Awards Kline certainly confirms the latter description in discussing his own working methods with Fleischer, and also how that openness extended to some unusual Bronson touches the aforementioned rife-butt to the crotch, a fly-shooting tuck-roll through a bay-window perfectly realized by Fleischer and his crew. Of course, when seeing a Bronson film, you expect and get plenty of action scenes. Mr. Majestyk | Blu-ray Review. Who would of thought that Charles Bronson would give his best performance as a melon farmer! Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. The script of Mr. Majestyk was Elmore Leonard's attempt to concentrate on the plight of Chicano migrant workers, instead the film that hit screens was extensively reshaped into a standard Charles Bronson vehicle. When Majestyk leaps into the house to shoot Frank, his stunt double is clearly visible when he crashes through the window. Mr. Majestyk is a 1974 American action film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Elmore Leonard. They also crash through at least one fence and purposely slam into the car carrying the mob men. Vince must stand up for his farm and his workers in the face of Frank's efforts to eliminate him. That adds more enemies to his list, and his watermelon farm becomes the target of attack. A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him.A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him.A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him. His feet should have been visible from Frank's viewpoint on the roof. And, as it opened 45 years ago today, we thought it was the perfect time to show Bronson kicking ass and taking names in a F-100 that is, well, also kicking ass and taking names. This film wastes no time getting to the good stuff. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Filming & Production | Technical Specs. Portions of this film were shot in Colorado. One of the reasons is he is up against Al Lettieri ( Frank Renda). It still has that same. | Filming Dates. violence, action, guns, cops or killing prison, jail, criminal, convicts or violence western, outlaw, cowboy, shootout or gunfight action, explosives, exciting, action-packed or villain robbery, criminal, crime, heist or cops Kino Lorber resurrects one of the star's lesser remembered titles, Mr. Majestyk, a 1974 action flick . Plot summary. The melon farmer only has acquaintance to a beautiful Mexican woman (Linda Crystal) to battle the organized crime . Yet when Larry gets there, the trailer contains more undamaged melons than there were in the whole pile before the shooting took place. When Majestyk returns to his house with the empty trailer, the fuel filler neck and cap behind the driver door are missing. Crazy Credits Potentially dismissive viewers should be cautioned, though, from underestimating the unyielding strength and resulting follow-through of that central story-line. Elmore Leonard as screenwriter, however, elevates the material to being fun without being overly stupid. You keep talking and I'm gonna take your head off. I doubt I could call any Charles Bronson film that I've seen a masterpiece, but I have enjoyed most of them. Why? When Majestyk visits Larry in the hospital, there is no fluid dripping out of the IV bottle hanging beside him. As he runs away from the car, the shadow of the film crew is briefly seen at the bottom of the screen. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Color timing in particular has stymied past video versions, and audio commentator Paul Talbot, author of the Bronsons Loose books, points out possibly the perfect image test: the piercing green peering through Bronsons squinting eye-lids. You understand what I'm talking about? Majestyk heads back to his farm, but finds out that Frank wants to spoil his only goal. Mr. Majestyk began filming in 1973 on a ranch in southeastern Colorado. Vince Majestyk is a modest and introvert Colorado melon farmer who only wants to bring in his harvest He ends up in jail after a conflict with a local small time crook, but things get really serious when a wanted mafia hit man targets him for assassination. They arrive at the farm to kill Majestyk, but not finding him they instead machine-gun the melons and rough up the hired hands, forcing them to depart. At the cabin, when Majestyk hides from Frank by jumping up into a corner of the log cabin, his feet are not quite two logs up from the stone foundation, yet when Frank looks down from the roof into that corner, his point of view shows two full logs and no feet can be seen. (His hame escapes me, but he was also the bad guy in "The Getaway".) Charles Bronson is a melon farmer named Mr. Majestyk and a mafia hitman has fucked with his melons, so now there's hell to pay. great example of a character having a goal they care about and thats enough to make the audience care - you dont have to already be invested in melon-farming to get caught up in it. A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him. Many years ago I used to watch every single film Charles Bronson had made,but for some reason this one had slipped my attention.What we've got here is an action packed movie having to do with a bunch of gang members whose leader is a convict,who . Mr. Majestyk isn't great art, but then Charles Bronson hasn't often been in many movies (Once Upon a Time in the West and possibly the Great Escape as exceptions) that might even be considered full-on 'films'. The trivia board for this film seems to suggest that there was only one, so if that's the case, I've got to get me one of those. 