Best movie of this year hands down!

Powerful

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

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!

A lot of movie-goers believe Christopher Guest's "This is Spinal Tap" directed by Rob Reiner was the first American "mockumentary". A "mockumentary" is a type of fictional film in the format of a non-fiction documentary format with fake interviews and sometimes a voice-over narrator. Most often they spoof some kind of overused subject. While "Spinal Tap" may have been the first "rockumentary", about 15 years previously, Woody Allen produced and released "Take the Money and Run". Much of what happens in Allen's offering is the model by which nearly all subsequent mockumentaries would follow, including many by Christopher Guest. And it still stands as possibly Allen's best pure comedic effort.In the 1950's and 1960's, a number of documentaries produced both for the small and large screens told the stories of criminals. (Guest would later make mockumentaries about music groups, hometown theatre, and dog shows.) "Take the Money and Run", written, directed and starring Woody Allen, spoofs documentaries about criminals for the first-ever mockumentary in the United States, complete with narrator and interviews. The first voice of the film is that of narrator Jackson Beck who made a career of doing voice-overs for such documentaries and television advertisements. The "story" involves hardened criminal Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen), his life and exploits over the years as a mediocre thief. As one character put it: "You know, he never made the 'ten most wanted' list. It's very unfair voting; it's who you know." Similar to "Monty Python's Flying Circus", all the characters, especially the narrator, play their parts dead-pan. In other words, they pretend what they're doing is serious, even though, in the end, it's quite silly. For example, when narrator Beck announces they will hear interviews of Starkwell's parents, he says in all seriousness they will wear disguises. Then we see the parents wearing plastic Grouch Marx noses and glasses. This is the kind of humour which permeates the entire film. In another famous scene, Starkwell is spending time in a maximum security facility where he must endure extra punishment for breaking the rules: he must spend time in solitary confinement with an insurance salesman."Take the Money and Run" at its essence is a series of interconnected comedy sketches, very similar to the feel of Monty Python. Nearly every bit is roll-over-the-floor hilarious. Often the scene begins somewhat "seriously" until Allen applies a zinger towards the end. Much of the later work of Christopher Guest owes much to Allen's original mockumentary. And apparently, one of Starkwell's criminal associates, Frankie Wolf, is still wanted by authorities for dancing with a mailman.

Favorite Movie quote - "I couldn't believe that this idiot was a criminal!" Though far from being what I would call one of Woody Allen's best comedies, Take The Money And Run, in and of itself, certainly contained its fair share of really marvellous moments, both in its hilarious, rapid-fire one-liners, as well as its priceless, well-timed sight gags that more than just tickled this delighted viewer's funny-bone.Here in his first outing as writer, star and director, Woody Allen plays (as only Woody Allen could possibly play) Virgil Starkwell, a completely hopeless criminal-failure from New Jersey who, at 18, decides to become a pool hustler in order to prove his manhood.Through candid interviews from those who knew him well, we quickly learn the real story of Virgil's pitiful criminal past before he is finally captured by the FBI (after countless botched jail breaks) and sent up for an 800-year term in prison.In between all of Virgil's criminal incompetence you'll be glad to know, I'm sure, that, yes, he does take time out for romance as he finds himself wrapped up in the loving arms of luscious Louise.From blackmail, to murder plots, to life on a chain-gang, to committing just about every petty crime in the book, Take The Money and Run, which clearly showcases Woody Allen's signature atheist/pinko viewpoint, is a 1960's farce that is certainly well-worth a view.

My first impression was that I couldn't believe that this was made in 1969. Having seen Annie Hall and not knowing this was made before had really surprised me. Woody Allen comes clean and gives us a fresh comedy, which now days, speaking 21st century makes something like Date Movie seem like it doesn't exist at all. TTMAR, stars Woody Allen as Virgil, a man with no hopes and hardly any positive life experiences, from his early days such as the scene where the bullies step on his glasses to the later days when in he is in court and ironically the judge steps on his glasses, Virgil simply has no luck in life. This movie is just taking the p iss, every situation from robbing banks, to escaping the prison, to lying to his girlfriend and later wife is just hilarious. TTMAR is an example of the pure comedy genius he is. It's a relaxer a mood uplifter and literally makes you feel better about yourself, because I don't think anybody could be as unlucky as him. Heads up to Janet Margolin, she shone with innocence and her beauty posed as a juxtaposition between the two characters.