Dustin Hoffman half-heartedly pretended to go straight for the first reel of Straight Time, but a-hole parole office M. Emmet Walsh soon sets him back on the path recidivism
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I think that "Straight Time" is a great movie but it takes up very seriously what those other caper movies treat as a joke: the re-emergence of a convict into society and an attempt to go straight.
In fact, in the caper movies, it is clear from the get-go: the convict has NO INTENTION of going straight and starts work on a new crime immediately.
In 'Straight Time," we are certainly given hope that Hoffman can and will go straight, but Walsh makes it very hard immediately -- he doesn't like Hoffman showing iniitative and getting a girl friend -- Walsh works hard on trying to set Hoffman up for a new crime.
Meanwhile -- Hoffman isn't all THAT interested in going straight. Its key when he meets up with old crook buddy Harry Dean Stanton who DESPERATELY wants out of his straight job to do a robbery.
Its a good movie, "from the street" and written by an ex-con.
I had a "business friend" who worked in the state penal system and it was his theory thatwith some criminals, prison was their HOME. They liked it there and they liked "being taken care of." Meals, structure, "three hots and a cot." They went out to society after release "on vacation," my friend said, and then pulled new crimes so as to "go back home."
Maybe, maybe not. One hears of the horrors of prison - killings, rape -- but maybe a seasoned convict can avoid all that. Maybe it is home.
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christomacin (4655)
4 years ago
The final montage of Hoffman's mug-shot pictures in reverse chronological order shows that he never really had a chance of "going straight". Another early indication of his stubborn character is in the early scene where he is at the employment office and won't stop typing his test paper even after his time is up, and his future girl-friend has to rip the paper out of the machine. His refusal to accept limits (both time limits and otherwise) is his ultimate undoing when he continues to grab loot after the agreed-upon time limit for the job has passed.
The song "Leaving My Troubles Behind" from 1969 by Blues Image paints a vivid picture of the way career criminals see life behind bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCSvdIxM224
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ecarle (14979)
4 years ago
The final montage of Hoffman's mug-shot pictures in reverse chronological order shows that he never really had a chance of "going straight".
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Nope.
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Another early indication of his stubborn character is in the early scene where he is at the employment office and won't stop typing his test paper even after his time is up, and his future girl-friend has to rip the paper out of the machine. His refusal to accept limits (both time limits and otherwise) is his ultimate undoing when he continues to grab loot after the agreed-upon time limit for the job has passed.
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I thought that that was great movie writing...his "character trait" is introduced early(typing) and then not only screws up the robbery...the delay gets his friend killed.
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This song by Blues Image from the 1960's "Leaving My Troubles Behind" paints a pretty vivid picture of how career criminals see life behind bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCSvdIxM224
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I'll give it a listen. In a "comedy" vein on an old 60's Jack Benny episode, there was a show where Mickey Rooney played a convict in a luxury prison(hot tub, pool table, good food) who is told "Today's the day" by his warden, and he starts screaming and crying and fighting as he is dragged to a door. The electric chair? No...he's being released from prison and he doesn't want to go..
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