The Professionals (1966)

Powerful

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

A great amount of talent on display in The Professionals and mostly very well used. It is a shame that Robert Ryan's role is so underwritten and he looked as lost as he did in a somewhat atypical role(this is the same Robert Ryan who made an unforgettable villain in Claggart in 1962's Billy Budd). For my liking too the film ends a little too tidily with some of the scripting a tad confused. But The Professionals is superbly made with sweeping photography that makes expansive use of the colourfully exotic locations and a lusciously evocative score from none other than Maurice Jarre, cannot get enough of the spine chilling opening sequence. The script crackles with wit and tension and is remarkably quotable(it was nominated for a Oscar and in my opinion was deserving of the nomination), the action is rousingly staged and the story, apart from a couple of plodding moments in the middle, is a vast majority of the time gripping. It was great also to see characters that were likable as well as flawed rather than resorting too much to one-dimensional stereotypes. The Professionals is expertly directed- some of the best direction of any Western not from John Ford, Sam Pekinpah or Sergio Leone names on them. And expertly acted as well, with Burt Lancaster on blisteringly funny form and Jack Palance as a slightly hammy but entertainingly menacing villain standing out, their scene on the rocks being an acting highlight. Lee Marvin gives a brooding performance without ever being one-note- every inch the figure of authority- and Claudia Cardinale looks gorgeous and involved. Ralph Bellamy is also excellent, his character's development is sketchy but he does somehow manage to make him interesting and compelling. All in all, a fine film that is sadly somewhat under-seen, the word professional for this near-classic is very apt. 8/10 Bethany Cox

"The Professionals" is one of those westerns made when the genre was getting a little tired, but before it was okay to completely throw out the old rules. The story is simple enough: a wealthy land baron hires four professionals, who are each the best at what they do, to go on a daring mission deep into Mexico, amid a faltering revolution, to bring back his kidnapped wife. Lee Marvin leads the band, playing a grizzled veteran of that revolution, with Burt Lancaster receiving top-billing and playing a dynamite expert who is easily tempted by women and adventure. The crew is rounded out by a bow-and-arrow and tracking expert (Woody Strode) and a veteran horseman (Robert Ryan). This is definitely a movie that hangs its hat on action, with shootouts spaced periodically through the movie to keep the audience awake and a signature raid on the Mexican revolutionaries/kidnappers camp at mid- film that was only a notch or two below similar scenes in more modern films, and was thus very enjoyable. These scenes were fine, albeit a little silly with the Lancaster's bottomless supply of amazing TNT. However, the rest of the movie plods on predictably. There are definitely attempts at character development but perhaps the wooden Lee Marvin as a central character makes the whole thing hard to enjoy except when the bullets (and TNT-laden arrows) are flying. I was definitely disappointed when the spectacular camp raid scene ended too quickly and I realized there were still over 30 minutes of film left with the best scene in the rear-view mirror.I would watch about 20 or 30 other classic westerns before getting to this one. It's not bad, the action sequences were certainly worth the price of admission in 1966, but it shows why the traditional western as a dominant genre was living on borrowed time.

I went into this movie knowing only the cast and the basic plot; I hadn't read any reviews or checked its score on IMDb. I was ready for a good film. I mean, Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Woody Strode, Jack Palance and other great actors, all in one film?! How could it not be phenomenal!Well, it wasn't. The dialogue tried too hard for witty comedy that it couldn't achieve. Lee Marvin was at his low in this film, rarely breaking monotone, and looking very disinterested the whole time. Burt Lancaster was annoying as hell. The film went to pains to play him off as a witty rogue. He even says at one point: "I'm one of the most corruptible bums I know." And yet, he doesn't do anything along those lines. Strode and Ryan barely had any lines, suppressing their talent. Palance was really the only character who was believable/enjoyable. The best things about this movie are Palance and Cardinale. Mostly Cardinale. A good movie if you're bored and want to kill time; not if you're looking for a good film.

When wealthy Texan Joe Grant hires Henry 'Rico' Fardan to lead a small group deep into revolutionary Mexico to rescue his kidnapped wife Rico knows it won't be an easy job; four men against an army! Mrs Grant is being held by a revolutionary by the name of Jesus Raza who Rico and Bill Dolworth, an explosives expert, fought along side earlier in the war. It isn't long after they cross the border that they meet the first of Raza's men... clearly it won't be easy getting to his Hacienda and once there it will be even harder to get Mrs Grant out and back to her husband unharmed. Once they get to her they find they have another problem; she left Grant of her own free will and is in love with Raza... still they have been paid to take her back to her husband so take her back they will.The opening scene where Rico is firing a machine gun next to a car makes it clear that this is set much later than most westerns; that doesn't stop it being a 'proper' western. While he doesn't get top billing Lee Marvin is definitely the star of the film and he does a fine job as Rico, he is ably supported by Burt Lancaster (the official star) as Dolworth, Woody Strode as Jake Sharp, an expert with a longbow and Robert Ryan as the fourth and final member of the rescue party. Claudia Cardinale puts in a feisty performance as the 'kidnapped' Maria Grant.Fans of the genre or people just wanting an exciting adventure should enjoy this as there is plenty of action almost from the moment they cross the border; this action is mainly shootouts but there is also a train ambush and when we get to the raid on the hacienda there are numerous spectacular explosions. This may be the midpoint of the film but the return north is no less exciting. While the twists weren't all that surprising they were believable and added a bit more interest to the story.