Realism in the 1970s Crime Film

            The 1970s were known for many things: disco, bell-bottoms, interesting facial hair. While many of the trends and music from this time period are now viewed with derision, there is one art form that has maintained a kind of prestige throughout the years. The films of the 1970s are often described as classics. Moreover, many directors debuted their work in this decade or, at the very least, perfected it and some became very famous and established themselves as auteurs. No matter the genre, be it horror, drama or action adventure, the films of this era were atmospheric, tense character studies that also weren’t lacking in action or effects.

            There is a kind of grittiness present in these films. Directors didn’t shy away from ugliness and imperfection- if these flaws detailed aspects of the character in any way, then it was shown on screen. As a result, the viewer can see the sweat, the clumsy bodies, and the dirty fingernails of the characters. Rather than the handful of odd looking actors who are often typecast as peculiar characters in present day movies, the 70s film was often populated with an entire cast of regular looking and sometimes even unattractive people. Sadly, in many modern films the actor’s unnaturally attractive appearance is a distraction and only emphasizes the director’s weakness and reliance on style over substance. Glossiness was anathema in the 70s film as realism was most important. Instead of watching an action packed movie filled with stars with perfect hair and teeth and everything else, the viewer was forced to watch the performance, to note the setting and the story. 

One such example of this type of aesthetic is the 1973 film, The Friends of Eddie Coyle directed by Peter Yates.  It stars Robert Mitchum as the title character and also Peter Boyle and Richard Jordan. It must be said that Mitchum was known for a kind of low-key handsomeness, but in this film he tones it down even further. The opening sequence of the film shows Mitchum explaining how he got his fingers broken for messing up a bank job. Mitchum is brilliant in this moment as he calmly details the excruciating pain he experienced.  The scene takes place in a run-down diner and it is in keeping with the naturalistic settings of all the scenes in the movie. As a result, the film feels incredibly realistic and the fact that it is filled with regular, even coarse looking people emphasizes this. Even Mitchum’s love interest is rather chunky and old and that is something that simply isn’t done in modern films. `

A film like this couldn’t be made in the present day. Nothing much happens in it and all the violence occurs, for the most part, off screen or is retold by the characters.  The pace, too, is slow and all of the characters are profoundly unlikeable. Nowadays, if a film is made in which the cast is all bad it seems very self-conscious; as if the director and actors are all shouting, “Look, see how controversial and daring this is! There’s no one to root for!” In The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Mitchum and his cohorts display the worst of human nature and there is no fanfare. Mitchum’s Coyle is a racist; he treats his wife terribly and rats out his friends to the Feds. The Feds are no better than Coyle and his “friends” are even worse. Yet, the film offers no explanations or apologies. It simply shows the story of a bunch of criminals and the people that are after them. This movie deals in subtleties; nothing is told and if the viewer doesn’t pay attention, he will likely miss key plot points in the film.

The 70s crime film works because of a specific attention to detail. Certainly, the plot and acting are important but it is these subtle visual cues that engross the viewer and maintain the sense of gritty realism. In the case of The Friends of Eddie Coyle, it is the diner, the ramshackle house Eddie and his wife inhabit and the corner stores and bowling alleys that seem as if they could exist anywhere that make the film feel authentic.