“The Getaway” (1994) starring Alec Baldwin & Kim Basinger / Z-View

The Getaway (1994)

Director:  Roger Donaldson

Screenplay by:  Walter Hill,  Amy Holden Jones based on THE GETAWAY by Jim Thompson

Starring:  Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, James Woods, David Morse, Jennifer Tilly, James Stephens, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Burton Gilliam, Royce D. Applegate, Daniel Villarreal, Alex Colon  and Richard Farnsworth.

Tagline: Choosing between love and money is one thing. Getting away with both is something else

The Story: 

Carter “Doc” McCoy (Baldwin) was serving time in a Mexican prison after being double crossed on his last job. Thanks to Jack Benyon’s (Woods) influence and cash payoffs, Doc is now a free man.  Well, almost.  Doc owes Benyon a debt that will be paid off after Doc’s next job.

All goes well until it doesn’t.  Before Doc and his accomplices meet to divide the cash, the double crosses begin.  Doc doesn’t know who he can trust.  After he finds out what his wife, Carol (Basinger), did to get his release from prison, Doc’s not even sure about her,

The cops and Benyon’s men are after them.  Doc and Carol need a clean getaway.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

The two biggest differences in The Getaway directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw and this one are 1) Doc and his wife are more of a team in the remake, and 2) there’s more nudity.

McQueen and McGraw fell in love while filming The Getaway.  They later married.  Baldwin and Basinger were already married when they starred in the remake.  They later divorced.

I’m a fan of both versions of the film.  THE GETAWAY is my favorite novel by Jim Thompson.

Baldwin and Basinger are aided by a great supporting cast.  Standouts include Michael Madsen, James Woods, David Morse, Jennifer Tilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Burton Gilliam and Richard Farnsworth.

There was talk of a sequel, but it never happened.  It’s not too late.