The Hot Rock (1972)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Donald E. Westlake (novel)
William Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 January 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

How many times does it take to steal the same diamond?

Plot:

Dortmunder and his pals plan to steal a huge diamond from a museum. But this turns out to be only the first time they have to steal it...

Plot Keywords:

Heist | Locksmith | Recruiting | Police Station | Prison Escape

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Dortmunder
George Segal	...	Kelp
Ron Leibman	...	Murch
Paul Sand	...	Greenberg
Moses Gunn	...	Dr. Amusa
William Redfield	...	Lt. Hoover
Topo Swope	...	Sis
Charlotte Rae	...	Ma Murch
Graham Jarvis	...	Warden (as Graham P. Jarvis)
Harry Bellaver	...	Rollo the Bartender
Seth Allen	...	Happy Hippie
Robert Levine	...	Cop at Police Station
Lee Wallace	...	Dr. Strauss
Robert Weil	...	Albert
Lynne Gordon	...	Miasmo
Grania O'Malley	...	Bird Lady
Fred Cook	...	Otto
Mark Dawson	...	Big Museum Guard
Gilbert Lewis	...	Museum Guard #1
George Bartenieff	...	Museum Guard #2
Ed Bernard	...	Policeman
Charles White	...	Policeman
Christopher Guest	...	Policeman
Zero Mostel	...	Abe Greenberg
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Burt Richards	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Arnold Williams	...	Prisoner (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Yates

Writing credits
Donald E. Westlake		(novel)
William Goldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Hal Landers	....	producer
Bobby Roberts	....	producer

Original Music by
Quincy Jones

Cinematography by
Edward R. Brown		(director of photography) (as Ed Brown)

Film Editing by
Fred W. Berger
Frank P. Keller

Casting by
Alixe Gordin

Production Design by
John Robert Lloyd

Set Decoration by
Robert Drumheller

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Irving Buchman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Golden	....	executive production supervisor
Saul Wurtzel	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicholas Sgarro	....	second unit director (as Nick Sgarro)
Ted Zachary	....	assistant director
Allan Wertheim	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Sabat	....	sound
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound
Robert Rogow	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ira Anderson Jr.	....	special mechanical effects

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Zarilla	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joseph W. Dehn	....	wardrobe (as Joe Dehn)
Peggy Farrell	....	wardrobe (as Peggy Farrel)

Music Department
Ray Brown	....	musician: bass
Carol Kaye	....	musician: fender bass
Gerry Mulligan	....	musician: baritone sax
Bobbi Porter	....	musician: congas & bongos
Chuck Rainey	....	musician: fender bass
Emil Richards	....	musician: percussion
Jerome Richardson	....	musician: saxophone
Frank Rosolino	....	musician: trombone
Phil Schier	....	music mixer
Grady Tate	....	musician: drums
Clark Terry	....	musician: trumpet
Douglas O. Williams	....	music mixer (as Douglas Williams)

Other crew
John Foster	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• Landers-Roberts Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• The Don Elliott Voices  vocals by

Also Known As:

How to Steal a Diamond (UK) (informal title)
How to Steal a Diamond in Four Uneasy Lessons (UK)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:U | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Landers-Roberts Productions

Trivia:

In the Dortmunder novels by Donald Westlake, Kelp always steals cars owned by medical doctors. In the movie, the license plates of the stolen cars have the letters "MD" as part of the plate number. (Kelp's reason is that doctors get to use "no parking" zones when they might be making emergency visits.)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Abe Greenberg has a conversation with his son using the monitored visitor telephones. As his son's attorney, they would have been entitled to a private conversation.

Quotes:

Warden: [as he is being released from prison] No matter what institution I'm in, sooner or later I got you inside it. You couldn't, um, really go straight?
Dortmunder: [after a thoughtful pause and an exhale] My heart wouldn't be in it, Frank.

Soundtrack:

When You Believe

Redford and Segal a duo to saviour.

Dortmunder is just out of jail and his brother-in-law Kelp has a job lined up for them. It would seem that a guy called Dr. Amusa is desperate for a valuable sapphire that is of extreme significance to his African people. Of course it's in a highly secured museum, of course it's going to take great planning with a top trustworthy crew, and of course things are not going to go to plan!.

Starring Robert Redford {Dortmund} and George Segal {Kelp} in the lead roles, and based on the Donald E. Westlake page turning novel, The Hot Rock has many good things going for it. Instead of a run of the mill crime caper we get a well scripted picture that has fun oozing from every frame. As the film progresses, our ensemble of crooks lurch from one bad luck scenario to another, it's impossible not to side with our charmingly unlucky thieves. Redford and Segal play off each other very well, some of the looks they share between each other are comedy gold on their own, both men apparently having fun with William Goldman's zippy screenplay. Amongst all the hilarity the picture has a cool 70s vibe to it, director Peter Yates finding a happy medium between comedy and crime drama, don't go in expecting a world beating piece of cinema and i'm sure you will enjoy this piece. 7/10