In the style of faux-documentary which would be used with varying success all over cinema, Woody Allen's 1969 film, arguably his first true directorial feature chronicles the life of Virgil Starkwell, the always struggling inept thief. Virgil's incompetence plays out on the screen through complete hilarity. Woody Allen's grasp of comedy was evident in his earliest features proving the talent of the iconic director. I have endured the early features of many directors and rarely are they as good as Allen's Take the Money and Run. I have even grown used to the notion of knowing I'll have to slog through many subpar films before getting to the gems of my favorite directors, with Allen, though, no such notion exists. As we follow Virgil, played by Woody Allen, through his attempt at a music career and his obsession with bank robberies, we see the quick- witted dialogue and brilliant comedic gags now synonymous with Allen's work. Don't skip Take the Money and Run, there is enough essential Woody Allen contained in this early gem to last a lifetime.

Take the Money and RunThis was my favorite Woody when I was a young fella. I guess the rapid succession of quick little gags appealed to me. Now I'm less amused by it (perhaps partly due to overexposure) but there are some great bits. The whole "gub" thing is really inspired, and the chain gang scene, and some of the small throwaway jokes like the "disguises" Virgil's parents wear. Others fall kinda flat, but there's nothing truly awful in the entire movie. Although not one of the greats, it's generally a fun time.Rating: 7/10

Woody Allen's first Imovie is a slapstick comedy with a brilliant series of gags about a failed cello player who takes up a life of crime. Virgil Starkwell is being hunted by the FBI and the movie is a newsreel account consisting of side-splitting skits: Virgil escaping from prison using a bar of soap; trying to rob a bank as tellers argue over the meaning of his notes; chain gangs on the loose as everyone overlooks the obvious clanging of the chains. The clichés are endless and exaggerated to the point of hysteria. Interviews with his parents (in Groucho Marx disguises) are part of the narrative. We can see the style of humor that at the time was reminiscent of Mel Brooks. Interesting to compare these with his mature movies such as those set in Manhattan in the 1980's and later on, Crimes and Misdeameanors and Manhattan Murder Mystery, where the word play and script were dominant. Yet the early Woody Allen was a budding genius and very funny.

A brilliant mock-documentary on the life of a criminal - played by Allen - with some of the funniest lines and sight gags I've ever seen in a film. It's important to remember that 'mockumentaries' weren't common when Allen made this, and it was actually seen as quite experimental in it's own crazy, low budget way.This isn't the deep, brilliant film-maker of 'Annie Hall', etc, but an amazingly smart and funny young Allen capturing the spirit of cinema anarchists like the Marx Brothers.The only small drawbacks; a sometimes cloying musical score and a couple of slow sections around the love story. But these are very small flies in the great ointment.A couple of minor points - there's an interesting debate as to whether the correct aspect ratio is 1:66 or 1:85. I remember it as 1:66 when it was out in the theaters, but that's a looooong time ago now.Also, the budget is cited on IMDb as $1.5 million. Small, but not tiny for its day. I believe the budget was actually much smaller, at least per producer Charles H. Joffe. This was really indie film-making of its day.