“The Driver” (1978) written & directed by Walter Hill, starring Ryan O’Neal and Bruce Dern / Z-View

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The Driver (1978)

Director: Walter Hill

Screenplay: Walter Hill

Stars: Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley, Matt Clark, Felice Orlandi, Joseph Walsh, Rudy Ramos, Sandy Brown Wyeth, Bob Minor and Nick Dimitri.

Tagline: To break the driver, the cop was willing to break the law.

The Plot…

A getaway driver (O’Neal) has a reputation as THE one to use if you’re planning any kind of heist.  Although the driver’s identity isn’t known, a detective (Dern) has become obsessed with catching this wheelman.  The detective is willing to break the law to make the arrest.  The driver is willing to risk his life to prove he’s the best.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Driver is the second film written and directed by Walter Hill.  Hill’s intent was to create a “pure genre” film.  The main characters aren’t given names other than their archetype.

Steve McQueen turned down the lead.  He didn’t want to do another “car picture” after Bullitt and The Getaway.

Charles Bronson, who had starred in Hill’s last film, Hard Times, was then offered the lead.  Bronson didn’t want to work with Hill again.  He felt that Hill’s editing of Hard Times put Jill Ireland (Bronson’s wife) in a bad light.

While Sylvester Stallone was filming F.I.S.T., he was approached about starring.  Stallone ultimately turned down the role.

Ryan O’Neal reached out to Walter Hill.  He wanted to play the Driver.  Hill and O’Neal were on the same page with how the role should be played.  The rest is history.

Walter Hill approached Robert Mitchum about playing the Detective.  Mitchum turned down the offer.

When The Driver was released it didn’t do well at the U.S. box office.  Isabelle Adjani said she felt the film hurt her career. Walter Hill said the studio gave him a six inch stack containing reviews of The Driver.  Only one was positive.  Hill later said in an interview, ” “Had I not been shooting The Warriors at the time, I don’t think my career would have survived.

Over the years, The Driver‘s reputation has improved.  Quentin Tarantino is a fan.  The Driver also served as an influence of other films including Driver and Baby Driver.

Although I’m a Walter Hill fan, The Driver isn’t one of my favorites of his films.  I get what he was going for.  It just doesn’t work as well for me as many of his other films.

The Driver (1978) rates 2 of 5 stars.