Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry begins with NASCAR driver, Larry (Peter Fonda) and his mechanic, Deke (Adam Roarke) planning on robbing a grocery store manager (Roddy McDowall in an unaccredited role) via a hostage situation involving his wife and daughter so they can finance their careers in the auto industry. The morning before the job, Larry quietly leaves his motel room and his one night stand, Mary (Susan George) still sleeping in the bed. The two men complete the job successfully and are about to make their getaway when they are confronted by Mary who wants to tag along or she will turn them in. The two men reluctantly agree and they drive off as the Sheriff (Vic Morrow) begins hunting them. The trio change cars and evade the police successfully until the sheriff begins pursuit in a helicopter.
Naturally, I hate to ruin films for those who haven't seem them so this is as much as I will say regarding the simple plot which leaves more room to focus on the characters and the chase scenes. For me, what makes this film great is its spirit. It doesn't take itself too seriously and for the few moments that it does, the following scene is a funny one or an exciting chase sequence. I will say that the ending of Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry is one of the best emotionally driven and overall best endings ever committed to film. When the tires have cooled off, the characters and the actors playing them are what contributes to the film's great spirit and for me personally, are what makes the film more enjoyable.
Peter Fonda is the guy you can identify with the most because besides from the robbery business which he is just dabbling in, he is your classic everyman who just wants a shot at doing what he's best at: Driving (and being a smart ass in a way that Fonda seems to be enjoying in this role). The chemistry between Larry and Deke is fantastic: You can tell that they are good friends by the way they talk to each other and once Mary comes into the mix, there is a slight undertone of tension due to Deke's dislike of Mary and Larry's playfulness towards her. The characters of Larry and Mary themselves bounce off of each other thanks to their snappy and witty dialogue. They bicker at each other like brother and sister or a couple who have been together for a long time while "Honeymoon Stage" is still in effect. Susan George does a wonderful job of playing Mary, the troubled girl who is just looking for fun. She pushes Larry's buttons with great precision that you just want to see more of the two of them in other situations in life. The late Vic Morrow is spectacular as the sheriff chasing the trio and he plays his part so well that you would think that he may have even been in law enforcement at one time in his life.
The chase scenes are done with real old school stunt driving and look great due to their realism. Movies like Drive Angry may have the eccentric flash and CGI to make them more appealing to today's audiences, but this movie was done with real drivers, performing real dangerous and exciting maneuvers and to me, that is more exciting than a bunch of things flying at the screen in under three seconds time. While the pacing of the car chases may seem slower than today's standards, they are still exciting to watch and even more exciting because you since you care about the characters in that car from early on in the film, you care more about them even more when they are in peril.
If you're looking for a fun, no brainer film with good car chases and likeable characters who you would want to hang out with after the film is over, check out Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry! It is being re-released on April 12 from Shout! Factory as a double feature with another great Peter Fonda flick, Race With the Devil.
5 Dodge Chargers (Out of 5)
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