Take the Money and Run

1969
M/PG
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

32K

YOUR RATING

Woody Allen in Take the Money and Run (1969)

Virgil Starkwell, born in the slums of Baltimore, will be known to police by five aliases before he is 25 years old. A shortish, frail-looking kid with horn-rimmed glasses, Virgil is shy and likable, has a high IQ but resents authority and soon takes to crime.

At 18, Virgil is lonely and confused. Unable to concentrate in school, he has long dropped out. Despite his intelligence and above-average vocabulary, jobs are unavailable. So, using a toy pistol, he sticks up an armored car and takes off with a sack of quarters which spill all over the street she runs. This caper lands him in the state prison, an anarchic and poorly run institution that Virgil determines to leave as soon as possible.

Play trailer2:56

2 Videos

39 Photos

Parody Prison Drama Slapstick Comedy Crime

The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

32K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 nominations

Videos2

Trailer 2:56

Official Trailer

Clip 2:04

Take The Money And Run: Scene

Clip 2:04

Take The Money And Run: Scene

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The first widely-released "mockumentary."

Goofs
As the chain gang escapes, they climb the same embankment twice.

Quotes
Louise: He is always very depressed. I think that if he'd been a successful criminal, he would have felt better. You know, he never made the 'ten most wanted' list. It's very unfair voting; it's who you know.

Connections
Featured in The Dick Cavett Show: Woody Allen (1971)

Soundtracks
Soul Bossa Nova
(uncredited)
Written by Quincy Jones
Performed by Marvin Hamlisch and His Orchestra

Take the Money and Run ranked rather high on the AFI's list of the 100 Funniest movies, which surprised me. Although it's got some hilarious bits of comedy (the bank robbery, of course, is the funniest bit), the humor seems a bit dated, on par with What's New Pussycat or Casino Royale as opposed to Bananas and Sleeper (his two early comedy classics, in my opinion). Janet Margolin (RIP) was a talented actress, but I didn't find her particularly funny in this movie. She was better in a brief role as one of Woody's high-strung ex-wives in Annie Hall. Louise Lasser and Diane Keaton were worthier (and funnier) replacements. A good bet for rainy day laughs, but not one of the funniest movies of all time.