The Professionals
Special Edition
Rough, Tough and Ready
Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin headline the top-notch, rip-roaring Western action/adventure, The Professionals. Four soldiers of fortune are hired by a wealthy Texan oil baron (Ralph Bellamy) to rescue his kidnapped wife (Claudia Cardinale), who's been spirited across the Mexican Border by a band of mercenaries led by Jesus Raza (Jack Palance). The four rugged professionals, each regarded as a specialist in his selected field - an expert marksman and tracker (Woody Strode), the explosives master (Lancaster), horse handler (Robert Ryan) and one skilled in tactics and weaponry (Marvin) - make their way across the treacherous landscape to retrieve the beautiful kidnappee, but discover all is not what it seems in the explosive climax. Excellent performances from an all-star cast, Maurice Jarre's haunting musical score and surprising plot twists make The Professionals a true classic.
The Professionals garnered three Academy Award® nominations; two for Richard Brooks (Best Direction and Best Adapted Screenplay) and another for the esteemed Conrad Hall (Best Cinematography). The filmmakers received the same nominations the following year for the true crime classic, In Cold Blood.
Member Reviews
Good ol' western - ivarknut
A basic western - a group of dirty 'cowboys' on a mission to rescue a girl that has been kidnapped. The premise is nothing new but what makes this one interesting is the way it is executed. The actors give great performances and the characters are flawed yet sympathetic to a certain degree.
The plot might be obvious to everyone but there might be a little twist to it. Give it a chance.
Why don't we have actors of Lee Marvin's caliber making movies today?A Well Done Action Film! - MovieLover5
This was a pleasant surprise, especially since it was made in 1966, kinda around the time westerns could be really good or really cheesy. If you're reading this, you know the plot, and it comes off quite well with a bit of a twist since the time era is 1917 and the time of the cowboy is rapidly fading. In fact, the 4 protagonists are not cowboys in the true sense at all. Regardless, Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan and Woody Strode are all good in their roles, particularly Marvin and Lancaster. While he does not get to do a lot of acting Jack Palance as "the bad guy" is also there. The requisite eye candy in the form of Claudia Cardinale rounds out the big names. All in all, a good action film with a western bent.
Member Reviews
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Good ol' western - ivarknut
A basic western - a group of dirty 'cowboys' on a mission to rescue a girl that has been kidnapped. The premise is nothing new but what makes this one interesting is the way it is executed. The actors give great performances and the characters are flawed yet ...A Well Done Action Film! - MovieLover5
This was a pleasant surprise, especially since it was made in 1966, kinda around the time westerns could be really good or really cheesy. If you're reading this, you know the plot, and it comes off quite well with a bit of a twist since the time era is 1917 ...