I can see that this movie, is, in some aspects a precursor to Sam Peckinpahn's Wild Bunch. The basic plot is the same. A bunch of professional gunfighters take a job for money and end up loosing. In "Wild Bunch" they die with honor, if one can speak of Honor after a carnificine. Richards Brooks was the wrong man to direct this. A New York Jew will never understand the "Wild West". Peckinpnh had Indian ascendants and so did Anthony Man. What saves this Film is the Cinematography of master "Conrad Hall". a specialist of dark scenes in Technicolor. Claudia Cardinale is miscast as a "mexican". She does her best, but is does not fit. Peckinpah did not cast a main female role in Wild Bunch and he new exactly why.. He new the History, no need to romanticize it.
Review of The Professionals
