punishmentpark I'm not used to seeing Robert Duvall playing lead as bad-ass gangster, but there it is. He (unsurprisingly) does a fine job of molding his character into a tough, mostly upbeat-in-spite-of-bad-circumstances, guy. Mostly, because when he goes slapping his girl around, things get awkward really fast. Back then in the early seventies, it must have been explained away as an action to "settle the chick down" but leading roles wouldn't get away with that nowadays. The 'chick', by the way, is none other than the fantastic Karen Black. The other big supporting role is played terrifically by Joe Don Baker, playing an unusually nice guy (still a gangster, though) compared to what I'm used to.The film is pretty fast-paced and straightforward, with a plot that is built on blind vengeance and acquiring big money fast from a big organization which killed the leading man's brother. There are hardly any big surprises plot-wise, but it stays more than interesting enough, and the finale ís surprisingly happy, almost like a caper. Good enough for me, though.A good 8 out of 10.

Mr-Fusion They may have changed his name to Macklin, but he's Parker all the way (Parker of Donald Westlake's crime novels). And Robert Duvall plays him as a real son-of-a-"b"; cold as ice, calculating and wielding the massive cojones to go against the mob for revenge. He's like a shark, unwavering in his determination. He's not the face I conjure for this character, but hell if he doesn't pull it off. Overall, THE OUTFIT is a rock-solid crime movie. Love the bass groove score, the gorgeous Joanna Cassidy, and the presence of Joe Don Baker, who makes an ace wingman. He's twice offered a pass on Parker's scheme, but he still stays with the plan. I really like him in this movie. And what really surprised me is the smile on my face as the end credits rolled. It's not every day (ever) you see that kind of ending on such a hard-boiled tough bastard movie. 8/10

MartinHafer The movie starts with a contract killing. Why this occurred is as of yet unknown. Then the movie switches to a guy getting out of prison (Robert Duvall). You soon learn that the murdered man was his brother and the two unknowingly got on the wrong side of organized crime when they pulled a bank robbery years earlier--and the bank turned out to be owned by mob! Now that he's out on the streets, the plan is to kill him next. However, Duvall has a crazy idea--instead of running, he and his friend (Joe Don Baker) will go on the offensive! It's them against the whole freaking mob! Naturally, they ruffle a few feathers along the way!! Can these two maniacs get away with it? It's a bit surreal watching this film, as Robert Duvall doesn't exactly look like the action hero (or anti-hero) type. But I think that makes the film more exciting--seeing a bald middle-aged man behaving this way. While not a great film, it is better than it could have been thanks to decent direction and performances. So is it a must-see? No. But it's better than just a simple time-passer--and well worth a look if you like crime films or just want to see Duvall and Baker kick come butt! By the way, fans of Robert Ryan (like myself) take note--he is in this film and plays a real unlikeable old jerk. I liked this--nothing particularly redeeming about this elderly man--old and mean through and through. No one could play nasty quite like Ryan!

thinker1691 Upon reading the popular novel " The Outfit " by Don Westlake, one can well imagine how a movie of the same name would look like. That book later became the foundation for a movie directed by John Flynn. With a cast which includes Robert Duvall and Joe Don Baker, the film is a great adaptation of the novel, so much so it's made for several remakes. The last one was with Mel Gibson and 'Payback.' Duvall plays Macklin one of two brothers who unwittingly rob a small town bank belonging to the Mob or Outfit. He goes to prison for 2 years, while the outfit presided by Mr. Mailer (Robert Ryan) kills Duvall's brother. Released from prison, Macklin vows revenge and is though insane for thinking he can go up against the outfit and win. However, the movie is interesting to watch as each dramatic scene develops into a more intense and exciting story. A fine supporting cast helps to insure it's success. Members included Richard Jaeckel, Elisha Cook Jr., Roy Jenson, Henry Jones and Karen Black. This is one of those movies which mirrors the novel and improves with age. Easilly recommended for Duvall and Baker fans as the two make for a rough and tumble team. ****