The Driver
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Walter Hill |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Crime thriller film |
The Driver is a 1978 American crime thriller film both penned and helmed by Walter Hill, featuring performances by Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, and Isabelle Adjani. The storyline follows a highly skilled getaway driver who becomes the target of a detective aiming to capture him by offering clemency to criminals willing to assist in a trap.
Distributed by 20th Century Fox on July 28, 1978, the production had a budget of $4 million and earned $4.9 million at the domestic box office, falling short of expectations in the United States but performing better overseas. It attracted over one million moviegoers in France and generated substantial revenue in the United Kingdom. While initial critical reception was mixed, The Driver has since developed a devoted fan base and undergone positive critical reassessment. Notable filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Edgar Wright have cited the film as an influence on their cinematic style.
Plot
In Los Angeles, The Driver specializes in stealing vehicles used for getaway purposes during robberies. Renowned for his exceptional driving skills and high rates, he is well known among criminals and relentlessly pursued by The Detective, who refers to him as "Cowboy."
During a casino heist, The Player spots The Driver. Although The Detective pressures her to identify him, she refuses. When threatened by The Detective, The Driver visits her residence.
The Detective orchestrates an unauthorized sting operation, proposing a deal to three criminals—Glasses, Teeth, and Fingers: they must hire The Driver for a bank robbery and then hand him over to law enforcement in exchange for their freedom. They reach out to The Connection, who fences The Driver’s stolen goods. Initially declining due to his aversion to firearms, The Driver showcases his driving abilities by wrecking their vehicle and refuses to collaborate. Later, Teeth confronts him with a gun; The Driver disarms and subdues him.
Although wary of being set up, The Driver agrees to participate if his payment doubles and Teeth is excluded from the plan. During the robbery, Glasses kills Fingers and escapes with The Driver but intends to eliminate him for the loot. Instead, The Driver kills Glasses, conceals the money in a locker at Union Station, launders it through The Connection, and enlists The Player’s help to retrieve it once cleaned. Teeth discovers Glasses’ body, interrogates The Connection at gunpoint, and kills her after learning about The Driver’s strategy.
At the train station, The Exchange Man secures the laundered money in a locker before boarding a train with the unclean cash but is killed during a shootout with The Detective. Teeth steals the locker key from The Player; he and his driver, The Kid, are pursued by The Driver and The Player. In a warehouse showdown, The Driver forces Teeth’s car to overturn and kills him when he refuses to surrender. Afterwards, The Kid returns the purse and departs.
Returning to the station, The Driver finds the locker empty—the Exchange Man having taken the money. As police arrive on scene, The Player leaves; meanwhile, The Driver leaves The Detective holding an empty bag as everyone disperses.
Cast
- Ryan O'Neal as The Driver
- Bruce Dern as The Detective
- Isabelle Adjani as The Player
- Ronee Blakley as The Connection
- Matt Clark as Red Plainclothesman
- Felice Orlandi as Gold Plainclothesman
- Joseph Walsh as Glasses
- Rudy Ramos as Teeth
- Denny Macko as Exchange Man
- Frank Bruno as The Kid
- Will Walker as Fingers
- Sandy Brown Wyeth as Split
- Tara King as Frizzy
- Richard Carey as Floorman
- Fidel Corona as Card Player
- Victor Gilmour as Boardman
- Nick Dimitri as Blue Mask
- Bob Minor as Green Mask
Development
The Driver represents the second feature that Walter Hill both wrote and directed, following his 1975 film Hard Times, which starred Charles Bronson. The concept originated from producer Larry Gordon, who proposed a story centered on a getaway driver. This suggestion motivated Hill to craft the screenplay during the summer of 1975, amid delays in the release of Hard Times.
Hill's objective was to create a "pure" genre piece characterized by a streamlined and concise script, designed to captivate readers more deeply. He recognized that this approach entailed a gamble by deliberately steering clear of typical Hollywood conventions. Notably, director Raoul Walsh gave his approval to Hill’s initial draft.
Pre-production
During the late 1970s, Britain's EMI Films, under the leadership of Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings, co-funded American productions aimed at global audiences, with The Driver among these ventures. Securing appropriate financing depended largely on attaching a major star to the project.
The lead role was originally envisioned for Steve McQueen, who declined, unwilling to headline another film focused on cars. Although Charles Bronson was considered, he ultimately refused due to creative differences with Hill. The role then went to Ryan O'Neal, known mainly for his work in comedy and romantic genres, which facilitated the film’s funding. O'Neal commended Hill for his rapid and efficient directing methods.
