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Action thriller

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974): Cast, Box Office & Where to Watch

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) movie poster

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a 1974 action thriller directed by Joseph Sargent, starring Robert Shaw as Blue, Martin Balsam and Héctor Elizondo. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes and earned $364 worldwide. Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fandango at Home Free, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Director
Joseph Sargent
Genres
Thriller , Action , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Taking of Pelham One Two Three About?

The premise of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Armed men hijack a Manhattan subway train, threatening to kill a passenger every minute unless the city pays a $1 million ransom. As negotiators scramble, the criminals must devise a way to escape with the money while the hostages' lives hang in the balance.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • policeman
  • hostage
  • subway
  • heist
  • shot in the back
  • based on novel
  • african american
  • new york city
  • reference to fiorello la guardia
  • male police officer
  • undercover police officer
  • caper crime
+38 more
  • car
  • dark comedy
  • police procedural
  • new york
  • train
  • hijacker
  • passenger
  • demands
  • police
  • ransom
  • money
  • hijack
  • tunnel
  • caper
  • negotiation
  • escape
  • detective
  • mayor
  • weapon
  • police car
  • subway tunnel
  • rogue cop
  • maid
  • gracie mansion
  • mayor's office
  • third rail
  • cold
  • neighbor
  • british american
  • italian american
  • suicide of villain
  • train hijack
  • public transportation
  • tube
  • control center
  • visceral
  • tourist
  • suspect
Where to watch

Where to Watch The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fandango at Home Free, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Cast & Characters

Robert Shaw leads the cast as Blue, with Martin Balsam as Green and Héctor Elizondo as Grey. Directed by Joseph Sargent; 63 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

· 59 more
Show all 63 cast members
Plot

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Plot Summary

What happens in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In New York City, four hijackers—Robert Shaw as Mr. Blue, Martin Balsam as Mr. Green, Héctor Elizondo as Mr. Grey, and Earl Hindman as Mr. Brown—board the downtown 6 train, Pelham 1-2-3, at different stations and seize eighteen people, including the conductor and an off-duty undercover police officer, as hostages in the front car. Communicating over the radio with New York City Transit Police lieutenant Walter Matthau Garber, Blue demands that a $1 million ransom be delivered within exactly one hour or he will kill a hostage for every minute it is late. Green sneezes periodically, and Garber consistently replies, “Gesundheit,” a running motif that threads through the tense negotiations and exposes the menacing rhythm of the standoff. Garber, Lt.

Full summary

The whole story of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Box Office

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three grossed $364 worldwide.

1974 box office

Worldwide gross

$364

International
$357
Videos

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Trailers & Videos

6 videos: 2 trailers and 4 clips.

All 6 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Original Trailer
  • Clip Hijacking the Train
  • Clip Command Center Calling
  • Clip The Passengers Learn They're Captives
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Taking of Pelham One Two Three?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrays the mastermind hijacker known as Mr. Blue?

Cars

Cars in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

39 cars on screen, including the 1973 Ford Custom 500 and the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide.

All 39 cars
  • 1973 Ford Custom 500 in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three 1973 Ford Custom 500 Important role
  • Harley-Davidson Electra Glide in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Important role
  • 1972 Plymouth Fury in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three 1972 Plymouth Fury Important role
  • 1972 Checker Taxicab in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three 1972 Checker Taxicab Minor role
Details

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Also Known As

32 alternative titles, including “Pelham, un, dos, tres” and “Pelham 1.2.3.”.

Also known as
  • Pelham, un, dos, tres
  • Pelham 1.2.3.
  • O Seqüestro do Metrô
  • The Mastermind
  • Underground Hi-jack
  • Il colpo della metropolitana - Un ostaggio al minuto
  • Les pirates du métro 123
  • Stoppt die Todesfahrt der U-Bahn 1-2-3
  • Pelham 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Il colpo della metropolitana
+20 more
  • Les pirates du métro
  • Захват поезда Пелэм 123
  • Hajsza a föld alatt
  • חטיפת הרכבת התחתית פלהם
  • Togkapring
  • Korkunç Soygun
  • O Sequestro do Metrô
  • Długi postój na Park Avenue
  • Přepadení vlaku z Pelhamu
  • Assalt al Tren Pelham 1.2.3.
  • 騎劫地下鐵
  • Pelham 1-2-3 kaapattu!
  • Pelham 1-2-3 kapat
  • 骑劫地下铁
  • گروگانگیری در پلهام یک دو سه
  • 지하의 하이젝킹
  • Pirații din metrou
  • サブウェイ・パニック
  • Πανικός στο μετρό της Νέας Υόρκης
  • Захоплення поїзда Пелем 123

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FAQ

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three FAQ: Where to Watch & Cast

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office and post-credit scenes of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Taking of Pelham One Two Three?

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was The Taking of Pelham One Two Three released?

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was released on September 1, 1974.

Who directed The Taking of Pelham One Two Three?

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was directed by Joseph Sargent.

More films by Joseph Sargent

Who is in the cast of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three?

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three stars Robert Shaw as Blue, Martin Balsam as Green and Héctor Elizondo as Grey, among 63 credited actors.

Where can I watch The Taking of Pelham One Two Three?

In the US, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home Free and Tubi TV and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did The Taking of Pelham One Two Three make at the box office?

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three grossed $364 worldwide.

Does The Taking of Pelham One Two Three have a post-credit scene?

No. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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