Films of the 1970s, No. 36

 


Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below!

Christian Szell: Is it safe?... Is it safe?
Babe: You're talking to me?
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: Is what safe?
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: I don't know what you mean. I can't tell you something's safe or not, unless I know specifically what you're talking about.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: Tell me what the "it" refers to.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: Yes, it's safe, it's very safe, it's so safe you wouldn't believe it.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: No. It's not safe, it's... very dangerous, be careful.

Marathon Man (1976)
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Roy Scheider, William Devane, and Laurence Olivier
Director: John Schlesinger
About: The 1970s featured a lot of movies about conspiracies and paranoia. Many of them are quite good. This week begins a string of three weeks in a row that land in that genre. This film, from Schlesinger and working on a script from William Goldman, centers on a graduate student (Hoffman) whose brother (Scheider) is in the spy game. When his brother dies, he's thrust into the middle of a dangerous situation with little way out. This film is engaging in the way it spins the tale. Hoffman does a nice job in the lead role, while Olivier is sufficiently menacing. This also features the worst dental treatment in the world, which I found quite disturbing. I liked the way it all came together in the end, too. It's a solid thriller with a decent script that fits with the plethora of similarly themed projects during the decade.

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