Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry

Last updated

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Moviedirtymaryposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by John Hough
Screenplay by
Based onThe Chase
1962 novel
by Richard Unekis
Produced byNorman T. Herman
Starring
CinematographyMichael D. Margulies
Edited byChristopher Holmes
Music by Jimmie Haskell (Main theme)
Production
company
Academy Pictures Corporation
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • May 1974 (1974-05)
Running time
93 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.14 million [2]
Box office$28.4 million [3]

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry is a 1974 American road crime drama film based on the 1963 Richard Unekis novel titled The Chase (later retitled Pursuit). Directed by John Hough, the film stars Peter Fonda, Susan George, Adam Roarke, and Vic Morrow. Although Jimmie Haskell is credited with writing the music score, the soundtrack contains no incidental music apart from the theme song "Time (Is Such a Funny Thing)", sung by Marjorie McCoy, over the opening and closing titles, and a small amount of music heard over the radio.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Plot

Two NASCAR hopefuls, driver Larry Rayder and his mechanic Deke Sommers, successfully execute a supermarket heist to finance their jump into big-time auto racing. They extort $150,000 in cash from a supermarket manager by holding his wife and daughter hostage.

In making their escape, they are confronted by Larry's one-night stand, Mary Coombs. She coerces them to take her along for the ride in their souped-up 1966 Chevrolet Impala. The unorthodox sheriff, Captain Everett Franklin, obsessively pursues the trio in a dragnet, only to find his outmoded patrol cars unable to catch Larry, Mary, and Deke after they ditch the Impala for a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440 at a flea market.

As part of the escape plan, Larry's vehicle enters an expansive grid of walnut groves, where the trees provide significant cover from aerial tracking, and the many intersecting roads ("with sixty distinct and separate exits") make road blocks ineffective. The trio evades several Dodge Polara patrol cars, one of them a specially prepared high-performance police interceptor that effectively keeps up with the Charger, and even Captain Franklin himself in a Bell JetRanger helicopter. Believing they've finally beaten the police, Larry and company meet their doom when they collide with a freight train pulled by an Alco S-1 locomotive, which unexpectedly emerges from a walnut grove.

Cast

Original novel

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry is based on the novel originally titled The Chase (later renamed Pursuit) by Richard Unekis, published in 1963. It was Unekis' debut novel. The New York Times called it "a brilliantly detailed and breathless tale of pursuit". [4]

The story incorporated a phenomenon that was relatively new in 1963: major auto manufacturers were putting powerful V-8 engines into mid-sized cars (the dawn of the "muscle car" era) and young thieves behind the wheel of these cars were now able to outrun the economy 6-cylinder sedans driven by police in many jurisdictions. The protagonists of The Chase used such a vehicle, a Chevrolet, and made use of the checkerboard of roads in the farm country of Illinois to outrun the police, as well as the cover of an approaching thunderstorm. The end of the novel closely matches the film, only with a tanker truck involved.

Production

Filming

The film was shot in late 1973 in and around Stockton, California, mostly in the walnut groves near the small town of Linden, California. [5] The railroad track in the final scene of the film served the Diamond Food processing plant in Linden and was abandoned in the 1980s when the plant switched to trucks for their transportation. The track still exists, in an abandoned state, and is owned by Omnitrax Corp.

The supermarket scenes were filmed in both Sutter Hill and Sonora, California, the drawbridge jump was filmed in Tracy, California, the swap meet scene in Clements, California, and the climactic train crash was filmed on the Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad in Linden, near the intersection of Ketcham Lane and Archerdale Road. The Bell JetRanger helicopter used in the climactic chase was flown by veteran film pilot James W. Gavin (who played the character of the pilot as well) and was actually flown between rows of trees and under powerlines as seen in the film.[ citation needed ]

In the commentary of the 2005 DVD and later Blu-ray releases, Hough says two blue 1966 Chevrolet Impalas, as well as two 1969 (and one 1968) Citron Yella Dodge Chargers were used in the filming. As the film was a low-budget project,[ citation needed ] and no more than three Chargers could be purchased,[ citation needed ] a team of mechanics would work on the cars overnight to repair damage, while the film crew would cycle through the available cars throughout the shooting day. Car haulers would follow the filming team with the additional cars as they were available.