55 Metascore; 1974; 1 hr 43 mins Drama, Action & Adventure PG Watchlist. Richard Fleischer, Producer: The villainous characters in "Mr. Majestyk" are interesting personalities. Despite his new-found pacifism, Majestyk can't seem to stay out of trouble, and he lands in jail, where he plots a breakout engineered by Mob boss Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). The iconic tough guy actor plays the title role, who merely wants to go about his business in peace. Feb 4, 2003, Runtime: . TMDb Although Bronson smoked in real life, his character in the movie did not, indicating that this may be an outtake or publicity still. Only I aint convinced. Charles Bronson gives a great performance here as the wronged man out for justice, which is a standard Elmore Leonard set-piece. Action and thriller with a two-fisted Charles Bronson. Frank Renda (brilliant performance from Al Lettieri) is a genuinely menacing and relentless criminal, whereas Bobby Kopas is just a sleazy and cowardly local marauder who thinks he's a big shot. StarringCharles Bronson. Purcell talks about the opposing on-set behavior of self-contained Bronson and larger-than-life Al Lettieri, their contrasting characters and personalities undoubtedly carrying over to their memorable screen rivalry, as well as the open and collaborative spirit director Fleischer encouraged while filming. You don't say muchbut you move!" You make sounds like youre a mean little ass-kicker. . Kopas brings assault charges against Majestyk, resulting in the farmer being placed under arrest before he can finish the harvest. Both Renda and Bobby get this in the climax in different ways. Majestyk is a simple guy who just wants to get his melon crop in, but he steps on some toes, winds up in the drunk tank, and then accidentally foils a ham handed attempt to break a big time criminal out of the same jail. Crazy Credits 'Elmore Leonard Week: Elmore on Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, and William Friedkin', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mr._Majestyk&oldid=1147390828, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 17:01. Letterboxd Limited. He's not afraid of Renda but remains wary and respectful at all times, whereas he continuously mocks and humiliates the racist wannabe cowboy Bobby Kopas. | Charles Bronson embodies the strong authority and deadly capability of the title character in director Richard Fleischer and writer Elmore Leonard's 1974 thriller Mr. Majestyk, released by Kino Lorber on Blu-ray this December from a new 2K master. Mr. Majestyk. Past a tense but characterstically understated encounter with a station attendant, Majestyk convincing the racist gas-jockey in a strong but low-key voice to let the mainly Hispanic workers use the bathrooms before heading out to the fields, the bus to Majestyks farm is later stopped by a group of local shitkickers led by one shotgun-toting Bobby Kopas (Lee Koslo), who has his own ideas about who should get those Majestyk melons in. In a 47-year career that spanned bit parts in films, TV guest spots, B-picture leads, A-picture supporting roles, European-production head-lining, and belated Hollywood stardom, the summer of 1974 saw the release of a pair of Charles Bronson films that delivered a seismic one-two punch to the box office both domestically and abroad. Film data from TMDb. You definitely won't be disappointed. It's free! During the chase scene with the pickup truck, after Majestyk takes over the driving the steering wheel is black with thin spokes. Variation spellings and working titles of the movie's. Mr. Majestyk is shown as playing in the theater at the very end of Taxi Driver as the credits are rolling. When things get hot and heavy, he looks at Majestyk with grudging admiration and says "You know something? Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) Filming Location in Colorado: Glenwood Canyon. Director Richard Fleischer may not go so far as to suggest that Majestyk dreams in melons although some viewers could suspect that he just might but the melon monomania does make for an action premise unusually suitable to Charles Bronsons straight-edge and hard-driving screen persona. Read more. | Charles Bronson Al Lettieri Linda Cristal Lee Purcell Paul Koslo Taylor Lacher Frank Maxwell Alejandro Rey Jordan Rhodes Bert Santos Richard Erdman, Dick Warlock Terry Leonard Allen Pinson Craig R. Baxley Paul Baxley, Richard Portman Frank E. Warner Don MacDougall Harold M. Etherington, , Mister Majestyk, MR. MAJESTYK, MR. MAJESTYIC, Mister Majestic, Desafiando o Assassino, Das Gesetz bin ich, Westerns Crime, drugs and gangsters High speed and special ops Alternate Versions A short description of this movie is coming soon. With Kopas' help, Majestyk gets the drop on Renda and kills him. 9 out of 10 stars because this movie will only get better after each viewing. