Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Torval Mork
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It is surprising that it has taken this long for The Friends of Eddie Coyle to make it's way to DVD, but the wait was worth it, given that the Criterion Collection has now put its mark on one of the hidden gems of '70's genre films. Eddie "Finger's" Coyle (Robert Mitchum), a few days away from his sentencing for a previous heist gone wrong, is busy working a few angles to keep his family off the dole while he's in the joint for a couple years. A supplier of guns to a rag tag crew of bank robbers, he comes across as having seen a fair share of action over the years, and has the scars to prove it. The dialogue, by way of a screen adaptation by Paul Monash of the book by George V. Higgins, is crisp and has held up extremely well over the years. Compared to the oft hallowed Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon, The Friends of Eddie Coyle seems more refined and evenly paced. There are only two fatal shots fired, and the threat of violence (that is frequently alluded to) plays out way better than actually seeing it. Mitchum's delivery is wise and weathered, with Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan and Alex Rocco giving rich characterizations to their roles on both sides of the law. A quirky soundtrack by Dave Grusin takes a while to get used to, but the storyline keeps you well enough immersed that overall it is a minor annoyance. A great film on the whole, and a number of extras as well as a thick booklet of reviews and commentaries are provided making this a well rounded offering from Criterion.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By John Eyles
Format:DVD
This is a movie that shows Peter Yates at his best. It is urban gritty, lovingly using the backdrop of 1970s Boston. The attention to where the action takes place as well as the action itself is a plus for the film. It shows the decay and edgy scruffiness of cities at that time. There was little hope for the average man - women play only support roles in the movie - except to turn to petty crime and drug dealing to make their way, especially if you were born in the wrong part of town. The characters in the film are well-drawn and superbly played. The star is undoubtedly an ageing Robert Mitchum who takes on jobs doomed to fail and then takes the rap to protect his partners. There are great supporting characters too, especially the cop who wheels and deals people's lives and always seems to come out on top and the criminal-informant bar manager. All the charaters are served by an excellent script which has several plots lines going on. As in any good crime movie, you are never quite sure who's on who's side, except their own, until the end. A great movie and well worth watching. No more detail so the plots are given away!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars
49 reviews
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Low-Key Classic
Feb 20 2009
By Joseph D. Millett
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
This is not only Mitchum's best performance, but also the best all-around movie he was ever in. Surrounded by some of the best character actors of the time (Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Steven Keats), the script is taut and low-key, and remarkably faithful to George Higgin's excellent novel. Is a gem of a movie, worth seeing again and again. Never available on laserdisc, and rumored to get the full Criterion treatment, this has been on my "wish list" for years. It can't be released soon enough!
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mitchum in Massachusetts
Nov 30 2007
By Sulla
- Published on Amazon.com
This is one of Mitchum's best. An excellent adaptation of Higgins' crime noir novel and if you are a nostalgic Bostonian, watch it to see how the city and its surrounding towns were 35 years ago. Mitchum, by the way, remains the only actor not from the area who pulls of a flawless Boston accent. Jack Nicholson (The Departed) and George Clooney (A Perfect Storm) butchered the accent. But then, Mitchum outshines both of them put together in terms of sheer talent and understated presence.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mitchum's Finest Performance
May 25 2009
By Michael B. Druxman
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
Though often dismissed by critics as "walking through" his roles, Robert Mitchum) was perhaps Hollywood's most underrated actor. True, many of his films were not worthy of his talent, but when he did get a good script (e.g. THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, HEAVEN KNOWS MR. ALLISON, CAPE FEAR), his performance was always mesmerizing.
Arguably, Mitchum's finest screen performance can be found in THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973), now available on DVD from The Criterion Collection.
Directed by Peter Yates, who supplies audio commentary on the disc, the film is set in Boston and casts Mitchum as a small-time felon, a family man facing a 2-5 year sentence on a smuggling conviction. His only hope of avoiding prison is to give an FBI agent (Richard Jordan) information that will help to bring down some bigger bad guys...like the men who have been on a bank-robbing spree and killed a teller during their last job.
Mitchum's problem is that, if he "rats" on those guys, his life is not worth a plugged nickel.
Peter Boyle co-stars in the picture, playing Mitchum's "friend," a former felon who is now a bartender and also supplies confidential information to the Feds.
Adapted from the novel by George V. Higgins by Paul Monash, this is a gritty, first-rate crime drama, shot in almost a semi-documentary style. Mitchum's performance, particularly his first scene in which he explains to a young punk gun dealer how he got the nickname, "Fingers," is unforgettable.
The Criterion package contains a booklet of essays on Mitchum and the film.
© Michael B. Druxman
Arguably, Mitchum's finest screen performance can be found in THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973), now available on DVD from The Criterion Collection.
Directed by Peter Yates, who supplies audio commentary on the disc, the film is set in Boston and casts Mitchum as a small-time felon, a family man facing a 2-5 year sentence on a smuggling conviction. His only hope of avoiding prison is to give an FBI agent (Richard Jordan) information that will help to bring down some bigger bad guys...like the men who have been on a bank-robbing spree and killed a teller during their last job.
Mitchum's problem is that, if he "rats" on those guys, his life is not worth a plugged nickel.
Peter Boyle co-stars in the picture, playing Mitchum's "friend," a former felon who is now a bartender and also supplies confidential information to the Feds.
Adapted from the novel by George V. Higgins by Paul Monash, this is a gritty, first-rate crime drama, shot in almost a semi-documentary style. Mitchum's performance, particularly his first scene in which he explains to a young punk gun dealer how he got the nickname, "Fingers," is unforgettable.
The Criterion package contains a booklet of essays on Mitchum and the film.
© Michael B. Druxman
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 49 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
