"The Professionals" is one of those films where a bunch of hooligans are hired to carry out a job that only hooligans can do well. In this case, the job is to reclaim the kidnapped wife of a wealthy businessman from the Mexican revolutionary who is holding her for ransom. The likes of Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, and Woody Strode play the hooligans, Jack Palance plays the Mexican (ha!) revolutionary, and Claudie Cardinale plays the buxom wife. It's an entertaining film as far as it goes, but when one compares it to other films of its kind, like "Seven Samurai" from a decade earlier, or "The Dirty Dozen" from a year later, it pales considerably in comparison.
Richard Brooks was nominated for both directing and writing this film at the 1966 Academy Awards, puzzling since I think the direction is one of the weakest things about it. It should really sizzle with excitement, but it just sort of lumbers along. Conrad Hall also received a nomination for his color cinematography.
Grade: B
Richard Brooks was nominated for both directing and writing this film at the 1966 Academy Awards, puzzling since I think the direction is one of the weakest things about it. It should really sizzle with excitement, but it just sort of lumbers along. Conrad Hall also received a nomination for his color cinematography.
Grade: B