Universal Pictures, 1973
starring: Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, Andrew Robinson and John Vernon
directed by: Don Siegel

the plot: Middle-aged stunt-pilot turned crop duster Charley Varrick (Matthau), along with his wife and their friends, plan what they believe will be an easy bank robbery in a small New Mexico town. But things go awry at the bank, and, by the time Charley gets out of there, he finds the only member of his crew left standing is Harman (Robinson), a sneaky young crook who quickly starts bullying him. That’s the least of Charley’s worries, though. What was supposed to be a small score of a few grand ends up totaling close to a million dollars, and Charley quickly deduces that the bank was a money laundering station for the Las Vegas mafia. Charley puts a backup plan in motion, but the boys in Vegas have dispatched Molly (Baker), a cold-blooded killer whose feminine name camouflages an aptitude for violence. Also on Charley’s trail is Maynard Boyle, a bank executive who was in charge of the money laundering operation. Molly methodically moves through the state, tracking down leads and cracking skulls while Charley puts the pieces in place for a series of elaborate double- and triple-crosses. But, when Molly finds Charley, the former pilot—who bills himself as “the last of the independents”—may have finally run out of tricks.

why it’s good: At first glance, “Charley Varrick” seems pretty similar to this year’s Oscar winner for best picture, “No Country for Old Men.” Both follow the trials of a regular guy in possession of a large amount of dirty money and his pursuit by an unstoppable killer. But, while “No Country” is bloody, sparse and portentous, “Charley Varrick” is bombastic, fun and (relatively) bloodless. It’s a caper movie through and through. The first 30 minutes are devoted entirely to the bank heist, and all that normal introductory stuff, like characters’ names, is left for the aftermath. “Charley Varrick” never strays from that initial excitement, and even in the moments when it seems like Charley is resting, he’s actually making connections and getting his plans underway. Matthau seems an unlikely lead man for a ’70s crime flick, but the cerebral nature of Charley’s character and his droll grumpiness actually make him the perfect choice. Also perfect is Joe Don Baker as the unstoppable Molly. Like Javier Bardem’s bowl-cut in “No Country,” Molly’s girlish name initially draws chuckles from other characters. That is, until Molly starts breaking ribs and knocking over old dudes in wheelchairs. The film could have been intensely grim and bloody, but Don Siegel, who directed “Dirty Harry” two years earlier, gives “Charley Varrick” a fairly light atmosphere that makes it feel like a grittier episode of the old “Mission: Impossible” TV series, right down to a bouncy, tense score by Lalo Schifrin, who composed the original “Mission: Impossible” theme. Watching Matthau slouch and slap his way through “Charley Varrick” is pretty thrilling, and it’s a shame that the movie remains a forgotten gem of ’70s crime films. Well, it’s not totally forgotten—writer Matt Fraction cribbed heavily from “Charley Varrick” for his 2003 graphic novel “Last of the Independents” (which, incidentally, is just as awesome as “Charley Varrick”).

why you should own it: If you love heist movies like “Heat” or “Inside Man,” “Charley Varrick” is a must own. But be warned: Universal’s DVD doesn’t even have a menu screen, let alone any extras. Here’s hoping that an extras-laden edition isn’t too far down the line.