Euro Cult Movie Forum => Comedy, Drama & Thrillers => Topic started by: Inspector Tanzi on 26 Sep 2011 - 20:37
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Anyone seen this?
Watched it this evening and thought it was pretty good. Anthony Quinn is a hard nosed ambassador who wants rid of drug baron James Mason and calls in Hitman Michael Caine to do the job but as expected nothing goes to plan. Good score by Roy Budd too.
Also starring Marcel Bozzuffi .
Although this isn't up there with the very best it's still a solid film and I recommend it to people who like these kinds of 70's movies.
It's a British and French co-production.
I watched the U.S. Mgm Archive dvd. Nice looking print.
You can tell watching the credits that the title had been changed from The Marseilles Contract to The Destructors on the print because it paused during the credits.
(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq98/spara73/spara2/600full-the-destructors-mgm-dvd--r-cover.jpg)
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Here are some screen caps I took from the Mgm archive dvd.
(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq98/spara73/spara2/vlcsnap-2011-09-26-21h43m42s116.png)
(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq98/spara73/spara2/vlcsnap-2011-09-26-21h46m03s14.png)
(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq98/spara73/spara2/vlcsnap-2011-09-26-21h45m23s130.png)
(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq98/spara73/spara2/vlcsnap-2011-09-26-21h44m38s189.png)
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I've never seen it - used to own the old Warner tape - it was one of those "semi" certified tapes with the WB logo, if I remember rightly. Probably released around the same time as GREMLINS and A VIEW TO A KILL.
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Watched it tonight for the first time and enjoyed it. It really plays like a British crime film set in France. The Kino BD is pretty good too.
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I read alot of reviews on IMDB by people saying it went on for too long. Its not that bad, its got some great moments scattered in the running time, plus Caine plays his hitman role a big more light hearted than Carter.
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I think it's a bit of a mish mash of styles which is why it may not appeal to some. Anthony Quinn is a real odd one out and the opening has a bit of a Hollywood feel to it, then it slips into a slower paced crime film with elements of melodrama in Caine's relationship with Mason's daughter and comedy from his one-liners. I didn't find it particularly dragged on and it's only a 90 min flick.
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It's a decent film, I'd recommend it too :P