1973
Four armed men, led by Blue, hijack a New York City subway train, taking passengers hostage and demanding a one million dollar ransom from the city within an hour. Lieutenant Sol Garber negotiates with Blue as the Mayor reluctantly agrees to pay, especially after the hijackers kill a conductor to escalate their demands. After receiving the ransom, the hijackers escape through a hidden tunnel exit, leaving the train rigged to continue moving. Garber deduces Blue is a former motorman named Robert G. Berry, tracks him down, and kills him, recovering the money and ending the crisis.
Save the Cat beat sheet
A hijacking on the Pelham subway sets off a tense cat-and-mouse between clever criminals and city authorities.
Open full beat sheetBlue is listed as Hijacker Leader. Thick white hair, bushy white mustache, dark glasses, slouch hat, raincoat. In the parsed data, Blue is connected to 22 scenes, 31 dialogue lines, 31 text mentions, first appearing around scene 7.
22 scenes / 31 dialogue linesClive Prescott is listed as Transit Police Lieutenant. Black plainclothes lieutenant. In the parsed data, Clive Prescott is connected to 19 scenes, 15 dialogue lines, 15 text mentions, first appearing around scene 22.
19 scenes / 15 dialogue linesGreen is listed as Hijacker. Thick white hair, bushy white mustache, dark glasses, slouch hat, raincoat. In the parsed data, Green is connected to 14 scenes, 16 dialogue lines, 16 text mentions, first appearing around scene 36.
14 scenes / 16 dialogue linesSol Garber is listed as Operations Lieutenant. Stocky, dour, dark stubble. In the parsed data, Sol Garber is connected to 12 scenes, 6 dialogue lines, 6 text mentions, first appearing around scene 35.
12 scenes / 6 dialogue linesBrown is listed as Hijacker. Thick white hair, bushy white mustache, dark glasses, slouch hat, raincoat. In the parsed data, Brown is connected to 10 scenes, first appearing around scene 6.
10 scenes / 0 dialogue linesFrank Correll is listed as Trainmaster. Command Center trainmaster. In the parsed data, Frank Correll is connected to 9 scenes, 5 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 13.
9 scenes / 5 dialogue linesCaz Dolowicz is listed as Supervising Towerman. Overweight man in his fifties. In the parsed data, Caz Dolowicz is connected to 8 scenes, 5 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
8 scenes / 5 dialogue linesGrey is listed as Hijacker. Thick white hair, bushy white mustache, dark glasses, slouch hat, raincoat. In the parsed data, Grey is connected to 8 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 27.
8 scenes / 2 dialogue linesRobert G. Berry is listed as Undercover Police Officer. Shoulder-length blond hair, beard, Navajo-patterned poncho. In the parsed data, Robert G. Berry is connected to 7 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 25.
7 scenes / 7 dialogue linesMayor is listed as Mayor of New York. Short, swarthy, roly-poly, suffering from the flu. In the parsed data, Mayor is connected to 6 scenes, 19 dialogue lines, 21 text mentions, first appearing around scene 35.
6 scenes / 19 dialogue linesWarren LaSalle is listed as Deputy Mayor. Tall, lean, no-nonsense executive, blond hair, mustache. In the parsed data, Warren LaSalle is connected to 6 scenes, 17 dialogue lines, 17 text mentions, first appearing around scene 31.
6 scenes / 17 dialogue linesDenny Doyle is listed as Motorman. Middle-aged, ruddy face, wears pin-striped overalls. In the parsed data, Denny Doyle is connected to 5 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.
5 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMatson is listed as Conductor. Older conductor of retirement age. In the parsed data, Matson is connected to 4 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
4 scenes / 3 dialogue linesBud Carmody is listed as Conductor. Young, boyish face, long curly red hair. In the parsed data, Bud Carmody is connected to 4 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
4 scenes / 2 dialogue linesGreen, a hijacker, arrives at the subway station.
GreenGreen buys a token and enters the subway platform.
GreenGreen waits for the train and boards.
GreenBud Carmody is trained by Matson on conductor duties.
Bud Carmody, MatsonGrey boards the train at 51st Street.
Grey, Bud CarmodyMatson exits the train and Brown boards.
Brown, MatsonBlue boards the train and hijacks the motorman.
Blue, Denny DoyleCaz and the staff notice the train acting strangely on the board.
Caz DolowiczThe subway car begins to move forward.
Towermen observe the train moving on the model board.
Caz Dolowicz, MatsonThe hijackers reveal themselves to the passengers.
Blue, Brown, GreyThe train stops again.
Caz reacts to the train stopping and speaks with Correll.
Caz Dolowicz, Matson, Frank CorrellBlue organizes the passengers and sends the motorman away.
Blue, Denny Doyle, GreenEstablishing shot of the headquarters.
Prescott meets with Japanese subway directors.
Clive PrescottPrescott gives a tour of the operations room to the Japanese directors.
Clive Prescott, Sol GarberCaz arrives at the subway entrance.
Caz DolowiczCaz questions the motorman.
Caz DolowiczCaz encounters the passengers being led by Doyle.
Caz Dolowicz, Denny DoyleBlue and Green discuss their plan.
Blue, GreenCorrell receives the hijackers' demands.
Frank Correll, Clive PrescottPrescott takes over the negotiation with the hijackers while Correll complains about the situation.
Clive Prescott, Frank CorrellGarber coordinates with Prescott and orders a patrolman to the 28th St platform.
Sol Garber, Clive PrescottPatrolman James manages the crowd and receives orders from Garber.
