"The Professionals"-서부영화(1966)

오랜만에 즐긴 서부영화다. 재미있을 것 같은 영화를 DVR로 녹화를 해두고 짬날 때 나눠서 본다. 그런데 이 영화는 117 minutes이라 다 보면 밤 12시가 넘어갈 것 같아서 반쯤 보다가 나중에 보려고 하였지만, 도중에 멈출 수 없었다. 주요 배역진도 모두 유명 배우가 포진하였고, 영화 구성이 매우 인상 깊었다. 주요 배역 배우가 모두 고인이 되었는데, 유일하게 생존했던 "Once Upon a Time in the West(1968)" , "A Girl with a Suitcase(1961)"에서 인기를 끌었던 이탈리아 태생인 Claudia Cardinale (1938~2025)도 올해 9/23에 87세로 타계했다. 역시 허망할 따름이다.

텍사스의 목장 갑부가 멕시코 혁명 때 우두머리로 활약했다가 무법자로 변신한 Jesus Raza(Jack Palance)한테 납치된 부인 Maria (Claudia Cardinale)를 구출하여 데려오면, 각 분야에 특기 있는 4명의 용병에게 한 사람당, $10,000을 주기로 하였다. 그런데, 마지막에서 반전이 이뤄졌다. 

 

Introduction:

The Professionals is a 1966 American Western action film written, produced, and directed by Richard Brooks and starring Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan and Woody Strode, with Jack Palance, Claudia Cardinale and Ralph Bellamy in supporting roles. The script was adapted from the 1964 novel A Mule for the Marquesa by Frank O'Rourke. The film received three Academy Award nominations and an enthusiastic critical reception.

Plot

In the final years of the Mexican Revolution, American rancher J.W. Grant hires four men, who are all experts in their respective fields, to rescue his kidnapped wife, Maria, from Jesus Raza, a former revolutionary leader-turned-bandit. Henry "Rico" Fardan is a weapons specialist, Bill Dolworth is an explosives expert, Hans Ehrengard is the horse wrangler, and Jake Sharp is a traditional Apache scout, skilled with a bow and arrow. Fardan and Dolworth, having both fought under the command of Pancho Villa, have a high regard for Raza as a soldier, but have no qualms about killing him.

After entering Mexico, the professionals witness soldiers on a government train being massacred by Raza's small army. They follow the captured train to the end of the line. After the bandits leave, they take the train before moving on to the camp, where they observe Raza and his followers — including a female soldier, Chiquita (who was once in a relationship with Dolworth). At nightfall, Fardan infiltrates the camp, but is stopped from killing Raza in his quarters after seeing Maria, Grant's kidnapped wife, about to willingly make love to him. Dolworth announces "We've been had."

After bringing Maria back to the train, a shootout starts because it has been retaken by the bandits. Pursued by Raza and his men, the professionals are forced to take refuge in nearby canyon lands. That night, Maria reveals that they haven't rescued Grant's "kidnapped wife" but rather, Raza's lover — that Grant had bought her in an arranged marriage, from which she escaped at the earliest opportunity to return to her true love in Mexico.

The following day, Maria rides off through the narrow canyons to rejoin Raza, but Dolworth sets off explosives he had planted in the canyon walls, which collapse and close off the canyon, preventing her escape. As Raza and his remaining men close in, Dolworth volunteers to stay behind to allow the other professionals to escape with Maria. In the ensuing fight, Raza is wounded and captured, and Dolworth is almost killed by a dying Chiquita, whose pistol has run out of bullets.

Grant and his men meet the professionals (with Raza and Maria) at the US border. Grant tells Fardan that their contract has been satisfactorily concluded. He then orders one of his men to kill the wounded Raza. Before he can fire, Dolworth shoots the guns from his hand. The other professionals step in to protect Maria and Raza. They collect the wounded Raza, laying him on the back of a horse-drawn wagon with Maria at the reins, and send both back to Mexico.

Grant angrily turns to Fardan and says, "You bastard!", to which Fardan retorts: "Yes, sir, in my case an accident of birth. But you, sir, you're a self-made man." The professionals then ride off, following the wagon across the border to Mexico.(-)