8/10
Hugely enjoyable crime caper romp
27 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
A group of Vietnam veterans pull off a daring bank robbery, but almost all of them with the exception of ringleader Jack Murdock (an excellent and engaging performance by Bo Svenson) are arrested by the police. Although Murdock gets away, he's forced to stash the stolen loot in a mailbox and has difficulty retrieving said money in the forms of flaky artist Mary Jane (delightfully played by the insanely foxy Cybill Shepherd) and wormy dope pusher Graff (a nicely slimy turn by Michael C. Gwynne), both of whom witnessed the drop.

Director Paul Wendkos keeps the engrossing and entertaining story zipping along at a brisk pace, stages the exciting action sequences with considerable skill and aplomb, and maintains a pleasingly easy'n'breezy tone throughout. The sharp script by John Nelson and James Edward Grant presents a neat array of colorful offbeat characters as well as a real doozy of a final plot twist. Svenson and Shepherd display a wonderfully loose and natural chemistry in the appealing lead roles. This film further benefits from a terrific supporting cast: Robert Ito as formidable crime kingpin Mr. Chu, Vic Tayback as vicious mobster Wyatt, John Quade as flunky Barney, Jeff Goldblum and Gerrit Graham as a couple of lowlife hoodlums, Sorrell Booke as antsy bank president Hubert Zane, Tom Atkins as a street cop, and Kim Richards as a bratty little girl. Harry Stradling Jr.'s slick cinematography gives this picture an impressive polished look. Lalo Schifrin's funky score hits the get-down groovy spot. A super fun flick.
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