100 years ago, on this date, Joseph Sargent was born in New Jersey.  Sargent would go on to become one of the busiest directors of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, working in both film and television.  Though he would never receive the type of critical attention as some of his contemporaries, Sargent was a skilled director who specialized in making entertaining, no-nonsense films.  Though his reputation was tarnished a bit by the fourth Jaws film, it should be remembered that Sargent was also responsible for films like Colossus: The Forbin Project, Tribes, Nightmares, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

1974’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three has come to be recognized as a genre classic.  It’s certainly one of my favorite films about how New Yorkers will be rude to anyone in any circumstances.  You can see an example of this in today’s scene that I love.  Having hijacked a train, Robert Shaw calls in his last of demands and gets a very New York response.