For the female lead, multiple actresses were evaluated before selecting Isabelle Adjani, marking her debut in Hollywood. Adjani appreciated Hill’s minimalist and stylized direction and likened her character dynamic to classic screen duos such as Bogart and Bacall, emphasizing a poker-faced enigma that complemented the film’s atmosphere.
The studio proposed Robert Mitchum for the Detective role; however, he declined, prompting Hill to cast Bruce Dern. Dern’s personality provided a counterbalance to the Driver’s stoic demeanor and fulfilled audience expectations for engaging dialogue interplay.
Filming
Several car chase scenes were crafted through collaboration between Hill and stunt coordinator Everett Creach. Hill regarded the initial chase sequence as somewhat unsuccessful due to complications from an on-set accident, resulting in a somewhat improvised final product. In contrast, he considered the garage scene involving the Mercedes 250 S and the concluding chase as fully realized within his creative capacity. A distinctive feature of Hill’s approach was filming chase sequences at night—a relatively rare choice at that time—while dramatic scenes were shot during daylight hours. He found night shoots particularly taxing, which influenced his overall decision-making during production.
Hill cited painter Edward Hopper as a significant visual influence and drew upon his prior experience as second assistant director on Bullitt (1968), especially its extensive use of in-car camera work, which he emulated in The Driver. Filming concluded in April 1978.
Critical
At release, critical response was predominantly negative. Hill recalled receiving numerous unfavorable reviews from the studio, with only one being positive.
Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times dismissed it as "ultraviolent trash" and an inferior gangster film imitation. Vincent Canby from the New York Times described it as "Awful," "Pretentious," and "Silly." Meanwhile, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it 2.5 out of 4 stars, acknowledging that while strong chase sequences elevated the film, many characters felt symbolic and unrealistic. Variety labeled it a "bleak wreck" with an affected tone but commended its spectacular car chases.
In contrast, Duncan Shepherd of the San Diego Reader gave it a five-star rating, recommending it especially to aficionados of film noir, viewing it as a coded message for genre connoisseurs.
As of , the film maintains a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 29 reviews. The consensus praises its gritty style, sound design, and thrilling car chases.
Box office
While the film underperformed commercially in the United States, it found greater success in international markets. Hill mentioned that its performance was "reasonable" primarily in Japan.
Debuting across 642 theaters in the US, it earned approximately $2 million during its opening weekend. In France, the movie attracted 1,102,183 viewers, placing it as the 33rd highest-grossing film of that year.
Producer Larry Gordon speculated that featuring a more prominent star such as Clint Eastwood or Steve McQueen might have enhanced its reception domestically, as the film was perceived more as an art house piece rather than a conventional action thriller. He conceded that modifying the script to suit Ryan O'Neal's role was a directorial decision but felt that casting differently could have broadened its appeal.
Isabelle Adjani later expressed that the film negatively impacted her career, restricting her American opportunities to less desirable roles despite her earlier critical success. Walter Hill recalled that although the film was well-received abroad, its failure to earn revenue in the US almost ended his career. He commended Ryan O'Neal’s portrayal as his finest work and lamented the lack of recognition it received.
EMI Films had intentions to collaborate again with Hill on a Western project titled The Last Gun, but this endeavor never came to fruition.
Legacy
Over time, the film has gained cult status and is frequently showcased as the opening selection in retrospectives dedicated to Hill’s oeuvre.
The 1999 video game Driver by Reflections Interactive draws thematic elements from this movie; notably, Driver: Parallel Lines is also set initially in 1978, coinciding with the film’s release year.
Quentin Tarantino’s films Pulp Fiction (1994) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) contain nods to this movie: the memorable scene of Vincent Vega skidding with Mia Wallace after an overdose in Pulp Fiction parallels the opening chase sequence of The Driver; similarly, Beatrix Kiddo’s description as "the cowgirl [who] ain't never been caught" mirrors Ryan O'Neal’s character being "the cowboy who could not be caught." Tarantino has referred to The Driver as one of cinema’s "coolest movies of all time."
The film also served as an influence for Drive (2011), directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Hill expressed appreciation for Refn’s tribute and praised his directorial skill.
Similarly, Baby Driver (2017), helmed by Edgar Wright, drew inspiration from The Driver. Wright acknowledged its clear impact on video games and noted how its style resonates with works by Michael Mann, James Cameron, Tarantino, Refn, and himself.
Unproduced remake
In 1996, 20th Century Fox initiated development on a remake intended to be directed by Luc Besson, known at the time for successes like La Femme Nikita and Leon: The Professional. Besson collaborated with screenwriter John Pogue, but ultimately the project was never realized.
External links
- Copy of screenplay and analysis at Cinephilia Beyond