In the same interview, Hough revealed that the ending in which the Charger crashes into the train was not in the original script. The novel upon which the film was based ended with the robbers colliding with a tanker truck, but since the Linden filming location offered a maze of railroad crossings, the ending was changed to incorporate the collision with the locomotive.[ citation needed ]

Hough said the lead characters did not die in the script: "I did that myself without asking or telling anybody. Consequently, we would not be able to make a sequel because the leading characters were all killed. But a statement I really wanted to make, was: speed kills. If you're gonna drive a hundred miles an hour, you’ll get yourself killed, so you'd better not speed." [6]

Fonda said the film was shot "pretty much in sequence. We had about 20 exciting stunts and about five minutes worth of acting. We had to make our scenes count. Adam Roarke, Susan George, and myself were sort of like The Three Stooges I guess you could say...I had a fine time making the film. It was a lot of fun.” [7]

Post-production

The film developers thought that the Dodge Charger was actually bright yellow so they "corrected" the film negatives to eliminate the greenish tint of the car. Therefore, the entire movie in theaters, on TV, and on VHS was originally very warm toned. The color was more correct in the 2005 DVD release (and later Blu-ray releases) and the Dodge Charger became the correct lime green color.

Release

Box office

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry was released by Fox in the spring of 1974 and was a surprise hit. [8] It grossed $650,709 in its opening week in Texas and Oklahoma. [9] It earned rentals of $12.1 million in the United States and Canada, making it Fox's most successful film of the year. [10] By 1977, it had earned an estimated $14.7 million in theatrical rentals. [11]

Fonda said the film "made a shit pile of money. More money than any film Dennis [Hopper] ever made." [12] He added, "I couldn't believe that so many moviegoers had seen the film four or five times. I could understand them seeing Easy Rider four or five times or maybe even The Hired Hand, but why Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry? Heck, I was even embarrassed by the title." [7]

Nonetheless the film established Fonda as a draw on the exploitation circuit and most of his films over the next few years were action movies. [13]

On February 18, 1977, the film came to broadcast television (with several scenes cut before the theatrical release reinserted to extend the film's length to the minimum required to fill a standard two-hour time slot). [14] These added-for-TV scenes have never been released to home video. [15]

Critical reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 47% of 19 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5/10. [16] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [17]

Edgar Wright said the film influenced Baby Driver . He said he "always felt sorry for the actor Adam Roarke in it who plays Deke. He's in the movie for the entire thing. You assume in the movie that Adam Roarke is going to die at some point, but he's there right to the end, so it really should be called Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and Deke. Why does this guy get left off the title? He's been there the whole time." [18]

Home media

The film was released on VHS and Beta in October 1979 on Magnetic Video. [19]

On June 28, 2005, the film was released on DVD through Anchor Bay Entertainment as a "Supercharger Edition". It included a color-corrected and fully restored theatrical version of the film as well as many bonus features.

On April 12, 2011, the restored film was released again on DVD, this time through Shout! Factory, packaged as a double feature with another Peter Fonda film Race with the Devil . This release contained fewer bonus features than the Anchor Bay release.

This same release debuted on Blu-ray for the first time on June 4, 2013. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Stunt Man</i> 1980 film by Richard Rush

The Stunt Man is a 1980 American satirical psychological anti-war action comedy film starring Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback and Barbara Hershey, and directed by Richard Rush. The film was adapted by Lawrence B. Marcus and Rush from the 1970 novel of the same name by Paul Brodeur. It tells the story of a young fugitive who hides as a stunt double on the set of a World War I movie whose charismatic director will do seemingly anything for the sake of his art. The line between illusion and reality is blurred as scenes from the inner movie cut seamlessly to "real life" and vice versa. There are examples of "movie magic", where a scene of wartime carnage is revealed as just stunt men and props, and where a shot of a crying woman becomes, with scenery, props and soundtrack, a portrait of a grieving widow at a Nazi rally. The protagonist begins to doubt everything he sees and hears, and at the end is faced with real danger when a stunt seems to go wrong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Fonda</span> American actor and filmmaker (1940–2019)

