The Professionals (1966)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Richard Brooks (written by)
Frank O'Rourke (novel)

Release Date:

2 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western

Tagline:

It Captures The Flavor Of A Brawling Lusty Mexico!

Plot:

An arrogant Texas millionaire hires four adventurers to rescue his kidnapped wife from a notorious Mexican bandit.

Plot Keywords:

Goat Herder | Shot In The Butt | Automatic Rifle | Shootout | Tequila

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Bill Dolworth
Lee Marvin	...	Henry 'Rico' Fardan
Robert Ryan	...	Hans Ehrengard
Woody Strode	...	Jake Sharp
Jack Palance	...	Jesus Raza
Claudia Cardinale	...	Mrs. Maria Grant
Ralph Bellamy	...	Joe Grant
Joe De Santis	...	Ortega
Rafael Bertrand	...	Fierro
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos	...	Eduardo Padilla - Goatkeeper (as Jorge Martinez de Hoyos)
Marie Gomez	...	Chiquita
José Chávez	...	Revolutionary (as Jose Chavez)
Carlos Romero	...	Revolutionary
Vaughn Taylor	...	Banker Who Delivers $100,000

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and nudity.

Runtime:

117 min | UK:123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #21227) (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 | USA:GP (1970) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating: 1999)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The "French 75" mentioned in the dialog refers to the 75mm field gun artillery piece, Model 1897, issued by France to America's National Guard during World War I and also used by the Mexican army.

Quotes:

Hans Ehrengard: Nine more of their horses are still left. You gonna shoot them, too?
Rico: I guess we'll have to. We can't spare the food and water.
Hans Ehrengard: We could cut them loose.
[Dolworth laughs]
Hans Ehrengard: What's so funny?
Bill Dolworth: People. We just killed ten men, nobody bats an eye. But when it comes to one of God's most stupid animals...
Hans Ehrengard: But harmless.
Bill Dolworth: Nothing's harmless in this desert unless it's dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Extreme Prejudice (1987)

The Code of the Professional

I just recently revisited this great Western classic and rediscovered why I think this is the best of its genre. The setting, the plot/subplots, the casting, the writing are in a class unto themselves. First of all, what else can you say about the match-up of Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster? Two phenomenal actors with a great screenplay and story line to propel their already lofty skills to an even higher level. The supporting cast of Jack Palance, Claudia C., Woody Strode, Robert Ryan, etc. contributes to the overall storyline by portraying their individual roles, each entirely different, with skill, depth and emotion.

What starts out as a fairly self-explanatory rescue and retrieve mission ends up getting increasingly complicated. As Burt Lancaster's character noted, "there's something a little dicey about this arrangement"! As the melodrama ensues, the inevitable capture and retrieval occurs and the tension mounts as the chase begins.

When the retrieval part of the mission nears its ending, the pace slows down to where the principal combatants, Jack Palance and Burt Lancaster, render their philosophical reasons for their respective actions. Palance, the Mexican revolutionary, tells of the revolution being like the goddess at the inception and like a whore as time wears on, where lust slowly overshadows love and passion surmounts compassion. But this time, he says, "I'm on this mission for love". Burt's reply of "I'm in it for the money, what else", has the typical mercenary ring to it, but you get the feeling it may not portray his true feelings. This depiction of revolution(s), at a time (late 60's)when revolutionary zeal was the current political motif, sheds a remarkably lucid view: what does it all mean in the end?

But true to the Code of the Professional, Burt, Lee M. et al, must fulfill their obligations to the letter of the contract. And when you see the film in its entirety, you will see how they achieve that obligation and may be surprised at the final fulfillment!