (Black), she's Earl's squeeze, an unmeaning fatale who is quickly thrust into the bloody tale to play an active part.

In the villain corner overseeing quiet menace is Mailer (Ryan). In one of his last films released in the year of his death, Ryan leaves noir lovers a character whose every word is to hang on, while his spousal relationship with Rita (Cassidy) is amusingly tender yet cold. The rest of the heavies are by-the-numbers, but they are really only serving purpose as fodder for Earl and Cody's machismo fuelled spree, with the dialogue exchanges a thing of caustic beauty.

Baker and Duvall are excellent, and they are backed up by a brilliant support cast, it's a roll call of film noir heroes, villains and dupes. In fact the noir credentials are incredibly high here, from source writer Stark (Point Blank/The Grifters) and director Flynn (Rolling Thunder), to the cast list, it's noir nirvana. Sure we hanker for more from the likes of Elisha Cook and Marie Windsor etc, but Flynn makes his point and ensures lovers of the noir form can feel his love as well.

Problems? Well yes of course there's the issue of not having some true nighttime noir photography, and in truth Black is quite simply miscast but gets away with it since the makers offer her up for a narrative sting. Elsewhere, the treatment of women will annoy some, but tonally speaking you have to say it sits well in the world the story exists in. Then there's the ending! I haven't seen the TV version of the pic, but have to say the one offered up there is surely (in the noir universe) far greater than the one we have in the official release, and certainly more befitting what has preceded it.

Niggles apart, The Outfit is a cracker and well worth seeking out. 8.5/10

show less

Loading…

The Outfit (1973)

John Flynn, Donald E. Westlake

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

John Chard

Recommended Movies

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Your Heart Will Be Broken

Project Hail Mary

The Shawshank Redemption

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

Rate This Movie

Rate This TV Show