Peter Henry Fonda was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He was a two-time Academy Award nominee, both for acting and screenwriting, and a two-time Golden Globe Award winner for his acting. He was a member of the Fonda acting family, as the son of actor Henry Fonda, the brother of actress and activist Jane Fonda, and the father of actress Bridget Fonda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muscle car</span> High-performance car

A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, generally designed for high-performance driving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pony car</span> American car classification

Pony car is an American car classification for affordable, compact, highly styled coupés or convertibles with a "sporty" or performance-oriented image. Common characteristics include rear-wheel drive, a long hood, a short decklid, a wide range of options to individualize each car and use of mass-produced parts shared with other models. The popularity of pony cars is largely due to the launch of the Ford Mustang in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Full-size car</span> Vehicle size class

Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars. It is the largest size class for cars. In the United Kingdom, this class is referred to as the executive car, while in Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment.

<i>Vanishing Point</i> (1971 film) 1971 film directed by Richard C. Sarafian

Vanishing Point is a 1971 American action film directed by Richard C. Sarafian, starring Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, and Dean Jagger. It focuses on a disaffected ex-policeman and race driver delivering a muscle car cross-country to California while high on speed, being chased by police, and meeting various characters along the way. Since its release it has developed a cult following.

<i>Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby</i> 2006 American sports comedy film

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American sports comedy film directed by Adam McKay who co-wrote the film with Will Ferrell. It features Ferrell as the titular Ricky Bobby, an immature yet successful NASCAR driver. The film also features John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch, and Amy Adams in supporting roles. NASCAR drivers Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. appear in cameos, as do broadcasting teams from NASCAR on Fox and NASCAR on NBC.

John Hough is a British film and television director. He is primarily known for his suspense films of the 1970s and 1980s, including Twins of Evil (1971), The Legend of Hell House (1973), The Incubus (1982) and American Gothic (1988), as well as the 1974 action thriller Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police vehicles in the United States and Canada</span>

Police vehicles in the United States and Canada consist of a wide range of police vehicles used by police and law enforcement officials in the United States and in Canada. Most police vehicles in the U.S. and Canada are produced by American automakers, primarily the Big Three, and many vehicle models and fleet norms have been shared by police in both countries.

Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly, also referred to as Factory Zero and GM Poletown, is a General Motors (GM) automobile assembly plant straddling the border between Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. It is located about three miles (five km) from GM's corporate headquarters.

<i>Biggles</i> (film) 1986 film directed by John Hough

Biggles is a 1986 British science fiction adventure film directed by John Hough. The plot involves time travel between the 1980s and the 1910s during World War I, involving the character, Biggles. The film stars Neil Dickson, Alex Hyde-White, and Peter Cushing in his final feature film role.

Adam Roarke was an American actor and film director.

<i>Race with the Devil</i> 1975 film by Jack Starrett

Race with the Devil is a 1975 American action horror film directed by Jack Starrett, written by Wes Bishop and Lee Frost, and starring Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, and Lara Parker. Its plot follows two couples on a road trip who are pursued by a Satanic cult after witnessing a human sacrifice while camping in rural Texas. This was the second of three films Fonda and Oates would star in together. Race with the Devil is a hybrid of the horror, action, and car chase genres.

