Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)

Director:

H.B. Halicki

Writer:

H.B. Halicki (writer)

Release Date:

28 July 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

HIS BUSINESS IS STEALING CARS...when he goes to work, the excitement starts---and GOES---and GOES---and GOES!

Plot:

Insurance investigator Maindrian Pace and his team lead double-lives as unstoppable car thieves. When...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Ford Mustang | Chase | Car Thief | Car Crash

Cast

H.B. Halicki	...	Maindrian Pace / Vicinski
Marion Busia	...	Pumpkin Chase
Jerry Daugirda	...	Eugene Chase
James McIntyre	...	Stanley Chase
George Cole	...	Atlee Jackson
Ronald Halicki	...	Corlis Pace
Markos Kotsikos	...	Uncle Joe Chase
Butch Stockton	...	1-Baker-11 detective (driver)
Phil Woods	...	1-Baker-11 detective (passenger)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.C. Agajanian Jr.	...	Light Blue Unmarked Detective
Parnelli Jones	...	Himself
Sak Yamamoto	...	Himself (City of Carson mayor)

Also Known As:

Gone in Sixty Seconds (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

105 min | Spain:93 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:13 | Australia:M | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Carson, California, USA

Company:

H.B. Halicki Mercantile Co.

Trivia:

Ronald Halicki, the director's real-life brother and Corlis Pace in the film, operated the crane that lifted "Jill", the red Challenger, to its fate in the car-crusher at the junkyard.

Goofs:

Continuity: The clock on the desk of the Long Beach female police dispatcher continually jumps back and forth from 9:10 to 9:25. Also, this means that it is morning, but the chase takes place in the afternoon.

Quotes:

[Mustang crashes into a light pole]
1-Baker-11 detective: Jesus Christ, he just hit a damn pole! Turn aroud, turn around! We've got him now!
Male police dispatcher: [over radio] Attention all units, suspect vehicle has TA'd with light pole at Harbor Freeway northbound and Carson Street offramp. Pursuit is terminated.
[Mustang roars off up offramp]
Male police dispatcher: That is negative - pursuit is not terminated, repeat, not terminated.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)

The standard against all subsequent are measured!

It's amazing what could be done with a tiny budget and no digital effects. I watched this after having seen the trashy remake, and expected a similar degree of dumb wisecracks and hackneyed sub-plots.

I was impressed, however, to discover real talent behind the camera. The plot is simple: a car thief has to steal 40 fancy cars in a very short time. Using a combination of skill, insider knowledge of the insurance business and just sheer brass, the protagonist and his pals start their automotive harvest. Everything seems done and taken care of, when everything goes to hell at the last moment, leading to what surely be the longest car chase put to film.

The best thing about this movie is its low-budget feel. Many of the early scenes are almost mimed, with voices overdubbed later; you don't see actual dialogue, just hear it on top of the action. But as things progress, it begins to show more polish, and by the time we get to the big chase, you get what appears to be the entire 7th Cavalry Division in squad cars chasing one li'l yellow Mustang.

A very smart touch during the big chase was to frequently cut to the aftermath of car crashes, with wounded cops and civilians being dragged from burning cars and hustled away in ambulances -- it added an edge to the film, to show there are actually consequences to these actions (and how often is that shown on the big screen?).

Aside from the marvelously-choreographed action sequences, there are many moments of great wit, which I won't describe so's not to spoil them.

All in all, a brilliant piece of film-making, made not with glitz, glamor, star-power or special effects -- just sheer talent (and pretty cars, o'course!).