Tagged: The Getaway (1972)
Al Lettieri in The Getaway: From Chalk-striped Suit to Corduroy and Chambray
Al Lettieri in The Getaway (1972)
Vitals
Al Lettieri as Rudy Butler, menacing and duplicitous armed robber
Texas, Spring 1972
Film: The Getaway
Release Date: December 13, 1972
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Men’s Costumer: Kent James
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
From The Godfather and The Getaway to McQ and Mr. Majestyk, if you needed a swarthy, mean, and snakishly charming son-of-a-bitch in the early ’70s, chances are you would call Al Lettieri. A bona fide tough guy who channeled his real-life connections to less reputable characters into his dynamic performances, Lettieri was only 47 years old when he died of a heart attack fifty years ago today on October 18, 1975.
Adapted from pulp author Jim Thompson’s 1958 crime novel of the same name, The Getaway was released in the final weeks of 1972—Lettieri’s breakthrough year, following the release of The Godfather in March. Continue reading
Steve McQueen’s Bank-Robbing Black Suit in The Getaway
Steve McQueen as Carter “Doc” McCoy in The Getaway (1972)
Vitals
Steve McQueen as Carter “Doc” McCoy, recently paroled professional bank robber
Texas, Spring 1972
Film: The Getaway
Release Date: December 13, 1972
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Men’s Costumer: Kent James
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Adapted from pulp master Jim Thompson’s 1958 novel of the same name, The Getaway stars Steve McQueen as Carter “Doc” McCoy, a paroled bank robber who teams up with his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) and a few cronies to take down a Texas bank and line the pockets of a crooked political boss. The film is an excellent piece of ’70s action drama, full of twists, double-crosses, and Sam Peckinpah’s characteristic violence. Continue reading