*** This review may contain spoilers ***
*Plot and ending analyzed*
A Manhattan teacher and part-time taxi cab driver is still suffering from the traumatic death of his wife. He has two young children and his life seems uninvolved. One night he picks up an attractive woman who asks him if he can take her out of state. He agrees.
He takes her to some big mansion. It seems that he is a bit curious. And she asks for him again on a few other trips, telling him to keep the trip a secret. They later make out and he falls for her. But when she disappears from the mansion on one night, he investigates and finds a dead man.
He doesn't call the police, but talks to an elderly union representative who is played by actor Will Lee (Mr. Hooper from Sesame Street). I remember reading that actor Will Lee was actually blacklisted in the 1950s during the McCarthy-era witch-hunts. There is some healthy dose of skepticism written into the Will Lee character. He doesn't trust cops and he even recalls that the murdered man was a wealthy textile owner, and that they had a union strike in the 1930s against him. I love those little details in movies.
There are a few recognizable bit actors in small parts as well. Joey Lawrence (Joey Russo in Blossom (TV series 1990-1995)) plays one of the young sons.
Turns out, the taxi driver was setup as a patsy. His goes looking around for answers.
His character is neither forcefully persuasive nor intelligent though, and he just resembles a bland regular guy. That might be a problem for the movie.
There are some nice night scenes of the city and some good parts with music. Some of the 'action' in the film is contrived, as when the taxi drivers all unite to tail the mysterious woman when she gets on a subway. They cover all the above ground exits, and of course they find her.
And the ending was not entirely imaginative either, as the woman was "hit" by the actual man who was responsible for the murder when she goes off running, and he is just pulling up to the front of the building. Not very believable.
The credits at the beginning mention a novel that it is based on, "Eighty Dollars to Stamford" by Lucille Fletcher (author of "Sorry, Wrong Number", made into a film in 1948 with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster).
In all, it is a fairly decent yet undecorated and plain movie. It reminds me somewhat of Eyewitness (1981) with William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver, as it had a similar tone and theme.
Enjoy.
*Plot and ending analyzed*
A Manhattan teacher and part-time taxi cab driver is still suffering from the traumatic death of his wife. He has two young children and his life seems uninvolved. One night he picks up an attractive woman who asks him if he can take her out of state. He agrees.
He takes her to some big mansion. It seems that he is a bit curious. And she asks for him again on a few other trips, telling him to keep the trip a secret. They later make out and he falls for her. But when she disappears from the mansion on one night, he investigates and finds a dead man.
He doesn't call the police, but talks to an elderly union representative who is played by actor Will Lee (Mr. Hooper from Sesame Street). I remember reading that actor Will Lee was actually blacklisted in the 1950s during the McCarthy-era witch-hunts. There is some healthy dose of skepticism written into the Will Lee character. He doesn't trust cops and he even recalls that the murdered man was a wealthy textile owner, and that they had a union strike in the 1930s against him. I love those little details in movies.
There are a few recognizable bit actors in small parts as well. Joey Lawrence (Joey Russo in Blossom (TV series 1990-1995)) plays one of the young sons.
Turns out, the taxi driver was setup as a patsy. His goes looking around for answers.
His character is neither forcefully persuasive nor intelligent though, and he just resembles a bland regular guy. That might be a problem for the movie.
There are some nice night scenes of the city and some good parts with music. Some of the 'action' in the film is contrived, as when the taxi drivers all unite to tail the mysterious woman when she gets on a subway. They cover all the above ground exits, and of course they find her.
And the ending was not entirely imaginative either, as the woman was "hit" by the actual man who was responsible for the murder when she goes off running, and he is just pulling up to the front of the building. Not very believable.
The credits at the beginning mention a novel that it is based on, "Eighty Dollars to Stamford" by Lucille Fletcher (author of "Sorry, Wrong Number", made into a film in 1948 with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster).
In all, it is a fairly decent yet undecorated and plain movie. It reminds me somewhat of Eyewitness (1981) with William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver, as it had a similar tone and theme.
Enjoy.
