Anderson Tapes, The (1971)

reviewed by
Brian Koller


The Anderson Tapes (1971)
Grade: 71

"The Anderson Tapes" is part comedy, part crime drama, easily and effectively shifting gears. Sean Connery is John Anderson, a safecracker who has spent the past ten years in prison. Once freed, he returns to his former girlfriend Ingrid (Dyan Cannon), staying at her apartment. They are so glad to see each other that they make love at every opportunity.

He also returns to his old ways, planning a major heist of the apartment complex. He forms a team, mostly of old buddies from prison. Crooked antiques dealer Tommy Haskins (Martin Balsam) is needed to appraise and fence the goods. Balsam plays an outrageous homosexual. Normally, my reaction to such a stereotype is stereotypical in itself, but Balsam clearly relishes the role, and is so funny at it that all is forgiven. He has the best line of the film, directed at Connery: "Meet anybody interesting... in your cell?"

"The Anderson Tapes" is Christoper Walken's first feature film. He is Connery's protege, also a safecracker.

Connery also solicits mob money from Alan King. King also sends middle-aged goon Socks (Val Avery) with the stipulation that Socks must be killed in the robbery. Connery is shook up by this, and we learn that he abhors violence.

Wherever Connery goes, he is being recorded. Even at the bus stop out of prison. All the ex-cons he visits are also being bugged or videotaped, all by different government agencies with different motives. None of them seem to care that Connery is planning a robbery, however, since that is not their area. One agency only cares about narcotics, another only about political activists, etc.

The apartment building robbery goes well at first. Dressed as Mayflower movers, they move from room to room stealing goodies. Connery struggles to keep Socks from beating the tenants, but he needs him to force their cooperation. Connery is eventually tricked by a clever crippled teenager who reports the crime with a ham radio, leading to a swarm of police waiting outside the building. There is an inevitable confrontation, with some spectacular car crashes.

The soundtrack is by Quincy Jones. It is full of nifty jazz numbers, plus occasional bleeping and buzzing related to Connery's various encounters with cameras.

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