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Before The Wild Bunch, there was The Professionals, Richard Brooks's marvellous ode to friendship, loyalty, and disillusionment. It may not have the stylistic bravado or fatalistic doom of the legendary Sam Peckinpah film, but Brooks's storytelling is simple and steady and just as insightful. The difference is Brooks is a lot more optimistic. Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster are buddies who have drifted into oblivion after fighting together in the Mexican Revolution. Marvin, the principled loyalist and munitions expert, lost his wife and his heart. Lancaster, the dynamite expert and unprincipled adventurer, keeps losing his pants. They team up with wrangler Robert Ryan and archer Woody Strode to rescue the beguiling Claudia Cardinale, who has been kidnapped by their old revolutionary buddie Jack Palance. So it's back into bloody Mexico they go on a "mission of mercy" for railroad tycoon Ralph Bellamy, who's paying handsomely for the return of his wife.
But nothing is what it seems in this exciting, existential adventure, which was beautifully shot by Conrad Hall. Sarcastic quips, philosophical musings, and heart-rending reversals underlie Brooks's humanistic sentiments. These are tired, world-weary men who somehow find the strength and the will to pull together for the sake of love and commitment. Through it all, Brooks seems to be lamenting a decline in professionalism much deeper than his story. He's decrying Hollywood and society at large, anticipating Peckinpah's later strategy. --Bill Desowitz
Synopsis
In this rip-roaring Western classic, four soldiers of fortune seek out an oil barron's kidnapped wife. Nominated for three Academy Awards(r).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Professionals is a very good film with a good cast including some western legends such as Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster. It does not like many westerns have the usual good vs bad guys plot and also is set at a much later date than most of them. The film has a good mix of humour and action with some rather deeper thoughts and ideas which puts it above the usual film in this genre. All in all it is a very good film.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For some reason I hadn't heard of this classic Western until recently. Stumbling across it and reading the enthusiastic reviews I decided to give it a go, and I have to say that I was not disappointed. It's a classic film, and a roaringly good 100 minutes of solid entertainment with a brain and a heart behind it.
Made in 1966, this falls between the psychological westerns of Anthony Mann and the deconstructive revisionism of Peckinpah and Leone. The story and characters are clearly influenced by the Mann template, and the way in which the west is depicted is clearly paving the way for Peckinpah's Ride the High Country and Wild Bunch.
It's a story of four men, men of violence who are very proficient and very professional. Hired by a rich Texan magnate to rescue his wife, kidnapped and taken to Mexico by an evil bandit. The four men set out across the desert, and along the journey we find out about them, their history and reasons for being where they are. The leaders of the group, Lee Marvin's impassive Rico Fardan and Burt Lancaster's roguish but heroic Bill Dolworth have been to Mexico before, and have a history with Jack Palance's bandit Jesus Raza. Throughout the journey, rescue and inevitable race back to the Texan border chased by murderous bandits loyalties are tested, friendships strained and they find out what is really important to them, leading to an ending that I really didn't see coming and was perfectly suited to the film.
It's a film shot in colour, but with many shades of grey. There are no clear cut heroes and villains, just men and women who today find themselves on opposite sides of the war, but tomorrow might be fighting alongside each other if circumstances so dictate. The study of the main characters is fascinating. There is also some nice philosophising, especially from Raza, that gets you thinking. Along with all the deep stuff there is plenty of action as the professionals get into and out of a variety of scrapes and fights. Burt Lancaster is especially impressive here, getting to show off his athleticism on various bits of scenery.
There is just one point in which the film fails a little. Robert Ryan's Erhengard and Woody Strode's Jake are essential characters, but are not explored to their full potential, especially Woody Strode, who is given little opportunity to do anything interesting.
In all it's a film that works on many levels. For those looking for straightforward gunfights and chases, they're here in spades. For those looking for a film with character development, interesting characterisation and a bit of brain behind it then you're in luck. And on top of all that there is a typically cool and magnetic performance from Lee Marvin, and Claudia Cardinale looking quite beautiful as the damsel in distress (just don't analyse her wandering accent too much...)
5 stars for this impressive Western.
