Steve McQueen (The Great Escape) and Ali MacGraw (Love Story) are at their finest as husband-and-wife thieves on the run in this classic Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs) action-thriller. The sizzling screenplay by Walter Hill is based on a novel by pulp legend Jim Thompson (The Grifters, After Dark, My Sweet). McQueen stars as “Doc” McCoy—a convict who makes a deal to split his hidden loot with a corrupt politician in exchange for early release from prison—in this fast-paced tale of greed and betrayal. Once free, McCoy tries to uphold his part of the agreement, but he quickly learns there is no one he can trust as he tries to survive long enough to reach the Mexican border.
The Getaway screens as part of our REMIX tribute to Quincy Jones. Director Sam Peckinpah originally broke with his longtime collaborator Jerry Fielding to hire Quincy Jones, but later clashed with the composer over his choices, even taking out a full-page ad in Variety criticizing Jones’ musical choices. In the end, Jones earned a Golden Globe nomination for his score, one of the film’s few honors that awards season. Revisit further selections from Quincy Jones’ film career with our screenings of The Wiz and The Color Purple.
