User reviews

'Cold Sweat' is a 70's actioner I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by. Charles Bronson plays a guy whose cronies have caught up with him after spending many years in jail for a crime that he fled from. He's in sanctuary in France with his wife (played, rather slummingly wouldn't you say? By Liv Ullmann), and what do you know, his evil friends from the past catch up with him and takes his whole family hostage so that they can complete the One More Job together. Bronson accepts, but since this is a Bronson film, He's Got Other Tricks Up His Sleeve. So begins a fun little cat and mouse game, mainly dealing with the daughter or other of the bad guys (played hilariously by James Mason) and the trade-offs Manson and Mason are fun to watch. There's lots of chases too! Wee! Finally, I just want to comment on the print of the film I saw on DVD. It looked somewhat banged up, but I thought it just added to the viewing aesthetic of the movie! I just felt I was in a New York grindhouse movie theater, with this double featured with say, Dolomite or something.

Though proudly billed as Terence Young's COLD SWEAT, this turned out to be a below-average international concoction: the plot is formulaic – albeit adapted from a novel by Richard Matheson – one that Bronson often returned to, of a man whose past catches up with him (in fact, I recently watched Sergio Sollima's similar but superior VIOLENT CITY [1970]).

The film is doubly disappointing, however, for wasting the talents of actors of the caliber of James Mason and Liv Ullmann – the latter clearly wishes she was elsewhere, while the former often resorts to hamminess (with a ridiculous American accent to match). As expected, the narrative flanks Bronson with real-life spouse Jill Ireland – here in perhaps her most embarrassing performance as a spoiled hippie brat; needless to say, the star more often than not lets his physique do the acting for him – but his is an undeniable screen presence and, as I've written elsewhere, he just happened to fit the bill for what was required of an action star in the late 60s/70s.

The supporting cast also includes Michel Constantin (who was also in VIOLENT CITY), "Euro-Cult" regular Luigi Pistilli, and Jean Topart – all of them appearing as members of Mason's gang, with the latter being the most villainous of the lot and who gets his just desserts in memorable fashion. The best thing the violent film has going for it are the plentiful and exciting action sequences, particularly a lengthy – if somewhat irrelevant – car chase towards the end (once again, the work of Remy Julienne). Though the budget DVD at least presented it in the correct aspect ratio, the print for COLD SWEAT (which, along with a few other Bronson titles, has fallen into the public domain) was still too soft and murky to do justice to its variety of European locations.

Charles Bronson takes his drearily and ultra-violent vendetta after his spouse , Liv Ullman and daughter , are kidnapped by a drug boss , James Mason , and his hoodlums: Michael Constantine , Luigi Pistilli , Jean Topart.

This brutal thriller contains noisy action , car chases , intrigue , and lots of violence among crooks . However , filmmaking and writing are average .Typical Bronson flick has Charles in his ordinary role as an avenger taking law on his own hands. Based on the novel by Richard Matheson called "Ride the nightmare" which is butchered to produce the ordinary vengeance movie .It boasts superior cast with prestigious secondaries as Luigi Pistilli, Michael Constantine , the great James Mason and Jill Ireland, Bronson's wife. Special mention for Jean Topart as a moronic henchman and Liv Ulmman who gives a nice acting as anguished and captured wife.

It displays an atmospheric and thrilling score by Michael Magne. Including evocative cinematography shot on location in Francia , Azul Coast. This turgid motion picture was regularly directed by the prolific Terence Young, including some flaws and gaps. Young was an uneven filmmaker with hits and flops. As he made three of the best Bond films :Doctor No , Thunderball, From Russia with love , he also directed other genres , Western : Red Sun , Dramas /intrigue : Klansman, Bloodline , Jigsaw man , The poppy is also flower, wait until dark ; Costumer : Adventures of Moll Flanders , Adventure : The Rover and WWII : Triple Cross .Rating 5,5/10 , acceptable and passable . The movie will appeal to Bronson fans. Charles does all that can be expect of him and he will reward his legions of enthusiasts.

Charles Bronson is as cool as cool gets in this okay action-thriller based on a Richard Matheson novel. Bronson plays "Joe Martin", American expatriate and boat expert living in France with a wife (Liv Ullmann) and stepdaughter (Yannick Delulle). One eventful night, his dark past catches up with him; an old associate, Ross (James Mason) wants him to atone for a past mistake by getting mixed up in the drug trade.

"Cold Sweat" is an okay film of its kind. No more, no less. It's directed with some competence if not an over-abundance of style by Terence Young ("Thunderball"). It mostly derives tension from the pressure put on Joe by such characters as Ross, Whitey (Michel Constantin), and Fausto (Luigi Pistilli). Of course, one is never in much doubt that Bronson will rise up righteous and kick some ass. He handles much of what goes on with some true savvy - and a fair amount of amusing dialogue.