Made in 1966, this falls between the psychological westerns of Anthony Mann and the deconstructive revisionism of Peckinpah and Leone. The story and characters are clearly influenced by the Mann template, and the way in which the west is depicted is clearly paving the way for Peckinpah's Ride the High Country and Wild Bunch.
It's a story of four men, men of violence who are very proficient and very professional. Hired by a rich Texan magnate to rescue his wife, kidnapped and taken to Mexico by an evil bandit. The four men set out across the desert, and along the journey we find out about them, their history and reasons for being where they are. The leaders of the group, Lee Marvin's impassive Rico Fardan and Burt Lancaster's roguish but heroic Bill Dolworth have been to Mexico before, and have a history with Jack Palance's bandit Jesus Raza. Throughout the journey, rescue and inevitable race back to the Texan border chased by murderous bandits loyalties are tested, friendships strained and they find out what is really important to them, leading to an ending that I really didn't see coming and was perfectly suited to the film.
It's a film shot in colour, but with many shades of grey. There are no clear cut heroes and villains, just men and women who today find themselves on opposite sides of the war, but tomorrow might be fighting alongside each other if circumstances so dictate. The study of the main characters is fascinating. There is also some nice philosophising, especially from Raza, that gets you thinking. Along with all the deep stuff there is plenty of action as the professionals get into and out of a variety of scrapes and fights. Burt Lancaster is especially impressive here, getting to show off his athleticism on various bits of scenery.
There is just one point in which the film fails a little. Robert Ryan's Erhengard and Woody Strode's Jake are essential characters, but are not explored to their full potential, especially Woody Strode, who is given little opportunity to do anything interesting.
In all it's a film that works on many levels. For those looking for straightforward gunfights and chases, they're here in spades. For those looking for a film with character development, interesting characterisation and a bit of brain behind it then you're in luck. And on top of all that there is a typically cool and magnetic performance from Lee Marvin, and Claudia Cardinale looking quite beautiful as the damsel in distress (just don't analyse her wandering accent too much...)
5 stars for this impressive Western.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
im very pleased with this blue ray, the picture is crisp with great colours,this film has never looked as good, and as westerns go, its one of the best from the sixties.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A firm favourite
If I had to compile a list of my top ten films this would certainly be in it. Brilliant cast: Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan,Claudia Cardinale, Woody Strode, Ralp Bellamy... Read more
Published 16 days ago by GOG
They don't make them like this anymore.....................
Action, twists in the plot, a bit of detective work and humour. This film has it all. None of the glorified slow motion violence but a real sense that any or all of the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Paul H. Green
great action movie.
burt lancaster , lee marvin, at their best. excellent support cast robert ryan woody strode. a super storyline in my top ten favourite films. 10 out of ten.
Published 7 months ago by ernie
ACTION PACKED WESTERN
Okay the story wasn't amazing,it was okay. But the action was the star of this film. a must for many Western DVD collection.
Published 10 months ago by George
The Professionals
I have this DVD myself and never tire of watching it, all of the cast are excellent although I think it a great shame that there is no mention of Chiquita, although she only has a... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mrs. D. Hitchcock
"Blow it to hell and gone".
Up there with the greatest westerns of all time. The Professionals, indeed! Four of the greatest movie actors to ever grace the silver screen: Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rat Genius
4 soldiers of fortune, one kidnapped wife, one explosive mission.
The Professionals comes out of Columbia Pictures and it is based around the novel A Mule for the Marquesa by Frank O'Rourke. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Spike Owen
A poor "Wild Bunch"
I'm afraid unlike other reviewers, i found this Richard Brooks Film extremely dissapointing.I see that he got Oscars in 1966 for it in certain categories and this amazes me. Read more
Published 18 months ago by B. D. Compton
...that's what blu ray was made for!
classic movies in gorgeous transfers to blu ray like this one are most welcome - Hollywood, keep 'em coming!
Published on 15 May 2010 by mickey_one
Great old movie & great blu-ray quality
I was delighted to see this old movie again in such fantastic hi-def quality. The studio has done a brilliant restoration job. Highly recommended for your western collection.
Published on 12 Jan 2010 by MacAvity
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