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. For sheer visual delight, the one scene from this picture that everyone remembers is the great watermelon shoot-out, one of the more colorful gunfight scenes you're likely to witness that doesn't involve blood for all of it's red. THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK (1946) - Blu-Ray Review, THE VALACHI PAPERS (1972) Blu-Ray Review, SHARONS HOLIDAY ROM-COM-ATHON, III: PART 6, CHATOS LAND (1972)/BREAKHEART PASS (1975) Blu-rays Review, THE VALDEZ HORSES (1973) Blu-ray Review, FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XII Blu-ray Review, BURLESQUE: HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE DVD Review, ARE YOU THERE GOD? A few minutes later Lundy is shown crouching behind a car while shooting at a deputy. The villainous characters in "Mr. Majestyk" are interesting personalities. Its Fall, the ripe crop is ready to be picked, and Majestyk is recruiting a crew of migrant workers at a gas station to help get those melons in. Pedro Pascal Has an Update for Last of Us Season 2 Filming. Elmore Leonards screenplay elevates this above other 30 year old action fare. hes calmer hijacking a prison bus than i am getting up to get a glass of water but then somebody will mention the melons and he'll do an exaggerated 'that's what im TALKIN ABOUT' hand gesture--he just wants to pick those melons! At the end of the cabin scene, when Majestyk and Nancy get into the truck, there is no mirror on the driver's side. The plot which is a bit complex for an action film does not get in the way of any of the action. Please check back at a later date. Mr. Majestyk (1974) Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. Realizing they are now the hunted, Renda retreats to their lodge hideout where he, Wiley, Lundy and Kopas hole up. Privacy Policy A local labor racketeer, Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo) tries to exert pressure on Majestyk to use Kopas' work crew instead of the migrant workers Majestyk has hired. Terms and Policies What could be more perfect? But throw in needy farm-workers, a punkish Paul Koslo, and heavyweight hit-man Al Lettieri, and you've got the makings of an unusual story-line. This is great stuff, if not perfect. A prime slab of 70s badassery with fugitive melon rancher Charles Bronson laying down the justice on a bunch of gangsters. Mr. Majestyk is one of Charles Bronson's best films. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. More at 28 Apr 2023 01:17:31 Great film, highly recommended to all action cinema fanatics! By logging into your account, you agree to our. Especially an amazing truck chase ( that ford used in TV commercials years later.) Mr. Majestyk wanted to deliver the escaped convict Frank Renda back to the police, but his plan failed and now Renda is obsessed with killing Vince with his own hands. The movie was popular with Bronson action film enthusiasts. The plot isn't hyper-convoluted, but it's definitely more ambitious than the average "Death Wish" sequel in which Charles blows away random street scum. At the age of 52, and 23 years into his film career, Charles Bronson was suddenly propelled into the rarefied ranks of Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, and Paul Newman as a screen presence who could sell a movie on the strength of his name alone, but who as yet would receive scant recognition from the critics for the artistry of that presence. Majestyk'. In jail, Majestyk meets and annoys Frank Renda (Al Lettieri), a notorious mob hit man being transferred to a higher-security prison. The escape during the prison transportation, for example, as well as the Ford pick-up chase and the climatic shootout. Release Date: July 17, 1974. It was his character from 'The Godfather' Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo who said it. Bobby after harassing Majestyk and getting him arrested earlier in the film, is the one that is ultimately arrested in the climax after he tries to go after Majestyk with Renda and his crew. Coming Soon, Regal Vince Majestyk is a modest and introvert Colorado melon farmer who only wants to bring in his harvest He ends up in jail after a conflict with a local small time crook, but things get really serious when a wanted mafia hit man targets him for assassination. Michael Madsen has a One-sheet of " Mr Majestyk" on his wall in " Kill Bill". Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Majestyk keeps him hostage, in the hope of making a deal with police to overturn his charges. Whether they are pushing back against extreme terrain, able to handle some jaw-dropping jumps, and tear it up at crazy speeds. The picture talks about a Vietnam veteran (Charles Bronson) attempting to begin a new life in honorable issues . 2023 Lariat Ultimate Auto Hold function? My favorite scene is the pick-up ride when Majestyk and Chavez make their escape from the mob. The one character he cannot defeat ( although he really does not want to) is Nancy. But I never get tired of these situations as he writes them, because the stories are all unique, thrilling, well told, and (if you stretch a little) believable. Mr. Majestyk is a 1974 American action film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Elmore Leonard. "[2] The scene in which Nancy and Majestyk drive away in a pickup truck with Renda's men in hot pursuit became one of the most famous chase sequences of the period, following the recent trend of those in Bullitt (1968) and The French Connection (1971). 22 people found this helpful. I know that`s not saying much but if you`ve never seen it then you can`t appreciate just how enjoyable it is . Majestyk parks his truck and trailer outside his house, but later when he comes out the trailer has disappeared and the pick up is facing the other way. Report this film, wow this movie fucking rules!!!! Most of Majestyks watermelon crop is destroyed, When Majestyk sees the damage Renda has done to his watermelons, he never yells or screams but instead intensely clenches his fist into a tight ball, uses his truck to ram a carload of thugs off the mountain road, UsefulNotes/Parental Guidance Suggested Rating. prison, jail, criminal, convicts or violence, western, outlaw, cowboy, shootout or gunfight, action, explosives, exciting, action-packed or villain. A natural film grain is evident and during low light scenes, such as when characters are hiding out in an abandoned building or cabin, or shot through the windshield, it increases, but never to the . But don't let that fool you into thinking this movie's a campy push-over. The movie is low budget but effective. A 24 May 1972 DV news item announced that film rights to writer Elmore Leonard 's original story, Mr. But whatever, it's a cool showdown between the two of them, especially when Lettierri's girlfriend played by Lee Purcell drives up in a nice red Mustang with white interior and later offers Lettierri a cigarette/hidden gun. | Quotes For a added bonus Majestyk says the exact same line to him in the end that he had said in the first scene "about being in the wrong business" as one last insult to Bobby. For those unfamiliar with Lettieri think "Sleeping With The Fish." The hole is replaced with yellow body paint filling. The 2nd December 1973 edition of 'The Los Angeles Times' stated that the picture was filmed in the American state of Colorado because star 'Charles Bronson' was unable to start work on the movie until September 1973 by which time the melon picking season in the American state of California was finished. With Charles Bronson, Al Lettieri, Linda Cristal, Lee Purcell. Instead of endless DEATHWISH sequels that numbed the senses, Charlie should have done a sequel to this one. It's Me, Margaret. Vince Majestyk (Charles Bronson) is a Vietnam War veteran trying to keep his watermelon farm afloat when he is approached by a crook (Paul Koslo) who tries to force him into employing . English, Director: Mr. Majestyk (1974) Filming Location in Colorado: Rocky Ford, Canon City, La Junta, Manzanola. Had he and scripter Elmore Leonard played up the suspense more than the usual car chases, crashes etc., the movie might have distinguished itself from other action films of the day. Melon growing is a key story element in this motion picture. Kino Lorber Studio Classics brings the film to Blu-ray for a second time from a new 2K master, likely from an interpositive. The Ford Motor company used clips from the movie in television commercials to demonstrate how tough their trucks are built. Fun little film.. Charles Bronson is at his most deadpan bemused, Al Lettieri, playing the villain, is a sweaty, frustrated delight, Richard Fleischer is a capable pro when it comes to melon-exploding mayhem, and the script by Elmore Leonard is a polished jewel of economical action storytelling -dig that opening sequence where the guy won't let the Mexican union crew use the washroom and Bronson's Majestyk sticks up for them, as an example of telling you everything you need to know about a character (multiple characters, really) through the situation that they're in. Mr. Majestyk: Directed by Richard Fleischer. RT25: Celebrating 25 years of Rotten Tomatoes. Howard Thompson of The New York Times said, "Except for some dutiful splattering of gore, it ticks along rather steadily, under Richard Fleischer's unruffled direction. He arranges for Kopas to drop the assault charges against Majestyk, and orders his men to find the "melon picker" so he can have the satisfaction of killing him personally. Mr. Majestyk is a Charles Bronson movie of uncommon quality. You're almost there! During a trip to court, the prison bus is ransacked by mobsters trying to get a hit man off the bus, and this results and Bronson getting ahold of the bus and taking the hitman hostage. This film will probably never be on a list of the greatest films of all time but it is one of my favourites. Renda sends Wiley outside to negotiate with Majestyk, hoping to