I guess Fonda's character can be considered "Crazy Larry" for his driving antics, but I'm not sure why Mary is considered "dirty." As for the film, it's not really dirty or crazy, more dated and lazy. Vic Morrow does the umpteenth version of the grousing sheriff in pursuit of the robbers, snapping at underlings with a pained hemorrhoidal delivery that is severely one note. When an assistant can't get him info about Mary fast enough, even using a computer, he complains about the computer! He's so ill-humored throughout that watching him becomes a chore. On the other side, there's the fetching Susan George, who is very easy on the eyes. Too bad her accent goes in every direction. Her character is also distinctly unlikeable for most of the movie. Fonda and Roarke are dull. In fact, Fonda is so utterly passive an actor that casting him in this role can only be attributed to 'Easy Rider' yet it's Dennis Hopper who would have fit the bill here. Fonda strains under the film's need to have him project an out-there personality. Imagine Fonda in Roarke's role and Hopper as Crazy Larry. More interesting, hypothetically, in my opinion.
The direction is routine. For a car chase film this one isn't very exciting, with many shots held far too long. There's also a cameo from Roddy McDowall that provides the usual bug-eyed, jaw-drop take he's so fond of. And considering how un-clever this film is, the ending seems appropriate -- the filmmakers having run out of ideas and shrugging "this is all we could think of." As I recall when the film came out that it was a hit. Now it seems dated, especially the dialogue (and some of the dialogue is just plain weird, almost non sequitur-like). Oh, and Tarantino loves this movie. But Tarantino loves virtually every movie from the early-to-mid-70's so that's not saying much.
The direction is routine. For a car chase film this one isn't very exciting, with many shots held far too long. There's also a cameo from Roddy McDowall that provides the usual bug-eyed, jaw-drop take he's so fond of. And considering how un-clever this film is, the ending seems appropriate -- the filmmakers having run out of ideas and shrugging "this is all we could think of." As I recall when the film came out that it was a hit. Now it seems dated, especially the dialogue (and some of the dialogue is just plain weird, almost non sequitur-like). Oh, and Tarantino loves this movie. But Tarantino loves virtually every movie from the early-to-mid-70's so that's not saying much.