The Driver
Encyclopedia
The Driver is a 1978 crime film
directed by Walter Hill and starring Ryan O'Neal
, Bruce Dern
, and Isabelle Adjani
. Based upon similarities in plot elements, it is heavily influenced by Jean-Pierre Melville's film Le Samouraï
. The film is also notable for its impressive car chases, its no-frills style of filmmaking, and its rarely speaking, unnamed titular character.
) who steals cars to drive as getaway vehicles for big-time robberies. Hot on the Driver's trail is the Detective (Bruce Dern
), a conceited cop who refers to the Driver as "the cowboy who's never been caught" and is willing to go to any length to bring him down. The Detective becomes so obsessed that he sets up a bank job in order to entice, trap, and ultimately arrest, the Driver.
aficionados only," film critic Duncan Shepherd
of the San Diego Reader
praised the film highly (awarding it the highest 5-star rating). "The whole show, in fact, is something like a coded message passed from the moviemaker to the devotees of the genre, in full view of, but beyond the full understanding of, the rest of the audience," according to Shepherd. The film grossed a total of 1,102,183 admissions in France.
's Pulp Fiction
(1994) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) reference this film: A shot and setup of Vincent Vega skidding out into the road with an overdosed Mia Wallace in the passenger seat in Pulp Fiction is copied from the opening chase of The Driver; and Beatrix Kiddo being described as "the cowgirl [who] ain't never been caught" in Kill Bill: Vol 2 is copied from Ryan O'Neal's character description in The Driver as "the cowboy who could not be caught." According to Wensley Clarkson's book, Tarantino - The Man, the Myths and His Movies, Tarantino lists The Driver as one of the "coolest movies of all time."
, a 2011 film about a laconic, unnamed, getaway car driver.
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
directed by Walter Hill and starring Ryan O'Neal
Ryan O'Neal
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal , better known as Ryan O'Neal, is an American actor best known for his appearances in the ABC nighttime soap opera Peyton Place and for his roles in such films as Paper Moon , Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon , A Bridge Too Far , and Love Story , for which he received...
, Bruce Dern
Bruce Dern
Bruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters...
, and Isabelle Adjani
Isabelle Adjani
Isabelle Yasmine Adjani is a French film actress and singer. Adjani has appeared in 30 films since 1970. She holds the record for most César Awards for Best Actress with five, for Possession , One Deadly Summer , Camille Claudel , Queen Margot and Skirt Day...
. Based upon similarities in plot elements, it is heavily influenced by Jean-Pierre Melville's film Le Samouraï
Le Samouraï
Le Samouraï is a 1967 French crime film directed by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, starring Alain Delon.- Plot :The story follows a perfectionist free-agent hitman, Jef Costello , who religiously adheres to a strict code of duty...
. The film is also notable for its impressive car chases, its no-frills style of filmmaking, and its rarely speaking, unnamed titular character.
Plot
A professional driver (Ryan O'NealRyan O'Neal
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal , better known as Ryan O'Neal, is an American actor best known for his appearances in the ABC nighttime soap opera Peyton Place and for his roles in such films as Paper Moon , Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon , A Bridge Too Far , and Love Story , for which he received...
) who steals cars to drive as getaway vehicles for big-time robberies. Hot on the Driver's trail is the Detective (Bruce Dern
Bruce Dern
Bruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters...
), a conceited cop who refers to the Driver as "the cowboy who's never been caught" and is willing to go to any length to bring him down. The Detective becomes so obsessed that he sets up a bank job in order to entice, trap, and ultimately arrest, the Driver.
Cast
- Ryan O'NealRyan O'NealCharles Patrick Ryan O'Neal , better known as Ryan O'Neal, is an American actor best known for his appearances in the ABC nighttime soap opera Peyton Place and for his roles in such films as Paper Moon , Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon , A Bridge Too Far , and Love Story , for which he received...
as The Driver - Bruce DernBruce DernBruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters...
as The Detective - Isabelle AdjaniIsabelle AdjaniIsabelle Yasmine Adjani is a French film actress and singer. Adjani has appeared in 30 films since 1970. She holds the record for most César Awards for Best Actress with five, for Possession , One Deadly Summer , Camille Claudel , Queen Margot and Skirt Day...
as The Player - Ronee BlakleyRonee BlakleyRonee Blakley is an American entertainer. Though an accomplished singer, songwriter, composer, producer and director, she is perhaps best known as an actress...
as The Connection - Matt ClarkMatt ClarkMatthew or Matt Clark may refer to:* Mat Clark, American ice hockey defenceman* Matt Clark * Matt Clark * Matt Clark * Matt Clark *Matthew Clark*Matthew H. Clark...
as Red Plainclothesman - Felice Orlandi as Gold Plainclothesman
- Joseph WalshJoseph WalshJoseph Walsh , was a Representative from Massachusetts....
as Glasses - Rudy Ramos as Teeth
- Denny Macko as Exchange Man
- Frank BrunoFrank BrunoFranklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
as The Kid - Will Walker as Fingers
- Sandy Brown Wyeth as Split
- Tara KingTara KingTara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
as Frizzy - Richard CareyRichard CareyRichard Carey was from Elizabeth City County, Virginia. He studied law and then practiced in the county courts. In 1777, he was appointed as a judge of the court of admiralty where he soon became presiding judge. As a member of that court, he also became a member of the first Court of Appeals...
as Floorman - Fidel Corona as Card Player
- Victor Gilmour as Boardman
- Nick DimitriNick DimitriNick Dimitri is a stuntman and actor best known as Charles Bronson's veteran bare-knuckle black leather coat wearing opponent in the climax of "Hard Times", often considered one of the best fights ever put on film. The 6' 2", 200 pound Dimitri was a U.S. Navy veteran and former muscleman in a Mae...
as Blue Mask - Bob Minor as Green Mask
Reception
Saying it's "probably advisable for film noirFilm noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
aficionados only," film critic Duncan Shepherd
Duncan Shepherd
Duncan Shepherd, a longtime film critic, wrote a weekly column for the alternative weekly the San Diego Reader from 1972 until November 2010, when he announced that he was retiring the column....
of the San Diego Reader
San Diego Reader
The San Diego Reader is the largest alternative press paper in the county of San Diego, distributed free in stands and private businesses throughout the county, funded by advertisements...
praised the film highly (awarding it the highest 5-star rating). "The whole show, in fact, is something like a coded message passed from the moviemaker to the devotees of the genre, in full view of, but beyond the full understanding of, the rest of the audience," according to Shepherd. The film grossed a total of 1,102,183 admissions in France.
In popular culture
Both Quentin TarantinoQuentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's Pulp Fiction
Pulp fiction
Pulp fiction may refer to:* pulp magazines, short stories presented in a magazine format, printed on cheaply made wood-pulp paper* Pulp Fiction, a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino...
(1994) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) reference this film: A shot and setup of Vincent Vega skidding out into the road with an overdosed Mia Wallace in the passenger seat in Pulp Fiction is copied from the opening chase of The Driver; and Beatrix Kiddo being described as "the cowgirl [who] ain't never been caught" in Kill Bill: Vol 2 is copied from Ryan O'Neal's character description in The Driver as "the cowboy who could not be caught." According to Wensley Clarkson's book, Tarantino - The Man, the Myths and His Movies, Tarantino lists The Driver as one of the "coolest movies of all time."
See also
DriveDrive (2011 film)
Drive is a 2011 American crime neo-noir drama film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling as the principal character, with Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, and Albert Brooks...
, a 2011 film about a laconic, unnamed, getaway car driver.