User Reviews

Of the numerous tough guy roles played over five decades by Charles Bronson, 'The Mechanic' is a pretty safe bet for the movie that best captures his on-screen persona. While cases can be made for 'Once Upon a Time in the West,' 'Mr. Majestyk,' and 'Death Wish,' Michael Winner's 1972 potboiler not only sketches Bronson as a quiet, almost stealth-like force, but also gives us deep motivations for his character.

'The Mechanic' is one of Michael Winner's best efforts as an action director, although it falls somewhat short of the original 'Death Wish,' probably his crowning achievement in this genre. But 'The Mechanic' was a considerable effort for its time, mixing neat action sequences with ongoing character development. This is a far cry from many actioners before or since, which feature men who tear up everything in sight while not undergoing the slightest bit of change internally.

In an adaptation by Lewis John Carlino from his own story, Bronson plays Arthur Bishop, a California hit-man who is in the twilight of his career. Bishop is still capable physically, but his work as a cold-hearted assassin is wearing heavily on his nerves and may even be creating guilt deep within him. After performing hits against a nameless felon and his good friend Harry McKenna (Keenan Wynn), he suffers a nervous breakdown and decides that an apprentice would be useful as backup.

He discovers his protégé in Steve McKenna (Jan-Michael Vincent), a twenty-ish son of Harry. Bishop finds Steve an ideal candidate, having no clear empathy for the people around him. McKenna is taken under Bishop's wing and taught how to perform assassinations without leaving a trace of evidence. The hiring becomes a mistake, however, as it was made without the permission of Bishop's overseers (called 'the organization') and violates their code of ethics.

Falling just shy of 100 minutes in length, 'The Mechanic' is a tightly-bound drama that uses everything - dialogue, emotion, physical action - with stunning economy. Like a tightly-written novel, the film sheds all unnecessary padding and only gives us what is absolutely important to the storyline. The opening 15 minutes present a "day in the life" of Arthur Bishop, when he carries out a murder disguised as a gas explosion. There is no dialogue in this sequence, except for a hotel clerk who offers Bishop his quick hello. The murder of Harry McKenna follows, in which Bishop shows no outward regret for his actions, putting the brutal demands of his job over friendship.

The Mechanic's final hour tracks a growing relationship between Bishop and Steve McKenna, who proves even more ruthless than his mentor. Three well-made action sequences take place: a motorcycle chase, a yacht bombing, and a car chase along the mountainsides of Naples. The action sets are primitive by today's standards, but they do have a nostalgic charm that fans of the genre should like. The choppy pacing used by Michael Winner in these scenes more than delivers the goods; Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent are a sturdy pair in the ensuing gunplay. The supporting cast are all second fiddle to Bronson and Vincent, but help to move this film along. Besides Keenan Wynn, Jill Ireland has a small role as Bishop's high-cost prostitute and a disturbing suicide attempt is carried out by Steve McKenna's girlfriend Louise, played by Linda Ridgeway.

It would be easy to write this film off as another shoot-'em-up, but Lewis John Carlino's script offers much more. While the characters are from a way of life unfamiliar to us, they have much to say about how unfeeling ordinary people can be. There is also a deep-lying moral about why certain secrets may be best kept as secrets and why there is a price to be paid for not respecting the feelings of others. Michael Winner is not exactly known for philosophical discourse in his movies, but 'The Mechanic' is about as close as he gets to this area.

'The Mechanic' is good but not perfect technically. Winner's trademark camera angles, zooms, and wobbles are used to great effect, backed by sharp cinematography from Richard H. Kline and Robert Paynter (European scenes only). Unfortunately, there is shod editing at times from Frederick Wilson (listed as Freddie Wilson in the credits) and Winner himself (using his pen name of Arnold Crust Jr.). While the gas explosion sequence is finely crafted, the seaside murder of Harry features a change from sunset to pitch-darkness in a single cut and Keenan Wynn's voice is badly dubbed. The final scene is also bungled (in my opinion, anyway) when end credits appear too soon and the film blacks out prematurely.

Composer Jerry Fielding, who teamed with Winner on 'Chato's Land,' 'Scorpio,' and 'The Big Sleep' amongst others, wrote a minimalist score that adds tension in the right places. Production values are very good, particularly in the Italian setting, which is to be expected from a United Artists film of thirty years ago. Yes, the early 1970s style is there, with a psychedelic atmosphere and emphasis on bright colors, but I haven't seen a film yet that updates itself each time you watch it.

