Charley Varrick

Charley Varrick (1973)

  • 86% of critics liked it
    (7 reviews)

  • 79% of users liked it
    (2,856 ratings)

Don Siegel directed this offbeat crime thriller which stars Walter Matthau as the titular Charley Varrick. Varrick is a small-time stick-up man who, in tandem with his partner Harman Sullivan (Andrew Robinson), makes plans to rob a small bank in New Mexico. Varrick and Sullivan are expecting a… More

PG, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By
Don Siegel
Written By
John H. Reese, Howard A. Rodman, Dean Riesner
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense
In Theaters
Sep 19, 1973 Limited
On DVD
Dec 28, 2004
Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

    Don Siegel's excellent heist/escape movie makes an interesting juxtaposition to his Clint Eastwood films.

  • Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly

    Underrated Don Siegel heist drama

  • Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner

    A pulp classic with a crackerjack ending.

  • Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

    Sit back and enjoy the Matthau.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Bob S


    A nice piece of pulp and a great Mathau performance - slightly diluted by TV actors and the untold number of TV shows that copped Siegel's style. All the 70's cliches are here in abundance including an ever present hi-hat score and gratuitous lens flaring.

  • Reid V


    The early 1970s were a golden age for gritty American crime films. There must have been something in the water. For films such as The French Connection, The Getaway, & The Friends of Eddie Coyle all to have come out in one 3 year period seems nothing short of miraculous. Sure you… More

  • Pierluigi P


    An intelligent, discreet and very entertaining thriller by the master of pulp and badass-ness Don Siegel. Great performances by Joe Don Baker as the hitman Molly, and Walter Matthau as the crop-duster/bank robber Charley Varrick.

  • Tim S


    Fantastic thriller, and one of the finest and smartest plots ever committed to film.

  • Chris G


    Don Siegel's follow up to the legendary Dirty Harry finds the title character Charley Varrick (Walter Matthau) down on his luck to the point that he hatches a plan to rob a small town bank. Charley and his gang (featuring Harry alum Andrew "Scorpio" Robinson) pull off… More

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

Cast

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