2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
No, that's an "n". It's G-U-N. That's "gun.", July 8 2004
"Take The Money and Run" is presented as a biographical documentary of Virgil Starkwell (Allen), a petty criminal.
He has a difficult childhood, and plays the cello in a marching band (but sitting on a chair and trying to keep up with the others). He begins a life of crime by robbing an armored car, but is quickly caught. In prison, he models a fake gun and tries an unsuccessful escape. Later, in exchange for a pardon, he volunteers for an experimental vaccine, the only side effect is turning him into a rabbi for a few hours. From time to time, his parents are interviewed (wearing Groucho Marx disguises). Finally released, he rents a room. He then begins another life of crime with purse snatching and small robberies.
Intending to steal her purse, Virgil meets a young woman, Louise, who is a laundress, and is smitten. He narrates his nauseous nature when in love. He robs a soda machine for money and goes to dinner on a date with Louise. Now he is in love. Virgil tries to rob a bank - but can't write a legible holdup note, and gets arrested and put back in prison, where he gets visits from Louise. Although she says she will wait for Virgil, he plans an escape. The warden gets wind of the plan, so the escaping group calls it off but forgets to tell Virgil, who tries it alone, and improbably escapes.
Virgil and Louise get married, and of course later Louise gets pregnant. Virgil wants to go straight and tries to get job as insurance agent, but is hired instead as for the mailroom. He is ferreted out by a coworker and is blackmailed. Virgil contemplates murdering her, but is unsucessful in every attempt, including stabbing her with a turkey leg, but finally is accidentally lucky with the exploding candlesticks.
Petty crimes follow in his life on the run. He thinks up another bank robbery plot, and unwittingly tell some cops about it but is not arrested. When it comes time to rob the bank, his group are confronted by rival robbers. They are caught, and Virgil gets put in a chain-gang. The group manage to escape while chained together with help from Louise. They are off on a life of crime again, and Virgil makes the "Gangster of the Year" award. He unwittingly robs a former marching band member, who is now a cop, and is arrested again. He is interviewed in captivity, while working on his next soap-gun.
While a little rough around the edges, the movie has some charm and a few giggles. The narrator delivers his lines in a serious manner, even when the subject matter may not be. Decent acting by mostly unknowns.
The DVD has the full-screen movie, chapters and subtitles only.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
Howlingly funny and inventive early Woody Allen, April 13 2011
A brilliant mock-documentary on the life of a criminal - played by
Allen - with some of the funniest lines and sight gags I've ever seen
in a film. It's important to remember that 'mockumentaries' weren't
common when Allen made this, and it was actually seen as quite
experimental in it's own crazy, low budget way.
This isn't the deep, brilliant film-maker of 'Annie Hall', etc, but an
amazingly smart and funny young Allen capturing the spirit of cinema
anarchists like the Marx Brothers.
The only small drawbacks; a sometimes cloying musical score and a
couple of slow sections around the love story. But these are very small
flies in the great ointment.
A minor point - there's a some debate as to whether the correct aspect ratio is 1:66
or 1:85. From what research I could do (as well as old fading memories of seeing the
film in theaters) I think 1:66 is actually correct.
There are various releases floating around in full-screen, 1:66 and 1:85.
Probably not a life or death difference, but worth noting
for purists.
Like many of Allen's film's this now seems to bizarrely be out of
print. So while it's available used, you might want to grab a copy.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious film - Not so good DVD, July 18 2004
By A Customer
As others have written, this is a hilarious Woody Allen film. However, for DVD fans and film purists, be warned: the original widescreen format has been chopped down to full screen. This is a gross injustice as other films in his catalog are given better treatment and maintain their original aspect ratio.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No