Straight Time (1978)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Ulu Grosbard

Writers:

Jeffrey Boam (writer)
Edward Bunker (novel)

Release Date:

21 July 1978 (Denmark)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

"Please God, don't let him get caught."

Plot:

After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go straight, get a regular job, and just go by the rules...

Plot Keywords:

Parole | Parole Officer | Jail | Heist | Bank Robbery

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Max Dembo
Theresa Russell	...	Jenny Mercer
Gary Busey	...	Willy Darin
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Jerry Schue
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Earl Frank
Rita Taggart	...	Carol Schue
Kathy Bates	...	Selma Darin
Sandy Baron	...	Manny
Jake Busey	...	Henry Darin (as Jacob Busey)
Tina Menard	...	Hotel Manager
Stephanie Ericson-Baron	...	Bar Patron
Dave Kelly	...	Counterman
Don Sommese	...	Waiter
Kit Jee Wong	...	Grocer
Peter Kwong	...	Grocery Clerk

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | France:-12 | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2007) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | UK:18 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Canada:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First Artists

Trivia:

Dustin Hoffman visited the author of the source novel, Edward Bunker, in prison to express interest in making the novel into a film. Hoffman's enthusiasm as well as excellent reviews helped prompt the authorities into releasing Bunker early.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Max pulls Earl's car over in the center of the freeway there is no fence. Then when the car is pulled over there is a fence.

Movie Connections:

References The Wiz (1978)

Soundtrack:

Doin' Fine

Quite Good

This movie creeps up on you, gets a kind of emotional hold on you and digs in through the end. Really, a terrific 70s style film (should have been made in 1973). Dustin Hoffman is outstanding. He gives an understated performance that fits the atmosphere of the movie, the story and himself perfectly. It is one of his best performances. Theresa Russell, and Harry Dean Stanton also deliver excellent performances. A very good example of how story, and acting that is true to the story, matter so much in making a good film. Urls Grosbard does a good job of establishing the mood of the film and carrying it all the way through, without hitting you over the head with unnecessarily forced dialog or drawn-out action sequences, etc.