The Professionals features an excellent cast for the most part, and an engaging story. However, it's a bit odd for viewers to watch now, at first, if they're familiar with other Westerns. In terms of plot the film resembles those of the 1950s, but is a little quicker paced, and a little edgier. However, viewers familiar with Sam Peckinpah's westerns, which would follow this one very quickly, will find the plot here somewhat slow and surprisingly mild in tone. This film, in the hands of someone like Peckinpah, would have come out like The Wild Bunch.
The temptation, therefore, is to compare this film to the Western classics of the 50s, or the more violent Westerns of the late 60s. It really shouldn't be, however, as it's a classic of its own era. If viewed without expectations or comparisons, it's a good film, with a good, and nicely paced, plot, that isn't subject to the distractions of excessive violence or exploitation.
Lee Marvin is very good in his role, and turns in an excellent performance. It recalls his performance of The Dirty Dozen, in that he plays a typical Marvin character, but in a somewhat understated way, making the character believable. Burt Lancaster's performance is also understated. Woody Strode is given a good, somewhat minor, role, but one that is more of a fully interacting character than some other roles he was given.
Probably the weakest character in the entire film is Claudia Cardinale, which isn't surprising. Cardinale comes alive in Italian films, but in English speaking films her lack of command of the English language translates in to some fairly stilted acting. Having said that, she turns in a better performance her than in The Pink Panther, or in Once Upon A Time In The West. However, she's not up to the same level that Sandia Berger was in Major Dundee. She's clearly in the film mostly for window dressing, and in an era when it would not be regarded as excessively odd that a Mexican woman would be portrayed by somebody with a heavy Italian accent.
All in all, it's a good film, and worth seeing.
The temptation, therefore, is to compare this film to the Western classics of the 50s, or the more violent Westerns of the late 60s. It really shouldn't be, however, as it's a classic of its own era. If viewed without expectations or comparisons, it's a good film, with a good, and nicely paced, plot, that isn't subject to the distractions of excessive violence or exploitation.
Lee Marvin is very good in his role, and turns in an excellent performance. It recalls his performance of The Dirty Dozen, in that he plays a typical Marvin character, but in a somewhat understated way, making the character believable. Burt Lancaster's performance is also understated. Woody Strode is given a good, somewhat minor, role, but one that is more of a fully interacting character than some other roles he was given.
Probably the weakest character in the entire film is Claudia Cardinale, which isn't surprising. Cardinale comes alive in Italian films, but in English speaking films her lack of command of the English language translates in to some fairly stilted acting. Having said that, she turns in a better performance her than in The Pink Panther, or in Once Upon A Time In The West. However, she's not up to the same level that Sandia Berger was in Major Dundee. She's clearly in the film mostly for window dressing, and in an era when it would not be regarded as excessively odd that a Mexican woman would be portrayed by somebody with a heavy Italian accent.
All in all, it's a good film, and worth seeing.