Amor e Balas

Three federal agencies are trying to bring stuttering gangster Rod Steiger to trial. To do that, they need to bring back his bimbo girlfriend, Jill Ireland, from Switzerland. For some reason, they can't extradite her, so they send Phoenix cop Charles Bronson to do the job. In the meantime, the mob sends a hitman after her, so she cannot testify.

With a title that suggests a Keystone comedy, it seems an odd vehicle for Bronson, but director Stuart Rosenberg - John Huston started as the director, but bowed out after shooting a few scenes - puts a lot of comedy into Miss Ireland's performance, the visuals and soundtrack. Extensive location shooting also adds some quality to this movie, making it a very watchable Bronson vehicle.

This is a solid if somewhat obscure Charles Bronson film. Rod Steiger gave a good performance as a mob boss. Beautiful Swiss film location. Somewhat tame and melancholy story. Still Bronson gets his man. Not his best, but still enjoyable.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bronson co-star in Love and Bullets. He as a cop and she as a protected witness. She needed a lot of protection.

It's an average Bronson action/adventure saga, but with the unusual twist that Jill Ireland actually comes off much better than her husband does. I did enjoy her saucy portrayal of mobster Rod Steiger's moll. It's a combination of Judy Holliday's Billie Dawn and Tammy Faye Bakker. I'll tell you this Tammy Faye must have been the makeup consultant for Jill on this film.

Rod Steiger has an interesting part as a gangster with a stutter. He's persuaded by his associates to do in the woman he loves because they're all afraid she'll rat them out. Broderick Crawford's solution was to finally propose marriage to Holliday in Born Yesterday. Jill might actually have done it.

Instead she's chosen for a rub out and Bronson is the Phoenix City detective who travels to Switzerland to get her back and into protective custody. He's a by the book cop, until the end when he evolves into his Death Wish character.

Love and Bullets said to say can't really make its mind up whether it's a straight action/adventure or satire of same. Indecision costs it many points from reviewers, but Bronson fans should like it.

This action flop has aged so well to the point when you leave out Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland and most of the cast, the film moves into the realms of a minor (but most certainly unintentional) masterpiece. The stars undoubtedly had a pleasant paid holiday in Switzerland while making the film. Charles Bronson preferred Europe, so this ridiculous change of scenery was probably thrown in as it suited producer, director and stars.

Paul Koslo (the actor perpetually with the worst hair in Hollywood) is as always a lackey and fallguy who gets blown away. But this film really comes into its own with such a towering performance from Rod Steiger that one has to wonder why he wasn't nominated for an Oscar. 100% brilliant comedy send up - his speech impediment is a masterstroke, masterly executed. Steiger can be watched and rewatched endlessly, he's such a scream, while the end of the film one of the best blasts you'll ever see.

I like Charles Bronson. In some film fan circles this is considered a crime, but I've learned to live with it. Ánd then there is "Love and Bullets". Considering the production values this must have been a major release in it's day. And watching the trailer you could guess why people went to the cinema for it. Seeing it in the day and age of Jason Bourne is a different story: A crook is on the phone. He calls his boss who is outside. We hear the phone ring, the boss hears it, walks into the house and after an excruciating long period of time reaches the phone. In a Matt Damon outing this scene would probably take 15 seconds, even if he had to use the 1979 model of a phone used here. Look at the geographical distance covered in the film. Bourne, Bond or any given thriller hero might cover this mileage in 2 minutes. Bronson takes about an hour. He walks, he sleeps and has to deal with Mrs Jill Bronson again. And as I've said before: she was an acting disaster. I hope their marriage was okay, she nearly ruined some Bronson movies all by herself. Lalo Schifrin's music is intriguing, but the very short motive is overused a zillion different times. But overall Charlie is okay, Rod Steiger is ridiculous (but hopefully on purpose), the scenery helps and the final scene makes you smile as you do in most classic Bronson outings. And as opposed to other reviewers: it is on DVD and has been for a long, long time through Carlton Entertainment in Europe. Sound of outdoor scenes is awful. All in all, this was the last big budget film for Bronson. It should have been slightly better. It could have been.