The Driver (1978)

Director:

Walter Hill

Writer:

Walter Hill (written by)

Release Date:

8 June 1978 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He's the best getaway man in the business...and the deadliest.

Plot:

"The Driver" is specialist in a rare business: he drives getaway cars in robberies. His exceptional talent prevented him from being caught yet...

Plot Keywords:

Pursuit | Existentialism | Car Chase | Parking Garage | Los Angeles California

Cast

Ryan O'Neal	...	The Driver
Bruce Dern	...	The Detective
Isabelle Adjani	...	The Player
Ronee Blakley	...	The Connection
Matt Clark	...	Red Plainclothesman
Felice Orlandi	...	Gold Plainclothesman
Joseph Walsh	...	Glasses
Rudy Ramos	...	Teeth
Denny Macko	...	Exchange Man
Frank Bruno	...	The Kid
Will Walker	...	Fingers
Sandy Brown Wyeth	...	Split
Tara King	...	Frizzy
Richard Carey	...	Floorman
Fidel Corona	...	Card Player

Also Known As:

Driver (UK) (DVD title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2006) | Iceland:12 | UK:A (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

The titular driver is a man of few words - 350 in all.

Goofs:

Continuity: In a couple of shots in the first car chase the lid is missing from the trunk of the Driver's car. However, it isn't until a couple of minutes later that we see the police actually blow the lid off with a shotgun blast.

Quotes:

The Detective: A friend of yours told me where to find you in the middle of the day.
The Driver: I don't have any friends.
The Detective: That's right. No friends. No steady job. No girlfriend. You live real cheap, you never ask any questions... boy, you got it down real tight. So tight that there's no room for anything else. And that's a real sad song. Only trouble is, eh, sad songs ain't sellin' this year. Maybe I'm your friend.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

BULLITT's favorite nephew, THE DRIVER!!!

this is a great movie. very simple, very cool, very entertaining. there are basically three chases. three chases and one great scene where The Driver proves his worth by doing a crash-up derby in an inside parking lot. in between these chases are mellow conversations right out of some neat black and white noir film from the fifties. Ryan O'Neal is awesome. it may take a while to get used to his performance, which is really not a performance, but an attitude. it seems like the type of movie that Steve McQueen would've starred in. that is, the lead doesnt have to say much, just look cool. Ryan O'Neal, who usually plays wimpish or else pretty boy roles (often both in one), in real life is liken to McQueen. he's pretty tough and always had a reputation of being a fighter. in real life he was a boxer. in most of his movies he's able to box (even in Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON). there's a great scene where he's knocking one of the most obnoxious 'villian's' down a flight of stairs. but the DRIVER is that kind of movie where the lead is a bad guy (a getaway driver), so to speak. so thus it's all about the good-b ad guys and the bad-bad guys, and then the cops. Bruce Dern is great. he's very obnoxious on purpose as usual. his character takes the law into his own hands. his partner is also good, playing the good-cop of the two (this actor played a deputy in PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID). then there's a third cop, Felice Orlani, who doesnt say much but just stands there letting Dern weave his crooked magic. Orlani played a very important doomed character in this movie's favorite uncle, BULLITT. and last but not least, the direction. Walter Hill is incredible when it comes to cool and subtle action (cult) flicks. he's a true action director, puts you right on the floorboards, right on the bumper of the car, right on the gas pedal pressed to the metal. the Driver rules, so watch it. and don't expect anything more than a great, yet often mellow-gold, ride. (and hopefully it'll be on DVD soon)