And if there are such films, I wouldn't count on MGM to offer them, especially with how disappointing its DVD presentations of Bronson have been. The 'Mechanic' DVD offers widescreen and standard format, unlike such retails as 'Death Wish 3' and 'Death Wish 4' that are full frame only. English mono and French 'dubbing' are included as audio options, with English, French, and Spanish subtitles. Bronson DVD extras rarely get past the theatrical trailer and MGM's 'Mechanic' disc adds insult to injury by using not the original trailer print, but what looks like a TV spot with the film's alternative title 'Killer of Killers.' 'Death Wish' is mentioned in the ad, which means it was shown no earlier than 1974. Good movie, rotten package by this low-balling Hollywood outfit.

*** out of 4

Charles Bronson gives a splendidly steely and stoical performance as Arthur Bishop, a merciless and meticulous, but stressed-out aging veteran hit-man who lives by his own strict personal moral code. Cocky eager beaver Steve McKenna (excellently played by Jan-Michael Vincent) befriends Bishop. Bishop teaches McKenna the tricks of his lethal trade. But does McKenna have some other nefarious secret agenda concerning Bishop? Tautly directed in a supremely mean'n'lean stripped-down no-nonsense style by Michael ("Death Wish") Winner, with a crafty and ingenious script by Lewis John Carlino, slick cinematography by Robert H. Kline, a superbly shivery'n'spooky score by Jerry Fielding, and several stirring slam-bang action set pieces, this fine film certainly makes the grade as a very tense, exciting and suspenseful crime thriller. Popping up in nifty minor roles are Keenan Wynn as a crusty mob capo and Jill Ireland as an alluring prostitute. From its bravura laconic, virtually wordless first fifteen minutes to its startling double whammy surprise twist ending, this superior favorite never makes a single false step and delivers the immensely satisfying goods with exceptional skill and efficiency.

This is another great Bronson film, that's very entertaining, with memorable performances and an awesome ending!. the 2 main characters were great, and i really dug the awesome chemistry between Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent, plus Charles Bronson is simply amazing in this!.The plot while simple is very cool and effective, and i thought it was really slick overall, plus the ending is a knockout!. It's not action packed or anything like that however it works a lot on character development and the story is quite engrossing, plus it was very well made as well!. It had quite a few shocking scenes, and this is one of Bronson's best films, plus as usual with Bronson's films it caused a bit of controversy and that's always awesome!. This is another great Bronson film that's very entertaining, with memorable performances and a great ending, i highly recommend this one!. The Direction is very good. Michael Winner does a very good job here, with very solid camera work, great angles, and keeping the film at a fast pace!. The Acting is excellent!. Charles Bronson is AMAZING as he always,was and was amazing here, he is very likable, smart, witty, had awesome chemistry with Jan-Michael Vincent, and played his usual amazing silent gruff character!(Bronson Ruled!). Jan-Michael Vincent is excellent as the cocky young protégé, he was perfectly casted, had awesome chemistry with Bronson and just did an excellent job overall i liked him lots!.Jill Ireland is stunningly gorgeous and does okay in her scene. Rest of the cast do okay. Overall i highly recommend this one!. ***1/2 out of 5

There is a scene in which Bronson, as a wealthy professional hit man, enters his house and finds the glamorous Jill Ireland waiting for him in a robe and ballet slippers. She's missed him terribly, she says breathlessly. Then she reads him a letter she wrote but was reluctant to mail. It's full of lovely prose. She begs him to carry her into the bedroom.

Dissolve. It's the next morning and Bronson has just finished dressing while Ireland lies naked under the covers. "It will be an extra hundred this time" she tells him. "The letter took a long time to write." He throws a handful of bills into her jewelry box and leaves. Just another business transaction.

The whole movie is about Bronson's dead soul. Some Boschian monstrosities fascinate him. But he cares nothing about women or anything else except living well. He runs into a kindred spirit in the physical form of Jan Michael Vincent -- young, handsome, blond, and as cold-blooded as Bronson himself.

Bronson, takes Vincent under his tutelage. "I might need some back up." There is a brutal martial arts lesson. There is a mass murder in an opulent home. (Nobody in this movie is poor.) A couple of car chases ending in exploding fireballs. A shoot out on a yacht in the harbor of Naples. A motorcyclist roaring headlong off a cliff and hitting the bottom of the chasm with an equally impressive fireball.

How -- you might ask -- does a motorcycle blow up if it smashes on the rocks? It's a good question.

The musical score is fulsome, tinny, and full of ear-aching dissonance. Charles Bronson is the best actor in the movie.

I can't imagine why the movie was made. Oh, Bronson can be fun with his striking Pancho Villa mustache but I prefer him as the hero, not as the guy who dumps his victims' bodies into an acid bath and tells Vincent, "By tomorrow morning they'll all be in solution." Most of his movies are dumb in outstanding ways but he's still a better hero than heavy. His villainy is retrograde and reminds us of those 1950s classics like "House of Wax," in which he was REALLY dumb.

Beautiful houses, beautiful clothes, no performances worthy of the name, and a story out of Screenplays 101. Nothing much to recommend it.