Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Mr-Fusion They may have changed his name to Macklin, but he's Parker all the way (Parker of Donald Westlake's crime novels). And Robert Duvall plays him as a real son-of-a-"b"; cold as ice, calculating and wielding the massive cojones to go against the mob for revenge. He's like a shark, unwavering in his determination. He's not the face I conjure for this character, but hell if he doesn't pull it off. Overall, THE OUTFIT is a rock-solid crime movie. Love the bass groove score, the gorgeous Joanna Cassidy, and the presence of Joe Don Baker, who makes an ace wingman. He's twice offered a pass on Parker's scheme, but he still stays with the plan. I really like him in this movie. And what really surprised me is the smile on my face as the end credits rolled. It's not every day (ever) you see that kind of ending on such a hard-boiled tough bastard movie. 8/10

deschreiber I feel I got tricked into watching this movie, first by a Roger Ebert review, then by TCM last night with its "guest programmer," a crime writer who was enthusiastic about the film, although he didn't give any reasons for his enthusiasm. Ebert led me to expect more than the average crime and action flick, with fuller characters, with even some of the minor characters given flesh and blood. I watched for just over an hour before giving up, because I didn't see any of it.We're told that it was originally planned as a film noir, set in the 1940s, but that the decision was made later to give the story a contemporary setting. What a shame. The 70s add nothing to the film. It was desperately short of the noir romance of sinister, darkened streets, long shadows, cool old cars, rainy roads. Some of the blame has to go to the director and cinematographer for turning out a film with so little for the eye. I think of a scene in which a car drives up a country road, turns into a yard, two men get out and stroll across the yard. Totally bland. Nothing of interest to watch. Most of it belonged on the editing room floor. The scene takes place in an auto shop. Surely the frame could have had something of interest to watch while all that non-action takes place, with the camera set up behind an engine hanging from a block and tackle or with a rat creeping across the screen. Something. Anything. There's even a couple of minutes in which the mechanic talks lovingly about his souped-up Volkswagen, yet the shot really only shows the front window of the car. Couldn't we be shown a frumpy-looking VW but a massive engine in it? Nope, just a front window. Weird.The music is wretched--some sort of bare, plinkety noise, maybe a bit of sitar in it, utterly annoying and distracting. When I think of the fabulous sound behind The Maltese Falcon, I want to cry at how feeble the musical effort was in this film.The Outfit is not amateurish, it's not implausible, it's not stupid, but it sure is mediocre—and dull.

wes-connors Before the opening credits, an assassination occurs. The victim turns out to be a former criminal, attempting to retire in peace. Next, his likewise criminally-minded brother Robert Duvall (as Earl Macklin) is released from an Illinois prison. Pouting girlfriend Karen Black (as Bett Harrow) takes Mr. Duvall to a motel and shares the bad news about "The Outfit" offing his brother. Duvall wants revenge, which moves him up on the hit list. He teams up with best friend Joe Don Baker (as Jack Cody) to go after the big boss, Robert Ryan (as Mailer)...There is fine direction and photography here, by John Flynn and Bruce Surtees, with a fantastic supporting cast - but not enough story for either side of the screen. The character played by Ms. Black is almost dispensable. She is often left sitting around - or, in a marvelous sequence with sexy Sheree North, quietly sleeping in the car. Better to stick with Duvall and Mr. Baker, perhaps opening with Duvall's release from prison and cross-cutting the assassination with a sad discovery of the dead brother's body. And, a smug close-up of Robert Ryan.****** The Outfit (10/73) John Flynn ~ Robert Duvall, Joe Don Baker, Robert Ryan, Karen Black

Robert J. Maxwell "The Outfit" is a pretty dumb title for a decent gangster flick about heists, murder, and revenge. It was released in 1974, part of a spate of at least semi-realistic movies about small-time crooks, something like "The Getaway" and, before that, "The Asphalt Jungle", and, perhaps the best of the lot, "Straight Time".In this case, Duvall's brother is knocked off by the evil Mr. Big, Robert Ryan. Duvall enlists the help of his friend, Joe Don Baker, in a fine performance, in an attempt to get some money out of Ryan. But Ryan and his mob set up Duvall. There is a shoot out, of course, and Duvall and Baker then set out to exterminate Ryan in his mansion.There are many smaller roles in which the actors were probably called in for a day or two of work. Among them are familiar names and faces -- Bill McKinney, Sheree North, Jane Greer, Henry Jones. Richard Jaekel shows up too, as an expert car mechanic and reliable provider of hot cars who just can't make a souped-up VW Beetle sound like anything other than a turbo jet. I don't recall any high speed pursuits or vesuvian fireballs. There IS an explosion, staged to divert attention, but it only goes BANG and a door flies open. That's it. How nice.Not a masterpiece, but a diverting piece of film making. Today, that's a high compliment.