The Hit (1984)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writer:

Peter Prince (writer)

Release Date:

8 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A Journey to Destiny [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

Ex-gangster Willie Parker has betrayed his former "colleagues" and now lives in Spain where he thinks he can hide from their vengeance...

Plot Keywords:

Spain | Road Movie | Revenge | Philosophical | Hitman

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

John Hurt	...	Braddock
Terence Stamp	...	Willie Parker
Tim Roth	...	Myron
Laura del Sol	...	Maggie
Bill Hunter	...	Harry
Fernando Rey	...	Senior policeman
Freddie Stuart	...	First Man
Ralph Brown	...	Second Man
A.J. Clarke	...	Third Man
Lennie Peters	...	Mr. Corrigan
Bernie Searle	...	Hopwood (as Bernie Searl)
Brian Royal	...	Fellows
Albie Woodington	...	Riordan
Willoughby Gray	...	Judge
Jim Broadbent	...	Barrister

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (alternate rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Central

Trivia:

Joe Strummer was originally considered for the part of Myron, but his band mates (in The Clash) nixed the idea. Strummer then recommended Tim Roth for the part based on his appearance as "Trevor the Skinhead" in the TV movie Made in Britain (1982) (TV). "The Hit" was the 22 year old Roth's first theatrical feature and won him a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer.

Quotes:

[a few minutes earlier, Maggie bit Braddock's hand and drew blood]
Myron: Mr Braddock, d'you think we could stop for something to eat soon? I ain't had nothing all day and I'm really hungry. 'Spect I'm not the only one. Her too, she's probably hungry too.
Braddock: [drily] She's already eaten.

The great lost Brit crime movie?

Forget the flashy but empty "cor blimey guv" Brit crime movies of the last few years like 'Snatch' and 'Sexy Beast'. Apart from 'Croupier' and 'Gangster No. 1', most of them aren't worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the brilliant but largely forgotten 'The Long Good Friday', 'Mona Lisa', and the most underrated of all, 'The Hit'. Terence Stamp, playing a character not too dissimilar from the one he later portrays in 'The Limey', is a former gangster who grassed up his criminal mates years earlier. Now living in semi-retirement in Spain he is unexpectedly kidnapped by two hoods (John Hurt and, in one of his earliest screen roles, Tim Roth) who plan on taking him to Paris and killing him as punishment for betraying the criminal code. Of course, things don't go quite as planned and along the way the sexy Laura del Sol gets forced against her will to accompany them. This is a very fresh and interesting film that is more character than action based so might not appeal to the Guy Ritchie crowd. It's their loss. Stamp is just brilliant and his interaction with Hurt and Roth makes this a must see movie. The supporting cast also includes the legendary Fernando Rey ('The French Connection') as the cop on their trail, and Aussie veteran Bill Hunter as a crim in the wrong place at the wrong time. 'The Hit' is one of the most overlooked British movies of the last twenty years, and highly recommend viewing for all discerning movie buffs.