The Hot Rock

1972's THE HOT ROCK was a bit different than what I was expecting.  True, it is an oddball comedy crime caper movie with an assortment of personalities.  But director Peter Yates' film, working from a screenplay by William Goldman who adapted the same named Donald E. Westlake novel, has a far more low key an approach than I would've selected for this busy story.  Low energy as well. Almost lethargic at times.  As if the filmmakers took the notion of playing things cool a bit too close to heart. 

Dr. Amusa (Moses Gunn), an African UN diplomat, offers the just released from prison John Dortmunder (Robert Redford) and his brother-in-law Andy (George Segal) a proposition - steal a gem from the Brooklyn Museum that once belonged to his people.  Apparently, it was stolen more than once over the centuries.  This is an important plot note, and some significant foreshadowing.

John and Andy team up with getaway driver Stan (Rob Leibman) and explosives expert Allan (Paul Sand) for the heist, which, as it tends to happen in these type of movies, does not go as planned.  This sequence is deliberate but amusing.  The gem is appropriated all right - swallowed by Allan right as he gets caught. This will begin a series of misadventures for the boys as the gem slips through several hands, including that of Allan's father Abe (Zero Mostel).  Necessitating more carefully planned heists that go very wrong.  

THE HOT ROCK is more interested in characterization than clever plotting.  Each man is drawn carefully and given numerous quirks.  I always appreciate that.  Redford's relaxed, natural style is just right for this role, and a good counterpoint for the more aggressive, neurotic performances of many of his co-stars.  The film pauses from the chaos (including that great raid on a police station) to allow the freak flags to fly unfurled.  But Yates' does lose some sense of pace and lets the rhythm ebb a bit too often.  The ending is also a curious disappointment.  A ripe opportunity for a bang up finale, lost.

But as Ebert stated in his review, I'm a sucker for caper films and am more forgiving than perhaps the next cranky amateur critic.  There's plenty to enjoy here.  Most valuable may be those extraordinary helicopter shots, which include view of the World Trade Center towers as they were being erected.