Summary
Life often imitates art.
The all but forgottenneo-noir thriller,The Friends of Eddie Coyle, is an often overlooked ’70s masterpiece.
What Is ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ About?
An aging hood is about to go back to prison. Hoping to escape his fate, he supplies information on stolen guns to the feds, while simultaneously supplying arms to his bank robbing chums.
In 2009, the robberies would go on to share a striking similarity to an actual real-life robbery.
It’s Mitchum’s magnum opus in a career that was born in noir.
Part of what makes the film work is Mitchum’s commitment to playing a real Bostonian and wise guy.
‘It wasnt really my scene, but Mitchum loved that.’
This 1933 movie showed how the American culture war led to the Hays Code.
It’s claustrophobic, intense, and is a small-scale movie about big-time crimes.
The final scene is shot outside Boston City Hall, which would appear in many future gangster films.
The Friends of Eddie Coyleis available to stream on Kanopy in the U.S.
WATCH ON KANOPY
Image via Paramount Pictures
