What makes it different from others?

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Comedy is generally considered the hardest of all the genres. Woody Allen knows very well that. He succeeds here a romantic comedy, a soft romantic comedy but still a comedy, an original one. The scene when Louise (Janet Margolin) tells Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen): "We gonna have a baby, it's my Christmas present to you ..." and he responds, "All I wanted was a tie...", is simply delicious. The whole movie is likable in the pure poetic style, "WA brand", not laugh out loud but funny. Comedy for fine intellectuals.

The first triple attempt for Woody Allen in Movies as Writer, directer and leading actor in his own mis-adventures about a clumsy, misguided two bit nebish of a crook Virgil Starkwell. This mockumentary focuses on the turbulent times of bank robber Virgil Starkwell.The deep rich vocals of Jackson Beck are provided during this entire movie as they are narrated in a solemn, stern plausible style. Conversely the comical in-depth interview by old friends. convicts and his parents complete with Groucho Marx masks as to not reveal their identities to the viewers.Virgil's diligent planning for the perfect bank holdup including a egotistical Euopean Director. But alas his poor wife played by Janet Margolin is not appreciated as Virgil whines, "I can't wear a beige shirt to a bank robbery!" Bumbling bank holdups and failed robbery attempts are the norm for this comedy. These hilarious scenes are shown despite the serious narration. Favorite moment is when the Starkwell's Virgil and his wife are doing math homework with their son, during a heated car chase from the law. Bullets are flying toward the Starkwell's car as Virgil fires back with pistil in hand,but sonny boy needs to get the math homework completed. In a cops and robbers style car chase multitasking is the normal for our blundering bespectacled rogue. Plenty of hilarious scenes throughout this early work of Woody Allen where crime in this case does PAY!

This is a documentary about incompetent criminal Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen). He was born in 1935 as an only child. It's childhood of petty crimes and really bad cello playing. He tries to steal from an armor truck but his gun turns out to be a lighter. He's arrested and tries to escape with a gun carved out of soap. When he finally gets out, he falls for Louise (Janet Margolin). He is even unable to steal her purse. He is again arrested for a badly misspelled bank robbery.Woody Allen has written a series of really ridiculous situations. It's an extended skit comedy. The ideas may be funny but the execution isn't. There are funny bits but mostly the jokes fall flat. It would be great if Louise is played by a funny comedian. I keep picturing a young Carol Kane. It's early in Allen's directing career and he hasn't figured it out yet.

The summary is from the last line of Vincent Canby's NY Times review dated August 19, 1969, and 40+ years later it's still apt. Like Airplane, Take the Money and Run is a gloriously absurd, uproarious, rapid fire parody, and along with Sleeper, Zelig, and The Purple Rose of Cairo it remains one of Allen's funniest and best sustained comedies. There's a wonderfully slapdash feel to the film and the documentary style complete with narration and newsreel footage allows the visual comedy to keep pace with Woody's one-liners. Take the Money and Run is often overlooked in favor of some of his more belabored comedies but it's essential Allen, and lovely Janet Margolin is sweet and funny, and so is the film. Classic comedy.