“Charley Varrick” The spirit of Last of the Independents is overflowing *Note! Contains spoilers.

*This article touches on the ending of the story, so we recommend watching the movie before reading it.

Index

• Don Siegel kicks the blockbuster movie sequel
• Walter Matthau's "unexpected" casting
• Homage to “North by Northwest”
• last of the independent

Don Siegel kicks the blockbuster movie sequel

"When I watch Don's films, I feel a masterful touch. Every shot is a filmmaking technique that I respect the most. He's not shooting for the sake of action. He's not shooting for the sake of action. He grasps what the viewer wants and guides the viewer's gaze in a concrete manner with concise shots... As a person and a film director, he doesn't exaggerate and doesn't use unnecessary words. He was a very direct and specific person, and I could always rely on him.'' (Quoted from an interview with Philip Kaufman *1)

Don Siegel is a stubborn and dedicated filmmaker. As director Philip Kaufman said, he never does anything superfluous. There is no sentimentality or heartwarming lyricism. He simply presents the minimum necessary information to the audience using the most efficient shots and weaves the story concisely. `` Dirty Harry '' (1971) was a huge hit in which his outstanding directing skills were fully demonstrated.

"Dirty Harry" preview

A showdown between Detective Harry Callahan, played by Clint Eastwood, and serial killer Scorpio, played by Andy Robinson. Don Siegel captured even gruesome depictions of violence with a dry touch on camera, creating one of the most violent films in the history of cinema. Naturally, it was thought that he would also direct the sequel, `` Dirty Harry 2 '' (1973), but in the end that didn't happen. Ted Post, known for `` Hang 'em High! '' (68), will take on the role.

There was a foreshadowing to that. Before directing Dirty Harry , Don Siegel considered four drafts he was given, one of which was ``The San Francisco Police Department systematically eliminates the city's criminals.'' "something like. Yes, this is the prototype for " Dirty Harry 2. " However, Don Siegel expressed disapproval of this plot, and the idea was shelved. When the sequel was finally started, Eastwood, who liked the idea, revived the rejected idea. It was no surprise that Don Siegel did not take on the role of directing the sequel.

After getting a sequel to a blockbuster movie, his next work is ``Charley Varrick'' ” (73). Even more so than `` Dirty Harry '', Don Siegel's outstanding direction pervades every detail, making this a masterpiece of crime action film.

Walter Matthau's "unexpected" casting