A drawling Mason is great fun to watch, especially as Ross must deal with unexpected difficulties. Some folks might say that Ullmann is slumming here, but she offers an appealing performance as a wife who tries her best to be strong. Bronson's real-life love Jill Ireland is okay as a moll. But it's Jean Topart who tends to steal the show, cast as a tough-talking, trigger-happy goon named Katanga.

The unqualified highlight of the film is an extended car chase that is at least reasonably exciting. Bronson, who's at the wheel, has a pretty imposing (and unlikely) deadline staring him in the face.

Overall, "Cold Sweat" is well worth a look for fans of the star.

Seven out of 10.

Usually this Italian Charles Bronson outing gets torn to shreds, but I found this sturdy, vigorous and taut crime feature to be modestly well-done in what it sets out to achieve with its modest budget. This would be the first international production (the others to follow 'Red Sun (1971)' and 'The Valachi Papers (1972)') and the weakest of three films, which director Terence Young would have Bronson in the leading role. Bronson is reliable and looks in good shape. Along side him there are recognizable faces in James Mason, Liv Ullmann, Jill Ireland, Luigi Pistilli, Michel Constantin and Jean Topart. The lesser support cast do an admirable job, but the likes of Mason, Ullmann and especially Ireland hit the bottom. Mason basically chews on his lines. Ullmann doesn't look all that comfortable and Ireland just makes you cringe. The former two are wasted. Other than Bronson, it's the villainous side-kicks Pistilli, Constantin and the cold-blooded Topart that are the life of the party. The script falls on the flimsy side. A tightly drilled and violently gritty story, but elementary straight-laced all-the-same. A former soldier/drug smuggler attempts to start a new life in the south of France with his family, but some of his ex-comrades return to settle a score. What begins as slow-grinding, laying out the premise's predicament would gradually unfold into a collection of grit-your-teeth, cat-and-mouse set-pieces. Thrillingly fast, long-winded and twisty-turny cars chase being the pick of the lot. It's not until the last half of the story when the raw, brutal explosiveness kicks in. The pace moves well enough, and the scenic photography of the European locations is fittingly captured. The bravura camera-work solidly gets amongst the action and the swirling music score is penetratingly overstated in a gusty fashion. Durable action joint.

Charles Bronson is an expatriate American boat owner in the south of France, living with his wife, Liv Ullmann and his stepdaughter. He seems a lighthearted guy, until James Mason shows up. Mason was his captain in the army, and the leader of a smuggling ring, which included Bronson. Bronson turned witness, and Mason went to prison. Now Mason has kidnapped Ullmann and daughter to force Bronson to take part in his latest scheme. But despite some good planning, matters soon become complicated.

It's seems like an odd trio, but despite Bronson clearly being the star, Ullmann and Mason get some fine, extended sequences. There's also some fine location camerawork around Nice and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, an exciting high-speed driving sequence, and Jill Ireland as a ditz.

Cold Sweet (1970)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Charles Bronsplay plays Joe Martin, a man living a happy life with his wife (Liv Ullmann) and her daughter. All of that is thrown out the window when his past comes back to haunt him. Captain Ross (James Mason) demands that Joe use his boat for a drug trade and this leads to a cat and mouse game.

Terrence Young directs this entertaining if rather light weight action picture that fans of the action legend will enjoy while others will probably not be overly entertained by the thin plot. There's no question that the plot really isn't all that original and that a re-write certainly wouldn't have hurt. Even by 1970 we had seen countless movies dealing with the family man and his past catching up with him.

What keeps COLD SWEET moving and entertaining is the fact that you've got a wonderful group of actors. Bronson was just a natural at playing this soft-talking tough guys and he turns in a good performance. Both Ullmann and Mason certainly have much more important roles in their careers but it's still fun seeing them in a film like this. Jill Ireland plays a hippie chick and it's Luigi Pistilli who steals the picture as a cold-hearted bad guy.

COLD SWEET features some very good action scenes including the finale with an excellent sequence of a car going down the side of a cliff that is highly entertaining. Again, this is a fun action film but one wishes that there was a bit more to the story.

Cold Sweat is a Charles Bronson film done at the cusp of his career change when he was transitioning from character supporting player to rugged leading man. As the Bronson phenomenon was taking off James Mason who plays one of several villains in the film said he was assured of a good pay day by appearing in a Bronson film in support.

