It's a film about men at their jobs. And if you like Lee Marvin and Jack Palance, it's a flick for you.
Posted on 08/28/2022 6:40:49 AM PDT by Rummyfan
The Thirty Years War was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. Very few people died on the battlefield, but millions died by starvation and disease, most of them when a new wave of bubonic plague was carried across borders by soldiers; some parts of Germany lost up to half of their population.
But there aren't a lot of movies about the conflict: the only one I can think of is The Last Valley, a 1971 film directed by novelist James Clavell, starring Michael Caine as the ruthless leader of a group of mercenaries looking for shelter from the winter and the Plague in a hidden valley in the Bavarian mountains. It's a bleak, nihilistic picture that bases its story on one of the abiding historical conceits of the Thirty Years War – that much of its destruction came at the hands of mercenary armies, foraging or pillaging or left to their own devices between employers.
The Professionals, a 1966 western written and directed by Richard Brooks, is part of a small group of pictures about groups of gunmen, which includes much more famous titles like The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Wild Bunch (1969) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). All these films involve teams of gunfighters – outlaws, lawmen and men living somewhere in between – banding together for a job; you could even consider these pictures part of an even larger trend that includes war films (Kelly's Heroes, Von Ryan's Express, Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare) and heist pictures (Ocean's Eleven, The Italian Job, The Sting).
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It's a film about men at their jobs. And if you like Lee Marvin and Jack Palance, it's a flick for you.
It’s a great flick with great actors.
I also appreciate that it’s set after the turn of the century, so there are some self-loading weapons, early automobiles and motorcycles, etc.
Other great movies in this early 1900s Western genre:
Ride the High Country
The Wild Bunch
Big Jake
Great soundtrack too.
If you like the 1900s westerns, there’s The Shootist with John Wayne, Richard Boone, Jimmy Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Hugh O’Brian in the twilight of their careers.
Claudia Cardinale was also in other Westerns, notably "Once Upon a Time in the West," which also has a great sound track (by the great Ennio Morricone).
By the way, C.C. is still with us, at age 84, once of the last of that great era of actors.
Another great one indeed.
The Wild Geese.
“Other great movies in this early 1900s Western genre:
Ride the High Country
The Wild Bunch
Big Jake”
I would add: The Last Hard Men
I love “Once Upon a Time in the West” so much we bought the CD soundtrack.
Here is one of Morricone’s greatest masterpieces.
In another era he would be considered one of the greatest composers, IHMO.
Theme from OUATITW:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Q8h-fDfEI&ab_channel=JokerRecordings
YUP. One of my all time faves. And, The Wild Bunch was good as well.
Yes, “The Professionals” is also a mercenary mission film, so The Wild Geese is another great fit, as is Christopher Walken’s The Dogs of War.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080641/
Good catch on The Last Hard Men.
Hard to beat Charlton Heston and James Coburn.
One of my favorite movies! First saw it back in 1966!
But there has been a change in it.
In the scene where Claudia Cardinale tries to seduce Lancaster, the movies were still under the Hays Code.
The scene is dark, and back lit. She drops her top and, from the silhouette, you can still tell she is ALL WOMAN!
A few months later, I saw that movie again and when this scene takes place a dark fog covers the lower right corner of the screen covering what I went to see!
Every time it has been shown since, the dark fog is over the lower right cornier of the film.
Bummer.
You bet. Great movie.
Here was my idol, The Duke, playing a western character dying of cancer {and wanted to die in a shoot out} while he was dying of cancer in real life.
My guess is that the Duke would have rather had the same option in real life.
My ex-son out law, always busted my cojones by taunting me with the Duke/Rock Hudson bullshit.
He knew it would push my buttons, but at least my daughter got smart and dumped that pompous prick.
I have never cared if someone is gay/queer, just don't push your life style one me {or tell me that it is normal}.
Might add to that list JOE KIDD. Modern 1900s weapons. Also in the sniping scene the man is hit and down before the sound wave arrives on the scene.
Butt Lancaster was a HOMO.
The Wild Bunch.
I wouldn’t stay at a Best Western — I don’t care which actors are pushing it…
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