The Outfit

Robert Duvall plays a small time crook who is just out of prison when his brother is murdered by the mob, though he manages to foil the attempt on his own life. Then he hooks up with an old buddy of his and they wage a two man war against the huge criminal organization known as "The Outfit". Pretty typical tough, no frills 70s action flick with lots of heists and gunplay. Duvall doesn't have to work too hard, but he's got some good chemistry with co-star Karen Black.

This adaptation of the third of Donald "Richard Stark" Westlake's Parker novels is the one that really gets the tone right. It's a really spare, no-nonsense crime outing set in remarkably seedy California locations and essentially taking no prisoners. Duvall plays a basically unlikeable psychopath who gets to the film's hero because everybody else is worse.

70.

Wonderful ensemble and gritty action and dialogue.

Viewed July 23, 2021. Strong, tightly wound crime thriller. It's a shame there's not 100 movies with Joe Don Baker that match the level of quality of this, Walking Tall, Framed, Charley Varrick.

Slick, tough thriller with slick, tough dialogue and performances to match; the taut direction maintains suspense even when the action becomes predictable.

Decent action movie about some crooks against the mob. I'll be the weirdo who actually prefers Joe Don Baker to the uninteresting turn by Robert Duvall, but I'll live. Karen Black is also excellent, and the film's seedy 70s interiors and plethora of 40s character actors make it a great time capsule. Too bad it's still not as good as the many film noirs it's trying to ape.

some John Wick Meets Eddie Coyle vibes here. fresh out of prison, Duvall learns his brother's just been killed & so he cuts a swath o'murder-n-violence up and down the California coast. except it's kind of sad and desperate and we aren't sure if we like Duvall too much. this kind of thing's up my alley. I dug it. probably deserves a bigger following.

A quadrilha estreava há 50 anos em Chicago. Não via esse desde o centenário do Robert Ryan (no meu top de 56 filmes, The Outfit ficou em 18), continua filmaço, mais um emblemático filme do Flynn naquela década, o rol de grandes atores participando só incrementa a experiência. Box Versátil Cinema Policial Volume 3.

Not hugely original or a standout among early 70's action movies, but still very well-written by more modern terms, and the rare Robert Duvall lead performance is a treat. The plot about a petty bandit boldly shaking down a powerful crime syndicate named "The Outfit" is an obvious influence on the late-nineties Mel Gibson vehicle "Payback". That the misogynistic actions of the protagonists seemed so inconsequential (not that I expected them punished) did leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

Straightforward and hard-as-nails. Robert Ryan is a riot.

One of the gems in director Flynn's filmography (also check at least Rolling Thunder & Out for Justice). Should definitely be better known and ranked among the finest crime films of the 70's. Maybe it has stayed under radar because it stars Duvall who is not the traditional lead type and it portrays small time criminals and takes place mostly in small back rooms, bars, garages and motels. Great cast and definitely worth a watch. Also, seems to have been a big inspiration for Quentin Tarantino.

Duvall and Joe Don Baker are completely no-nonsense in their tactics to right a wrong done to them. You don't really see any of the planning, but there are multiple scenes that are quite thrilling in how close they come to be thwarted. Duvall is great as his spin on the "Parker" character with a tragic persistence.