Bronson is a Hemingway type of character American expatriate in Southern France making a living as a charter boat captain supporting his wife Liv Ullman and stepdaughter Yannick Delulle. Bronson's been keeping secrets from Ullman, she doesn't know he's an ex-con who served time in military prison and is wanted by the West German police for his part in the killing of one of their police. Not that he did the deed in fact he broke from his gang when it happened. Still he's guilty because he's associated with those that did it.

Which includes James Mason, Michel Constantin, Luigi Pistilli, and Jean Topart. They've looked him up as they want him and his boat as part of another deal. And they hold Ullman and Delulle hostage.

The film also features Jill Ireland who was Bronson's real life wife and mistress to James Mason in Cold Sweat. She plays a spaced out airhead heiress who takes up with Mason because it's groovy. Jill's probably digging Mason's Tennessee accent, the same one he used a few years later in Mandingo.

Cold Sweat is a routine action adventure programmer. It's all right but Charles Bronson would give us better films in the 70s and 80s.

I watch movies for specific reasons. I don't always look for such things as a plot. What did I get out of "Cold Sweat"?

First, a reminder to mix business AND pleasure. The gentlemen who produced this could have filmed in New Jersey. Rather, they chose the south of France. Good choice! Beaulieau-sur-Mer in the south of France, as well as the lovely French countryside way down south.

Charles Bronson pumped up, as usual. It appears that he does a set of push-ups before every scene. He's cut, in a black T-Shirt for the whole film. And he's not in his famous revenge mode. Here, he calculates. And expresses himself, emotionally. See the quote section...

Terrance Young's direction. Yes, the early Bond-film director is at his bond-vivant! best, with rich panoramas and an eye for pretty things. I'll have another, garson.

Nice Airport and a really cool 1970 hair salon. Think Korova milk bar ala Clockwork Orange.

Old French cars from the late 60's. Those Citroens are cool. And that off-roading experience in that red sedan was hilarious. Also, the close-up of the bias-ply tire folding over...priceless.

Finally, attractive leading ladies.

If you can find this movie, watch it! I found my DVD at Fleet Farm coupled with another Bronson movie, "Chino" for the reasonable charge of $4.99.

One of Bronson's European action movies and certainly not a bad one, although some reviewers will always want to say negative things about Charlie, because, well, he is Charlie. A much bigger problem in this (as in many more of his films) is the presence of Mrs Bronson, Jill Ireland. She was always in on the contract to get Charles himself in, as she was really a horrible actress most of the time in my opinion. In all his films in which she performs, she always has a role in the corner somewhere, as a hooker, as a hippie, as someone's friend. Where Charlie usually didn't say much, she said too much, which might have been the secret of their marriage. Anyway, Cold Sweat is in a brilliant R2 DVD from Canal Plus now, so stop arguing about poor film quality and fading colors and all that. One thing struck me as odd when you look at the actors and actresses involved. Some were very popular and much asked for names, whilst there are at least 4 or 5 people involved who only made 1 film, this one. Notably the girl who played Bronson's daughter here could have done some more roles I gather, but you never know what happened.

Charles Bronson (as Joe Martin) appears to be leading the good life, on the French Riviera. He sails with his lovely step-daughter, and plays cards with the boys. Mr. Bronson has a beautiful home, where housewife Liv Ullmann (as Fabienne Martin) watches westerns on TV, and fetches him beers. Ms. Ullmann and daughter are relatively recent additions to Bronson's World - which is about to be rocked by the return of some really BAD men he knew when he was "Joe Morgan".

"Cold Sweat" is a fairly typical Bronson film, despite its origin, in France, as "De la part des copains"; and, the surprising appearance of Ullmann as the periled wife. The real Mrs. Bronson (Jill Ireland) appears later on, as the main squeeze for the film's villainous James Mason (as Captain Ross). Mr. Mason's slightly French influenced US Southern accent is interesting. Bronson is very fit. The 14 July "Bastille Day" is somewhat similar to America's 4 July "Independence Day". There is a too brief amount of female flesh. This is far from the best film in this genre; so, action afiliados should expect to be bored.

**** Cold Sweat (12/18/70) Terence Young ~ Charles Bronson, Liv Ullmann, James Mason, Jill Ireland

Yeah, it's a terrible euro-pudding bomb, and Terence Young never was much of a director, but it's also a film I saw when I was 12, where I discovered Bronson. As bad as the film (really !) is, CB is physically at his absolute best in it : thick moustache, black T-shirt, pumped-up muscles, he walks through "Cold sweat" with an incredible presence. Of course, his couple with Liv Ullmann is laughable, James Mason looks bored to death (he should be), Jill Ireland is pathetic as a hippie drug dealer (she did it again in "Assassination" years later). But as far as Bronson's mythology is concerned (in Europe, at least), "Cold sweat" meant something at the time. The first time he was publicized as a superstar. For fans only...

