Connection with the previous post (A BRIDGE TOO FAR): William Goldman wrote both screenplays and Robert Redford starred in THE HOT ROCK and appeared in ABTF.
Moses Gunn as Dr. Amusa, Robert Redford as Dortmunder, and George Segal as Kelp
Trivia (From IMDB):
Composer Quincy Jones was so impressed by the performance of his musicians for the soundtrack of the film, that he requested to Twentieth Century-Fox and the producers of the film to give them on screen credit during the end credits of the film. The featured performers given credit on screen were (among others): Gerry Mulligan, Grady Tate, Jerome Richardson, Frank Rosolino, Clark Terry and The Don Elliott Voices, who were all popular jazz musicians at the time.
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."
During the helicopter scene, both towers of the World Trade Center are shown under construction.
In the Dortmunder novels by Donald E. Westlake, Kelp always steals cars owned by medical doctors. In the movie, the license plates of the stolen cars have the letters "MD" as part of the plate number. (Kelp's reason is that doctors have expensive tastes, and their cars are usually loaded with the best options - leather seats, stereo, etc..)
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.
The weapon they are carrying during the helicopter ride to and the assault on the Police Precinct is the Swedish 9mm SMG m/45. Developed during WWII. Still in use within the Swedish Armed Forces (nowdays in a very small number). Once used by American Special Forces because of its simplicity and reliability. Also manufactured in Egypt on license.
When this was first shown on Britain's ITV in the Autumn of 1976, it went under its original title, "The Hot Rock'. After getting a UK cinema release under the title" How to Steal a Diamond in 4 Uneasy Lessons ", TV viewers thought they were getting a brand new Robert Redford movie, and there was great consternation when they realised it was the same movie.
RATINGS: IMDB ―6.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes ― 63%, ME ― 68%
Dr. Amusa: I won't pay a penny more than $25,000 a man.
Dortmunder: I didn't ask for any more.
Dr. Amusa: It comes to a total of exactly $100,000. Four men. If you need five, you'll each take less.
Kelp: What if we can do it with three?
Dr. Amusa: That will still be $25,000. I wouldn't want to encourage greed.
Kelp: There's no greed around here, Doctor. We're all men of goodwill.
Dr. Amusa: If I weren't a man of goodwill, I might think that some of us lied about the prison records of others of us. As it is, I know it was only an oversight.
Trivia (From IMDB):
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."
During the helicopter scene, both towers of the World Trade Center are shown under construction.
In the Dortmunder novels by Donald E. Westlake, Kelp always steals cars owned by medical doctors. In the movie, the license plates of the stolen cars have the letters "MD" as part of the plate number. (Kelp's reason is that doctors have expensive tastes, and their cars are usually loaded with the best options - leather seats, stereo, etc..)
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.
The weapon they are carrying during the helicopter ride to and the assault on the Police Precinct is the Swedish 9mm SMG m/45. Developed during WWII. Still in use within the Swedish Armed Forces (nowdays in a very small number). Once used by American Special Forces because of its simplicity and reliability. Also manufactured in Egypt on license.
When this was first shown on Britain's ITV in the Autumn of 1976, it went under its original title, "The Hot Rock'. After getting a UK cinema release under the title" How to Steal a Diamond in 4 Uneasy Lessons ", TV viewers thought they were getting a brand new Robert Redford movie, and there was great consternation when they realised it was the same movie.
Adam Holender was originally scheduled as the film's cinematographer, but creative differences with Peter Yates saw him replaced by camera operator Edward R. Brown just before the start of filming.
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