The Hot Rock (1972)

By on April 28, 2016

	The Hot Rock (1972) Run Time: 105 min. \| colour Director: Peter Yates Stars: Robert Redford, George Segal, Ron Leibman, Zero Mostel Genres: Action \| Comedy \| Crime
Storyline: Comedy and suspense combine in a delightful mixture, nicely balanced by director Yates. Redford and Segal are hired to steal a diamond, but most of the film concerns not the robbery, but the bungling burglars’ losing the gem and trying to get it back. The “raid” on the police station is priceless.
Did you know: 1) Writer Donald E. Westlake stated in an interview that “The Hot Rock” started out to be one of his darker Richard Stark/Parker novels, but that “it kept turning funny.” 2) During the helicopter scene, both towers of the World Trade Center are shown under construction. 3) Absurdly, the film’s title was changed on its initial British release to “How To Steal A Diamond In Four Uneasy Lessons”, on the grounds that people might think it was a rock-music concert film like “Woodstock”. This was much disparaged at the time by journalists and members of the public, and the film has reverted to its slicker original American title for all its British TV showings and for its video and DVD releases in the UK.

Frances Blau