1966 - THE PROFESSIONALS, good cast in good looking film.

A cast of Hollywood veterans during the 1960's and the excellent photography from cinematographer Conrad Hall are two reasons to watch this "lets get together a team and rescue the woman" story. 

The writer/director Richard Brooks has loaded up the story with double crosses, triple crosses and quadruple crosses which make things needlessly complicated.  Also for an action film there is an awful lot of talk.  Fortunately, the film has all these old Hollywood pros to keep your attention even if they aren't exactly stretching themselves. 

Burt Lancaster recycles his Crimson Pirate character again.   Lee Marvin steals scenes with the super cool tough guy character, that he would repeat in Point Blank.  Woody Strode was in a few John Ford films and was always a commanding presence.  Strode was never much of an actor but as a former football player he certainly fit in with this testosterone filled crowd.  Robert Ryan was always an underrated actor and gives the best performance.  Finally, there is Italian actress Claudia Cardinale who is cast as a hot Mexican babe which is usually par for the course when it comes to Hollywood.

The film is at times kind of a slog at close to two hours.  However between the tough desert locations  which were probably no fun to film at and this cast of macho Hollywood male prima donas, Richard Brooks probably had his hands full just getting The Professionals made.

117 minutes.