Marseille contrat

Three great actors and a well paced film and what more can you ask for !!! Underrated film and a good story and nice locations Worth watching

Police officer Steve Ventura has tried and failed to catch Jacques Brizard – a respectable businessman who deals drugs. In his frustration he hires a hitman to kill Brizard – the hitman turning out to be old friend John Deray. As Deray starts to get close to Brizard, Ventura strengthens his case.

I watched this back to back with another Michael Caine movie – Without a Clue. In that his presence lifted an average film into something better….however here he can't manage it. In fact, three big names can't do it. The plot is straightforward and is similar to many other 1970's thrillers. The action and the characters could also be in any other of hundreds of cheap thrillers. There are few scenes that make the film interesting – Deray showing how ruthless he is on top of a building site is one of the highlights, the car chase/romance is also interesting as it was copied (but extended) for Mission: Impossible 2.

Caine appears to be in a different movie from Quinn – he's happy go lucky, enjoying romantic dinners etc while Quinn is gritting it out on the streets with informers etc. It creates a split feel to the movie – but it's better when the two come together. Neither are good enough to make the film better than average – nor is James `The Voice' Mason, who looks like he's asleep for most of it.

Overall, there are plenty of good 1970's thrillers out there that contain these actors separately (Quinn in Across 110th Street for one) – here the three can't manage to lift this out of being average and a bit dull.

Unlike some others, I really like this movie. As an American, I appreciate the Paris locations, which are well chosen. I like the Alfa Romeo Montreal that Michael Caine's character drives, an exceedingly rare and attractive model. I feel the dialog is clever and natural, and at times funny ("funguoo you!). It's interesting to see Pierre Salinger, the American statesman, in a small role and doing it well.

I feel you need to look at "The Destructors" as a group of vignettes, individually well done.While player motivations are sometimes a bit unclear,and some subplots lead nowhere, most of the main scenes are well presented. Younger people used to the slam bang action and quick scene cuts of newer movies may call it dull, but those who appreciate fine actors like James Mason, Anthony Quinn and Michael Caine may see this as a diamond in the rough. If you have a chance, catch this film on cable or at a theatre that plays older films, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

I am wary when a film's writer is also its main producer, or vice versa. Either we are in the presence of greatness, or ... not. Here, not. Judd Bernard has done a decent job as a producer, and a good one as the writer of the story, but he should have left the screenplay and dialogue to someone else. The Marseille Contract (aka The Destructors) from 1974 has an unfortunate pedestrian tone to the writing. But it's a decent thriller, worth a watch. The location shooting in Paris and Marseille creates a great 1970s vibe, and the story is full of tension. Anthony Quinn's acting here was terrific. Michael Caine is a pleasure to watch, but he seemed to be in remote control. James Mason was miscast as the French drug king, but it's always a pleasure to watch him anyway. The two car chase scenes are great. Many people have criticized the film as a blatant rip off of The French Connection, and of course that came to my mind very early in the film. But I don't mind them copying that film so much as I wish they had just made this one a bit better.

As a fan of Micheal Caine and of action thrillers from the seventies I was looking forward to watching this film. I'd listened to the wickedly funky soundtrack by Roy "Get Carter" Budd, and spent a while tracking down a copy of the film on VHS.

Firstly i'll deal with the good points. Marseille is a good location to film a thriller, think of French Connection 2 for example, and it is well used. I'm in love with the Citroen DS, especially in black, so I was pleased to see them used throughout the film. There's a playful "cat and mouse" car scene, which was later copied in a more OTT style by John Woo in MI:2! There are a few interesting killings. Caine looks very seventies cool.

Now for the not so good points. Budds soundtrack although is efficient, it is too efficient for my liking, i'd like to hear more of it in the film. The music never really gets going. There are a couple more chase scenes thrown in for good measure, but they are boring. The acting is very very average, as is the film.

In my opinion I think that the director should have made a decision to go with either A) A gritty, hard hitting thriller. Or B) A more tongue in cheek, stylish caper movie. This film has both qualities at certain points within the movie, but it doesn't have the mix right. This is a shame because it could have been much better, perhaps a bigger budget was needed, who knows.

So to sum up, if Michael Caine in various seventies fashions such as roll neck sweaters, giant aviator sunglasses, a smoking jacket with cravat and the odd kipper tie floats your boat, this is the move for you!