GONE IN 60 SECONDS (Theatrical Release USA 1974)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.3|5.0 Starsììì

Gone in 60 Seconds bases entertainment value on two elements: the need to steal a Freightliner along with 47 vehicles ranging in class from Cadillacs to Maseratis, Ferraris, and Rolls Royces in 5 days and a final car chase scene between a 1971 yellow Ford Mustang and the police. The final chase takes 40 of the 105 minutes of film time and wrecks over 93 cars. This low-budget film, written, produced, and directed by a California junkyard dealer, H.B. Halicki, needs a substantial overhaul and does get that in the 2000 movie Gone in Sixty Seconds starring Nicolas Cage. The movie suffers, during its first scenes, from poor audio due to background noise degrading the quality of actors’ voices; however, the subtitles are well done and serve to fill in the dialogue gaps.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A drug lord gives a list of 48 vehicles and $400,000 cash to insurance investigator, junkyard owner, and professional car thief Maindrian Pace (H.B. Halicki) with an order that the specified vehicles be delivered in 5 days.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director and Producer H.B. Halicki for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Vicinski (H.B. Halicki), Pumpkin Chase (Marion Busia), Eugene Chase (Jerry Daugirda), Stanley Chase (James McIntyre), Atlee Jackson (George Cole), Corlis Pace (Ronald Halicki), Uncle Joe Chase (Markos Kotsikos), 1-Baker-11 detective driver (Butch Stockton), and 1-Baker-11 detective passenger (Phil Woods).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. As a study for how a low budget film ($150,000) can deliver an entertaining story and make a whole lotta money ($40,000,000+), it serves a high purpose. But the 2000 remake Gone in Sixty Seconds with Nicholas Cage performs at a much higher entertainment level.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers