Die gefürchteten Vier

Though not as perceptively grim in tone and style as Sam Peckinpah's epitaph The Wild Bunch, Richard Brook's The Professionals almost certainly inspired the former and was also one of the last great westerns Hollywood ever produced. Made at a time when the 'classical' era was waning, Brooks went entirely nostalgic, creating a story about John Wayne-like characters completely loyal to their cause but also flawed in many ways.

The cast is superb. The exotic beauty of Claudia Cardinale is great fodder for the main cast of Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan and Woody Strode. Although Ryan and Strode have considerably less screen time, the relationship between Lancaster and Marvin is terrifically fleshed out along with Brooks' steady hand guiding the entire process of four men on the hunt to rescue a millionaire's kidnapped wife only to realize all is not as it seems.

Despite the fact that this film will forever be compared to the ones it inspired like The Wild Bunch or The Dirty Dozen, it should be admired on its own terms. It is a very entertaining and satisfying film with solid writing, acting, directing and editing along with some stunning cinematography of the American southwest. Compared to today's films, who could ask for anything more?

By 1966, westerns were changing. The rise of the spaghetti western had introduced a grittier image of the old west than people had seen in John Wayne's movies. "The Professionals" still has traces of the old-style westerns - namely in the casting of Jack Palance as a Mexican - but leans more towards the new direction that the genre was taking. It was especially surprising to see a Hollywood western wherein two of the white protagonists fought under Pancho Villa's command, since the US was used to seeing Villa not as a principled revolutionary but rather as a wild bandit.

Richard Brooks's movie is not a masterpiece to the degree of "Once Upon a Time in the West", "Little Big Man" or "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" (which showed how the conglomerates in the old west had no qualms about crushing anyone who stood up to them), but it's certainly an impressive piece of work: the acting, direction, cinematography, editing and score all added up to some fun. And besides, how can you not admire the sight of Claudia Cardinale?

Set in the aftermath of the Mexican revolution, this action drama concerns the rescue of a Mexican lady (Cardinale) who is married to a rich, older, white man (Bellamy.) She has been taken from her American home back down to Mexico by notorious outlaw Palance. Bellamy hires a motley crew of mercenaries to retrieve Cardinale, promising them $10,000 each upon her return. The crew is led by tough as nails Marvin and includes free-wheeling dynamite-man Lancaster, sensitive rustler Ryan and archery expert Strode. This foursome sets out across punishing desert terrain to reach Cardinale and bring her back to the U.S. border. The job is at least as difficult as they expected and getting back to the border is as hard, if not harder, than getting to Palance's lair was. The film has an exceptional ensemble cast of pros. The members of the rescue team form an uneasy affection for one another. Stern Marvin and toothy, off-the-cuff Lancaster make a great pair. Ryan adds years of presence to his smallish role and Strode is his usual imposing physical entity. Palance is always a great villain and has some decent moments here. Bellamy does a nice job with his sketchy character. Cardinale is amazingly curvy and attractive even in the dusty surroundings. There is also a healthy dose of strong action, much of it taking place in the impressive domain of Palance. Dots of humor along the way relieve the tension. Time hasn't been particularly kind to Maurice Jarre's offbeat score and the film could have been just a tad shorter, but overall it is an interesting and absorbing action film.

This is one of those great, all-star movies where what happens is almost inconsequential because getting there is so much fun. Marvin and Lancaster give sharp-edged, self-assured performances, Palance is delightful as always, and the rest of the cast does their job in yeoman fashion. It has the edge and cynicism that marked the decline of western movie production, but it has enough fun with the audience, and itself to stand out from other westerns made at the same juncture. Richard Brooks deserves a lot of credit for keeping the genre going because few westerns made around this time were or are memorable. This movie is not always mentioned with the all-time great westerns...but it should be.

Based on novel by Frank O'Rourke titled ¨A mule for the Marquese¨ and screen-written with fine eye by Richard Brooks ; it deals about some aging mercenaries who get chance redeem themselves . A wealthy magnate named Grant (Ralph Bellamy) employs a group of expert mercenaries, as the title characters, to rescue his wife (Claudia Cardinale), from the clutches of Raza (Jack Palance)who allegedly abducted her . The bunch (Woody Strode, Robert Ryan) is led by Fardan(Lee Marvin) and Dodworth(Burt Lancaster). The two mercenaries (Marvin,Lancaster) and Raza (Palance) had previously fought in Mexican Revolution and entering in City of Mexico along with Pancho Villa and Emilio Zapata.

A kidnapping and its rescue is the subject of this stunning adventure , an epic in every sense of word. Exciting, funny and well acted , especially by Burt Lancaster as tough soldier-of-fortune. It was deservedly nominated to Academy Award for direction, screenplay, cinematography and score. Photographed in Technicolor and Panavison by Conrad Hall in Valley of Fire State Park and its Coyote Pass and Deah Valley (Nevada) where was built a Mexican headquarter for the Mexican guerrilla. Exceptional soundtrack by Maurice Jarre, now classic, with Mexican and military music. Directed and screen-played with magnificent style by Richard Brooks (Elmer Gantry, In cold blood, lord Jim) who subsequently directed another good Western titled ¨Bite the bullet¨ with Gene Hackman and Candice Bergen .The ¨Professionals¨ is an authentic must see, not to be missed for buffs of the genre. A successful movie during its theatrical release because of its awesome acting, dialog, score are world class.