Robert G. Berry, Sol GarberCaz confronts Doyle and then heads down the track to investigate.
Caz Dolowicz, Denny DoyleCaz is shot and killed by Grey.
Caz Dolowicz, Grey, Robert G. BerryBlue takes control of the car after the shooting.
Blue, Grey, BrownJames reports the death of the supervisor to Garber.
Robert G. Berry, Sol GarberPrescott learns of Caz's death and receives instructions from Costello.
Clive Prescott, Frank CorrellThe Mayor is informed of the hijacking by Warren.
Mayor, Warren LaSallePrescott negotiates for more time with the hijackers.
Clive Prescott, Frank Correll, BlueBlue frisks a passenger he suspects is a cop.
Blue, GreenOfficials arrive at the Mayor's residence.
Mayor, Warren LaSalleThe Mayor, Warren, and Jessie discuss the ransom payment. The Mayor's advisors arrive and debate the decision, eventually leading the Mayor to agree to pay.
Mayor, Warren LaSalle, Sol Garber, Clive Prescott, Frank CorrellBlue and Green discuss the ransom and their pasts while waiting for the money.
Blue, GreenWarren calls the Bank Chairman to arrange the ransom money.
Warren LaSalleThe Bank Chairman receives the call from Warren.
The Commissioner's limousine heads downtown.
Clive PrescottDaniels receives orders to inform the hijackers that the ransom will be paid.
Denny DoylePrescott informs the hijackers that the city will pay.
Clive Prescott, BlueBlue informs the passengers that the city has agreed to pay the ransom.
Blue, Grey, BrownThe Federal Reserve Bank is shown.
The President of the Federal Reserve arranges the ransom money.
TV interviews with the crowd gathered at the scene.
The President moves through the bank to the counting area.
Patrolman James waits in the tunnel.
Sol GarberBank employees count the ransom money.
Warren convinces the Mayor to go downtown.
Mayor, Warren LaSalleCorrell and Prescott monitor the situation.
Frank Correll, Clive Prescott, Sol GarberPrescott tries to negotiate more time for the ransom delivery while managing train traffic.
Clive Prescott, Frank Correll, Sol GarberA clerk assembles the ransom money.
Blue and Green discuss the deadline and the possibility of killing a hostage.
Green, BlueWentworth and Ricci transport the money while dealing with traffic and pressure.
Robert G. BerryPrescott negotiates a final deadline extension.
Clive Prescott, Sol GarberPolice officers attempt to deliver the money, leading to a shootout.
Green, Blue, Grey, BrownBlue selects the conductor, Bud, to assist with the hijackers' plan.
Blue, Bud Carmody, BrownBud is shot by Brown while walking toward the money deliverers.
Brown, Bud Carmody, Robert G. BerryPrescott and Garber discuss the shooting of the hostage.
Clive Prescott, Sol GarberBlue confirms the shooting and demands the money.
Blue, Clive PrescottMiskowsky and O'Keefe deliver the money to the train.
Robert G. BerryThe hijackers load the money into their vests.
Green, Blue, Grey, BrownBlue issues new instructions to Prescott.
Blue, Clive Prescott, Frank Correll, Sol Garber, MayorPower is restored and the train begins to move.
Green, Blue, Grey, BrownBlue and Green prepare a pipe gimmick to control the train.
Green, BlueGreen exits the cab to install the gimmick in the tunnel.
Green, Blue, BrownThe hijackers prepare to leave the train.
Green, BlueDaniels and Prescott discuss the situation.
Clive Prescott, Sol GarberThe Mayor, Commissioner, Warren LaSalle, and a Doctor visit the recovering Hippie in the hospital to congratulate him on his valor.
Mayor, Warren LaSalle, Robert G. BerryPrescott leaves the Transit Authority building alone.
Clive PrescottPrescott buys a newspaper and practices a basketball move on the street.
Clive PrescottJust what you'd expect -- the Times will support you on purely humanitarian grounds -- the News'll knock you for coddling criminals -- and the Post will take both sides at the same time. As for public opinion -- you'll carry Manhattan, lose Queens and Staten Island, and split down the middle in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The rich'll support you -- likewise the blacks -- the Puerto Ricans won't give a shit. So how about it, Nate? -- quit stalling.
Transit inspectors -- undercover men. They got wind of a gang passing dope -- you know, transporting it from downtown to uptown, giving it to a motorman, and then someone picking it up in Harlem. The Beakies tried to pin it on me, but they never had any evidence..
We are holding sixteen passengers and the Conductor hostage in the first car and we will not hesitate to kill any or all of them if you do not do precisely as we say. Do I make myself clear, Trainmaster?
Sol -- plug everything you've got into the I.R.T. Trainmaster's circuit, will you? -- an all-unit stand-by, on the d-)uble. And call in the city cops -- put it on a 9-11 so their computer gets it.
I'm checking the passengers getting on and off -- front and back -- okay, it's all clear -- I'm shutting the doors; -- rear section FIRST -- then the front section -- and -- the doors are closed.
Thanks for coming up on short notice, fellas -- you all know Jessie, don't you? The Police Commissioner -- the Controller -- the Chairman of the Transit Authority -- ?
Well -- we're fully mobilized -- I can go down there any time you say with enough firepower to wipe out an army -- but I can't guarantee the safety of the hostages.
The hostages. Yeah. At first I thought to myself, "Five of 'em are spades -- who's gonna pay anything for spades?" But they don't know who we've got, do they?
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