Film Review: Charley Varrick (USA 1973) by Don Siegel, Starring Walter Matthau and Joe Don Baker

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about Don Siegel’s underrated thriller masterpiece “Charley Varrick” from 1973, starring Walter Matthau and Joe Don Baker.  We outline the plot, where a seemingly simple bank robbery unexpectedly involves mafia money, forcing the protagonist to evade both law enforcement and organized crime.  We also provide background on director Don Siegel's career, highlighting his earlier works and collaborations. Ultimately, we offer a critical assessment of "Charley Varrick," praising its engaging plot, strong performances, and its reflection of the "New Hollywood" era while acknowledging Walter Matthau's own reservations about the film.    Plot:   Charley Varrick (Walter Matthau), an innocent-looking husband, plans a bank robbery in a small bank with his wife and two accomplices. But everything goes wrong. His wife and one accomplice die, and the stolen sum of money is astronomically high. Charley immediately realizes that it’s mafia money from dirty dealings. Now both the police and the mafia are after him.  If he turns himself in to the police, he’ll not only go to prison for the bank robbery, but he’ll also be charged with the murder of a policeman. And if Charley returns the money to the mafia, they’ll kill him anyway. Things get really uncomfortable for him.