Despite being eclipsed by the other significant Westerns of that time, THE PROFESSIONALS (1966) continued to stand on its feet, mainly because of its director Richard Brooks who knew his craft; after all he had helmed iconic films like CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (1958) starring Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, and BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955); and would adapt the disturbing true crime account by Truman Capote – IN COLD BLOOD in 1967. Men-on-a-mission, a popular format is given a twist in this engrossing Western that displays a socio-political consciousness rare for Hollywood at that time. Even the cast features a black actor – Woody Strode, one of the men on the mission; others are Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, all fortune hunters hired by a Texas millionaire (Ralph Bellamy) to rescue his young wife (Claudia Cardinale) who has been reportedly kidnapped by a Mexican bandit played by the inimitable Jack Parlance. With a star line-up like this, well-orchestrated, it’s a visual treat that cannot go wrong.
Enjoy it on Netflix.
Ranjan Das is a Mumbai based filmmaker &faculty.