force him to show himself, but Majestyk sends her away with Nancy. In most drive scenes the pickup truck would definitely be torn to pieces, but not here. Majestyk runs him off with Kopas' own shotgun and hires experienced Mexican migrant workers, including Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal), a crop picker who is also a union leader. Even though Frank Renda is clearly dead after Vince Majestyk shoots him, when police examine his body it is seen that he is breathing as his chest is inhaling and exhaling. Bobby Kopas: It ain't sunk into that thick brain of yours yet. The first part of that might be true here and there, as it's hard to avoid it being a little goofy seeing a guy like Bronson as a farmer. During the chase in the canyon, the left headlight is alternately there or missing. 3, GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE (1968) Blu-ray Review, Max on Movies: A MAN, A WOMAN, AND A BANK (1979), FELIX AND LOLA / LOVE STREET (2001, 2002) Blu-ray Review, HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME (1937) Blu-ray Review, WHAAM! The escape during the prison transportation, for example, as well as the Ford pick-up chase and the climatic shootout. Immediately afterward when Majestyk jumps back down, his feet can be seen starting from the same position, less then two logs up, as he jumps back down. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Disarming Kopas in the most emasculating way possible, and shooting out the pop music-blaring loudspeaker to the dirtheels truck, Majestyk demonstrates in about thirty seconds of screen time precisely who gets to dictate to Majestyk anything about his melons. Yet after all this, the pickup is spotless and has absolutely no scratches, dents, or other damage. By the way Bronson whose real name was Buckinski must have been happy to play a person of Polish ancestry in this one, I believe it is one of the few times he did. Just as the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, Bronson at his Bronson-est undoubtedly makes the dramatic and action-packed most of a piercing green-eyed squint-glare at a pulp-and-seed-strewn mountain of blown-apart melons. Coming Soon. Let us know in the comments, or sound off in the forums. It was made and released about five years after this movie. Vince Majestyk: You make sounds like you're a mean little ass-kicker only I ain't convinced. If that weren't enough, you've got one of the great chase scenes on film when Majestyk and Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal) take turns winding up that Ford-150 through the Colorado scrub and red-rock desert. DV noted that Leonard was slated to write the script and United Artists had already agreed to distribute the film. Al Lettieri is perfectly cast as the heavy and Paul Koslo is exquisite as the weasel. On the back cover there is a picture of Bronson holding a shotgun with a cigarette in his mouth. But it isn't all cut and paste; there is some really good story telling here and bravura performances by the man who plays the main criminal. 3.5 Stars out of 5. Renda is ultimately killed after Bobby tricks him into falling for a trap-which is exactly what Renda had done to Lundy just a few mintues before hand. However, when it comes to Ford, we have seen that they are still bad to the bone. By the way Bronson whose real name was Buckinski must have been happy to play a person of Polish ancestry in this one, I believe it is one of the few times he did. How could it not be with a script by the dean of crime novelists Elmore Leonard, and direction by an old pro like Richard Fliescher? By his side is his trusty steed: A 1968 Ford F-100 truck. In these films, he is going up against really bad guys, and they aren't issues that are frivolous ones. and the Create new posts and participate in discussions. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Linda Crystal's beauty tops off the appeal of the flick. Film Review, Max on Movies: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. Here he plays a hit man who is obsessed with killing watermelon grower Vince Majestyk ( Bronson), because he made a fool out of him ( and more then once). IMDb Majestyk hopes to trade Renda to the police in return for being released to finish harvesting his melons. I really didn't know what to expect in this film before watching it, but now after viewing it, I must say I'am proud to have purchased this film. Problems with the film aside, it still has some. The premise is also exciting and downright cool: Bronson as a watermelon farmer who gets screwed by the man for protecting his property and then gets screwed when he attempts to secure his freedom via a poorly conceived plan. "Mr. Majestyk" (1974) is a fun film with a colorful cast of characters, and it gets better every time. The interactions between Vince and these gangsters confirm their personalities. Unbelievably this ridiculousness was written by Elmore Leonard, which I guess it makes sense, because if Leonard wrote a story about a melon farmer, he'd still be a badass.
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