One of the frequent occurrences in movie industry is when a studio is desperate for a hit and hires several big name actors and then gives them a hopeless script and an uninspired director to work with. Such is the case with "Soleil rouge". A cheap French/Spanish/Italian production starring Charles Bronson in the part of a "charming" outlaw and thief Link, Toshiro Mifune in a near-ridiculous incarnation of a Samurai that is on his quest to avenge the killing of his samurai buddy by the French thief Gauche played by Alain Delon in his probably dumbest and poorest role ever and finally the Swiss diva Ursula Andress, the only real thrill in this movie, but not because of her acting skills.
The chemistry between Bronson and Mifune doesn't work so well and they fail to impress and save this film.Somehow it all seemed so promising to the producers;hire Terence Young, the director of the three best Bond films and three cool macho heroes, one from the East to make it interesting and with Ursula Andress the mega babe of the 60's, how can it fail? The worst thing is that it also is very misleading to the average man who thinks he's in for a real treat the moment he spots the film in his video store. By the time the uninspired and dull showdown is over, one can only comfort himself that it could have been worse. And indeed, there are worse films, specially from that time and in Italian/French/Spanish production. I don't mean to be disrespectful to those countries and their film industry, but the horrible dubbing and making movies just for money was a usual thing back then, not just in those countries.
In the end, one can just wish this affair never happened. And I fail to understand why so many like this movie. To me it's just a great waste of such fine talents. Even Ursula Andress has done better films and I bet she doesn't exactly brag about being in this film. Oh, and it also features Maurice Jarre's worst score.5 out of 10.
The chemistry between Bronson and Mifune doesn't work so well and they fail to impress and save this film.Somehow it all seemed so promising to the producers;hire Terence Young, the director of the three best Bond films and three cool macho heroes, one from the East to make it interesting and with Ursula Andress the mega babe of the 60's, how can it fail? The worst thing is that it also is very misleading to the average man who thinks he's in for a real treat the moment he spots the film in his video store. By the time the uninspired and dull showdown is over, one can only comfort himself that it could have been worse. And indeed, there are worse films, specially from that time and in Italian/French/Spanish production. I don't mean to be disrespectful to those countries and their film industry, but the horrible dubbing and making movies just for money was a usual thing back then, not just in those countries.
In the end, one can just wish this affair never happened. And I fail to understand why so many like this movie. To me it's just a great waste of such fine talents. Even Ursula Andress has done better films and I bet she doesn't exactly brag about being in this film. Oh, and it also features Maurice Jarre's worst score.5 out of 10.