Walter Matthau’s Gray Striped Suit as Charley Varrick

Walter Matthau in Charley Varrick (1973) Vitals Walter Matthau as Charley Varrick, clever crop-dusting pilot and bank robber Albuquerque to Reno, Summer 1973 Film: Charley Varrick Release Date: October 19, 1973 Director: Don Siegel Costume Designer: Helen Colvig WARNING! Spoilers ahead! Background Although International Crop Duster’s Day is observed on May 27th, August 3rd was established as Airplane Crop Duster Day to commemorate U.S. Army pilot Lt. John A. Macready’s first-ever aerial crop-dusting flight on this day in 1921. More than a half century later, Walter Matthau broke from his usual comedic roles to portray the the titular crop-duster who broke bad in Charley Varrick, Don Siegel’s 1973 adaptation of John H. Reese’s crime novel The Looters. Down on his luck as “the last of the independents” as he bills himself, Charley had organized a bank robbery in Tres Cruces, New Mexico, that tragically resulted in the death of his wife Nadine (Jacqueline Scott) and another accomplice.…