Car and Track was America's first nationally syndicated auto racing and car test television show. Produced by Car and Track Productions, it was hosted and produced by Bud Lindemann, a famous race commentator of the time. After the TV series ended, Bud and his son David Lindemmann continued to film many types of racing. They compiled one of the most important film libraries of the early days of NASCAR. Car and Track was based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This allowed them to have close relationships with Detroit automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan George (actress)</span> English actress

Susan Melody George is an English film and television actress. She is best known for appearing in films such as Straw Dogs (1971) with Dustin Hoffman, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974) with Peter Fonda, and Mandingo (1975) with Ken Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hi-riser</span> Customized automobile with large wheels

Hi-risers are a type of heavily-customized automobile, typically a full-size, body-on-frame, rear-wheel drive American sedan. They are modified by significantly increasing the vehicle's ground clearance, and adding large-diameter wheels with low-profile tires. Depending on the model, year and bodystyle, cars customized in this style can be labeled "donk", "box" or "bubble". Many within the community refer to this style of car as simply a "big rim" or "big wheel" car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coke bottle styling</span> Automotive body design with a narrow center surrounded by flaring fenders

Coke bottle styling is an automotive body design with a narrow center surrounded by flaring fenders. This design element bears a general resemblance to a Coca-Cola classic glass contour bottle design. Industrial designer Raymond Loewy introduced it on the radical 1962 Studebaker Avanti gran turismo.

<i>Wheels of Terror</i> 1990 television film directed by Christopher Cain

Wheels of Terror is a 1990 American made-for-television thriller film directed by Christopher Cain and starring Joanna Cassidy and Marcie Leeds. The film originally debuted on the USA Network in 1990. The plot concerns the unseen driver of a primer gray Dodge Charger, kidnapping, molesting, and sometimes murdering young girls around the fictional locale of Copper Valley, Arizona and a bus driver who chases the car, after it kidnaps her daughter played by Marcie Leeds.

<i>Fighting Mad</i> (1976 film) 1976 American film by Jonathan Demme

Fighting Mad is a 1976 American action film directed by Jonathan Demme, about an Arkansas farmer played by Peter Fonda who uses Guerrilla tactics against corrupt land developers attempting to evict his family and his neighbors in order to stripmine their land.

How Come Nobody's on Our Side? is a 1974 American film which was a spoof of biker movies.

References

  1. ↑ "DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY (X)". British Board of Film Classification . May 30, 1974. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  2. ↑ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN   978-0-8108-4244-1. p257
  3. ↑ Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry, Box Office Information. Archived April 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine The Numbers. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  4. ↑ Criminals At Large By ANTHONY BOUCHER. New York Times 7 Apr 1963: BR50.
  5. ↑ Movies Divorce, Disillusion......hard times hit the easy rider. Shevey, Sandra. Chicago Tribune 17 Feb 1974: e14.
  6. ↑ "John Hough: "I am happy to say that 'Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry' is one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite films"". Film Talk. August 30, 2017. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Goldman, Lowell (Fall 1990). "Peter Fonda: I Know What It's Like to Be Dead". Psychotronic Video. No. 7. p.  35.
  8. ↑ Frederick, Robert B. (January 8, 1975). "'Sting', 'Exorcist' In Special Class At B.O. in 1974". Variety . p. 24.
  9. ↑ "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (advertisement)". Variety . May 8, 1974. p. 8.
  10. ↑ Solomon p 232
  11. ↑ FILM VIEW: Why 'Smokey and the Bandit' Is Making a Killing FILM VIEW 'Smokey and the Bandit' Canby, Vincent. The New York Times 18 Dec 1977: 109.
  12. ↑ Aftab, Kaleem (July 15, 2014). "Dennis Hopper: Peter Fonda on his 'Easy Rider' co-star". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  13. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (October 26, 2019). "Peter Fonda – 10 Phases of Acting". Filmink. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Original TV Guide ad". Flashbak. June 26, 2017. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Television Version Added Scenes". YouTube. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved January 11, 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  17. ↑ "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ Anderton, Ethan (June 29, 2017). "Edgar Wright Gushes About 10 Movies That Influenced 'Baby Driver' (Part 1)". Slash Film. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Magnetic Video (Creator)". TV Tropes. Archived from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry / Race With The Devil [Double Feature] - Blu-ray | Shout! Factory". www.shoutfactory.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.

Notes

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.