The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

[Moorman]

This film surprised me. I'm a big Robert Mitchum fan so I knew he was gonna be good.  The plot itself surprised me.  I knew this was gonna be gangster film but I didn't expect the "heist" element to be there.  It strengthened the plot and made it great.  The plot is simple,  Eddie Coyle is in trouble. He is facing time in New Hampshire for a truck hijacking he committed for a associate named Dillon ( Peter Boyle).   Mitchum not wanting to leave his family to struggle in his absence approaches ATF agent Dave Foley ( Richard Jordan) about making a deal to tip him off with information in exchange for help with the New Hampshire situation.  To avoid spoilers I will leave it there. Steven Keats as Jackie Brown was great as a gun supplier.  Peter Boyle was creepy.  Richard Jordan was slimy.   Its a great film.  The only thing that kept it from a higher ranking to me was the television style music score.  ( I was told later that tv actually copied their style from this film.) Whatever, I hate it.  As is I give the film a solid 8 out of 10...

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed B]

Great movie. In scene 1:11:56 it shows a white caddy convertible license plate Mass N520. That’s the same license plate that was on the MG TC in love story. I wonder who the plate belonged to at the time? Maybe the author George V Higgins

[jamesjazzguitar]

6 hours ago, Ed B said:

Great movie. In scene 1:11:56 it shows a white caddy convertible license plate Mass N520. That’s the same license plate that was on the MG TC in love story. I wonder who the plate belonged to at the time? Maybe the author George V Higgins

Wow you have one keen eye for detail!        Both films were made by Paramount but that is the only connection I could find between them.  

I assume these are studio-owned plates.      Maybe you will spot this again in another Paramount film.