CHARLEY VARRICK (KILL CHARLEY VARRICK)

US, 1973, 111 minutes, Colour.
Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, Felicia Farr, Andy Robinson, John Vernon, Sheree North.
Directed by Don Siegel.

Don Siegel has a reputation for efficient action thrillers; it has been enhanced by this film. Yet, in retrospect, it raises a lot of questions (not intended by the director?) about values, violence and audience sympathies. We like Charley Varrick (especially as played by the pleasant Walter Matthau) and we hope the Mafia and monied bullies will not destroy him. But he too is a cold-blooded killer and thief. What are we to think and feel about him? Is he a hero? If so, then he is charming and despicable, even if the world against him is even uglier. Are we emotionally endorsing the Charley Varricks and glorifying them? Puzzling.

1. The title, the word 'kill' for non-American audiences? The tone of the two titles?

2. Don Siegel and his reputation, for thrillers, for technique, for tough realism, for a tough picture of America? How good an example? The talents of Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, John Vernon and their particular gangster and thriller styles? An appropriate blend?

3. The structure of the film and audience involvement and changing sympathies and judgement: the initial robbery, lack of sympathy for Charley, the pursuit, the complications of the Mafia and big business, the hostility towards their victimisation of Charley, admiration for the underdog and his overcoming these powers? How subtly or how heavily were audience sympathies challenged and changed?

4. Themes of greed and violence: individuals, the group with the initial robbery and their small scale robbery, their individual greed and violence, placed within a wider corruption, of big business, Mafia interests, corrupt bank managers, protection? A whole horizon of an ugly world and the individuals within it, seeming less?

5. Critics have praised the build-up of the initial robbery: the setting-up atmosphere, the timing of the various groups involved, the editing, the mistakes made, the escape, the violence, especially Charley's killing his wife? How impressive was the skill of audience involvement in such an episode? The building up of atmosphere, location, the characters involved, the irony of their masks, Charley Varrick's own disguise? The timing of the robbery and the accidents? The crises, the pursuit? The close-ups of the shooting, especially Nadine? Her own wounds, Charley's decision to blow up the car and her? The atmosphere of chase, decoys, deaths, explosions, escape? Audience reaction to being immersed and made accomplices of this robbery?

6. How much more did we learn about Charley as a character: his work and his skills, a type, his motivation, grudges, crop-dusting, aerial skills (preparation for the finale)? Harman as his assistant, his involvement, character, impatience, greed? The bond between the two? Had Charley intended to use him as the fall guy if the plan went wrong? His callousness in doing so, especially as regards the dental work? In what way was Charley Varrick sympathetic for the audience? Walter Matthau in this role, hints of comedy style, serious?

7. The dramatic climax with the truth about the money dawning on them, the public account, the fact of how much money they had? Charley's assessment of the situation and his fears, his plans to cope with it? Harmon's sheer greed?

8. The transition to the world of big business and the Mafia? Maynard Boyle as a type, his decisions, ruthlessness, his employing of Molly, of Sybil? His hold over Howard Young? These people as a gallery of big time and small time criminals in America? How did Charley and Harman compare with these? Charley and his skill taking on such a huge organisation? Maynard Boyle and his masterminding of situations? Sybil and her sensuality and liaison with Charley, his using her and vice-versa? Molly and the details of his personality, his name and his attitude towards it, his tough stand-over measures, the visit to the brothel, his health food breakfast, his mindless brutality? The murder of Harman? Howard Young as a pathetic bank manager, his suicide?

9. Charley's Mexico plan and his meticulous trying to carry it out: the important work at the dentist's, his covering his own disappearance, Nadine's? The important sequence of visiting Maynard Boyle and Sybil? Directing the attention of the group in order that he might use it against themselves? His visit to the old man? The cripple? His visit to Jewel Everett and her wanting more money? A minor gallery of avaricious people?

10. His intelligent set-up: the preparation for Molly to be suspicious of Boyle and kill him, his killing of Molly in the spectacular plane crash, the destruction of Harman's body with his own dental impressions?

11. Audience response to him walking off freely after such destruction and achievement? was he justified? What happens to an audience facing this kind of violence, judgement?

12. Comment on the detail of attention to atmosphere, Charley's plan, characterisation, particular sequences and minor characters, for example the old lady at the motel and her obsession with obscene phone calls, the little girl on the swing with Maynard Boyle, the little man from the D.A.'s office going into action, the mercenary photographer, Jewel Everett and her violent relationship with Molly, Molly and the cracks about his name, his fastidiousness etc.? How much violence, necessary, exploited?

13. A portrait of America and its violence? The values and sense of right and wrong, justice?