The Outfit

Author Donald E. Westlake was a crime-fiction superstar long before the “airport lounge” era of contemporary giants like James Patterson and Lee Child. Far from disposable entertainment, Westlake’s books (especially those written under his nom de plume Richard Stark) had a flair for criminal camaraderie and the rare ability to make readers feel like they were in on the job. His signature character, Parker, has been brought to the screen no less than seven times, but 1973’s The Outfit comes closest to capturing the hard, no-nonsense spirit of the books.

Fresh out of a short prison stretch, Macklin (Robert Duvall) is fingered for a hit by the crime syndicate who owned the bank he robbed two years prior. Successfully avoiding the best efforts of top boss Mailer (Robert Ryan) to put him underground, Macklin proposes a deal: 250K and everything is forgotten. But one double-cross and several botched assassination attempts later, Macklin takes on the entire outfit to even the scales once and for all.

Rechristened “Macklin” for the film, Robert Duvall is an unlikely, but perfect choice to embody the role of Parker, a scrappy independent who’s always one step ahead of the competition. Whether it’s smacking sense into his arm candy (Karen Black), roughing up a few bodyguards or calmly declaring “I don’t talk to guys in aprons,” while waiting to meet the boss, Duvall’s soft-spoken delivery carries a genuine undercurrent of menace. Even future MST3K punchline Joe Don Baker is used to terrific effect as Macklin’s right-hand gunman.

The film itself doesn’t bother with exercises in self-absorbed style like John Boorman’s noir-experiment Point Blank. Director John Flynn strips away all the era’s cinematic pretensions, focusing on the mechanics of survival, honor, loyalty and revenge. The Outfit is just as simplistically satisfying a one of Westlake’s novels, letting the audience vicariously walk in the shoes of a guy who never seems to take a wrong step.

Somebody at Arrow has remarkably good taste for choosing this one for a new special edition Blu-ray. The new restoration retains that signature ‘70s look that doesn’t compromise artistic intentions for hi-def quality. And the extras are all top-notch too, including several featurettes highlighting Westlake’s work and the film in general, along with a new commentary track and archival sit-down with fellow filmmaker Walter Hill. There’s also a slightly truncated alternate ending along with trailers, still and a collector’s booklet.

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