An engaging, very funny black comedy gem from the mid 70s, expertly directed by the late Peter Yates. It concerns a privately owned ambulance company called the F&B ambulance company, and there intense competition with their rival the Unity ambulance company for a contract with City of Los Angeles. Bill Cosby steals
the film outright with his hilarious performance as "Mother", the streetwise seen-it-all EMT, who is forced to partner up with a shady suspended cop nick-named "Speed", nicely played by Harvey Keitel, and the smoking hot "Jugs," the radio dispatcher who has high aspirations of becoming the first women driver and EMT, played wonderfully by the super sexy and sultry Raquel Welch, special kudos must go to the superb character actor Allen Garfield for his memorable comic performance, as Harry Fishbine the neurotic and money-hungry owner of the F & B ambulance company, and the excellent Larry Hagman, as Murdoch a sleazy, oversexed ambulance driver. The supporting all deliver marvelous performances they included L.Q. Jones, Bruce Davidson, Dick Butkus, Miilt Kamen, Barra Grant, Allan Warnick, and Valerie Curtin. Great music soundtrack with many songs from the period, A cool, raunchy film that is an intelligent mix of slapstick and drama. Highly Recommended.
October 13, 2010