Great car chase sequence (which comes pretty close to the end) highlights this good-looking, gritty, if weakly-plotted action film. After a strong "home invasion" start, the plot practically stops dead in its tracks and never gets going again. Charles Bronson is in prime muscular form, his bulging biceps very noticeable; interesting to see Liv Ullmann on a break from Ingmar Bergman! **1/2 out of 4.

This movie has been available via Public Domain transfers on dollar bin dvds for years. If you wanted a cheap action movie, you got something like this in one of those bins. That was my introduction to this movie and it was almost impossible to cut through the dark grainy transfer to get interested enough in the movie to watch it much less enjoy it.

Times have changed and even PD movies are getting a AI upscale face-lift and now this movie can actually be enjoyed. This is only in the last 4 or 5 years but this movie was out on those dvds for decades. I think that knocked the rating down because this is actually a pretty good Bronson movie from the era.

It's got an interesting script from one of the best writers of the time, Terrence Young directing which is usually great and seeing James Mason play a character like this is kind of fun to watch. Amazing how well the British do American Southern accents. I know I can't manage it not living in either place.

This is worth watching if you see it remastered. Studio Canal or Kino Lorber did the remastering. The latter even released a polished version of the sci fi/spy movie Dimension 5. They always do a fine job. Without the remastering, you might enjoy some of the action sequences and car chases but you won't get into the story. That's the downside of cheap transfers of these old movies. If you already know the whole story or there's not much to know (like Ed Wood movies) then it's OK. Not so much with something that gets a little involved plot wise. I still can't follow those early 60s Hercules movies because of that.

Charles Bronson in the prime, bouncing around Nice and dealing with villains whilst keeping his family safe.

Looking at the virtues, the scenery and car chases are marvellous, should have had a touch more bonnet POV and at a lower angle to catch the close driving on tight mountain roads though.

But much as I love James Mason his accent with equally pointless and terrible but he played the part well otherwise, although his character was far too tolerant of idiotic henchmen.

Weird thing is they didn't actually conclude the plot with with the doctor, he was kidnapped at gunpoint which might be a police issue and he never had a moment where say he's walk out of the building giving a headshake to the departed's love interest. I guess they just forgot.

Bronson is an American living in France. He operates a charter boat and is married to Liv Ullman. One night some men show up at his house and Ullman learns that she doesn't know who he really is. While he was in a military prison, he had betrayed his former commanding officer James Mason, and now Mason is back to return the favour ... and to hold Ullman and their daughter hostage until the debt is paid. A routine, but effective action thriller with a couple of major flaws. Bronson's betrayal of Mason was really pretty egregious, but the film doesn't seem to think our sympathy with him should be affected by that. Mason is unfortunately playing an American, and a Southerner too. His accent is beyond awful. Luigi Pistilli and Jill Ireland co-star.

On the action 50 pack classics I'm watching many older movies for the first time,since i enjoy the Charles Bronson films i thought i would enjoy cold sweat,i was right its a good Italian/french/Belgium co production about a Korean war veteran(Charles Bronson)who moves on with his life after being involved with gangsters who were in the military with him,most notably is an army captain (james mason)gone bad, he holds Bronson's wife(Liv Ullman)and stepdaughter(yannick delulle)hostage there's some good car chases,fighting and some pg violence.Bronson's real life wife(Jill Ireland)plays the captains hipper girlfriend.its not as good as deathwish,but its a well made early Charles Bronson actioner. 8 out of 10.

Dreary French/Italian production plods along in the South of France finding Bronson as an ex-army con on the run trying to make a new life for himself after dumping his army associates at the prison gates. Surprise, surprise, they turn up soon enough looking for some payback lead by James Mason looking and sounding rather stayed with an American Southern drawl. Bronson reels this one in on auto drive playing the usual tough guy he's played a hundred times before, but seems way out of his depth outside of the fleeting action scenes, and uncomfortably wooden especially beside Liv Ullman playing his naive wife. Bronson not surprisingly relaxes more by his (off screen) wife Jill Ireland who also plays a pathetic stereo typical 'wild child.'

From a dull start, this film continues to amble on even when Mason and his henchman show, it is only when Bronson has to fight off a ticking clock both in the story and the film's evaporating running time does 'Cold Sweat' come alive, with an obligatory but none the less well executed car chase. After Bronson ditches the car 'Cold Sweat' reverts back to it's predictable proceedings and inevitable conclusion, resulting in a regrettably thin Bronson vehicle, all the more surprising considering it was based on a Richard Matheson story and directed by Terence Young, of early Bond films such as 'Dr No' and 'Thunderball.'