The Professionals (1966)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Frank O'Rourke (novel)
Richard Brooks (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

2 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

It Captures The Flavor Of A Brawling Lusty Mexico!

Plot:

An arrogant Texas millionaire hires four adventurers to rescue his kidnapped wife from a notorious Mexican bandit.

Plot Keywords:

Mexican | Contract | Explosives Expert | Mexican Revolution | Mexico

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Bill Dolworth
Lee Marvin	...	Henry 'Rico' Fardan
Robert Ryan	...	Hans Ehrengard
Woody Strode	...	Jake Sharp
Jack Palance	...	Jesus Raza
Claudia Cardinale	...	Mrs. Maria Grant
Ralph Bellamy	...	Joe Grant
Joe De Santis	...	Ortega
Rafael Bertrand	...	Fierro
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos	...	Eduardo Padilla - Goatkeeper (as Jorge Martinez de Hoyos)
Marie Gomez	...	Chiquita
José Chávez	...	Revolutionary (as Jose Chavez)
Carlos Romero	...	Revolutionary
Vaughn Taylor	...	Grant's Banker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Cadiente	...	(uncredited)
Vincente Cadiente	...	(uncredited)
Elizabeth Campbell	...	Mexican Girl (uncredited)
Don Carlos	...	Bandit (uncredited)
Leigh Chapman	...	Lady (uncredited)
Roberto Contreras	...	Bandit (uncredited)
Dirk Evans	...	Man at Door (uncredited)
Foster Hood	...	(uncredited)
Darwin Lamb	...	Hooper - Grant's Associate (uncredited)
Eddie Little Sky	...	Jake's Prisoner (uncredited)
John Lopez	...	Mexican Servant (uncredited)
John McKee	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Henry O'Brien	...	(uncredited)
Philip L. Parslow	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Ron Veto	...	Mexican soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Frank O'Rourke		(novel "A Mule for the Marquesa")
Richard Brooks		(written for the screen by)

Produced by
Richard Brooks	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Conrad L. Hall		(director of photography) (as Conrad Hall)

Film Editing by
Peter Zinner

Art Direction by
Ted Haworth		(as Edward S. Haworth)

Set Decoration by
Frank Tuttle

Makeup Department
Jackie Bone	....	hair stylist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (as Robert Schiffer)

Production Management
Lee Lukather	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Shaw	....	assistant director

Art Department
Joe LaBella	....	property master (as Joseph La Bella)

Sound Department
Del Harris	....	sound effects
Jack Haynes	....	sound
William Randall	....	sound (as William Randall Jr.)
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor
Kay Rose	....	sound effects

Special Effects by
Willis Cook	....	special effects
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Boyd Cabeen	....	stunt double (uncredited)
John Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
John McKee	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Somers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ron Veto	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Sundby	....	chief electrician
Arthur Brooker	....	key grip (uncredited)
Bobby Byrne	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jordan Cronenweth	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
William A. Fraker	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Michael A. Jones	....	assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Charles Rosher Jr.	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jack Martell	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor
Maury Winetrobe	....	music editor
Leo Arnaud	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
John Franco	....	script supervisor
Cheryl Leigh	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Pax Enterprises

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia-Bavaria Filmgesellschaft m.b.H. (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (video)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (19??) (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (19??) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Technicolor  color
• U.S. Department of Interior  courtesy of
• Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources  courtesy of
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and nudity (re-rating: 1999)

Runtime:

117 min | UK:123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording) | Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 | USA:GP (1970) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating: 1999) | USA:Approved (PCA #21227) (original rating) | New Zealand:PG | USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:14 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

After Burt Lancaster ambushes Jack Palance's men and shoots Jack Palance. Palance shouts out for "Francisco". The following shot of a dead Francisco also shows a horse having a bowel movement in the background.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As the Professionals escape in the mine cars, there is an overhead shot in which the cable pulling the cars is visible.

Quotes:

Jesus Raza:Where did the bullet bite you?
Bill Dolworth:In the ass. You?
Jesus Raza:[looking at the bullet wound in his thigh] Oh, another two inches, mamacita!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Memories from 'The Professionals' (2005) (V)

Exciting Western film with an excellent script, veteran cast and plenty of action.

Although there's plenty of action in this Western, I believe that the action plays second fiddle to the script. Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Wood Strode and Robert Ryan are first rate as the four professionals engaged on a mission which is not all it seems. They are hired by rich mining man J. W. Grant (played by Ralph Bellamy) to bring back his kidnapped wife (played by Claudia Cardinale). She has been captured by Jesus Raza (played by Jack Palance). "Jesus. . .what a name for the bloodiest butcher in Mexico", says one of the characters.

The dialogue between the characters is crisp and often funny. In one situation where Lancaster has been hung upside down in his underwear by Raza's men, Marvin asks him why he keeps losing his pants. Occasionally the dialogue turns serious. Robert Ryan is shivering in the cold desert night and asks who can live in such a "hellhole". Marvin replies that you have to be as tough as steel. "Like you and Dalworth," Ryan replies. "No, men like Raza."

The professionals have a mission, but they respect their adversary. Perhaps they even like him. When they retrieve the wife, Marvin prevents Lancaster from killing Raza. Later, when Lancaster pins Raza down in a narrow canyon they visit about old times.

The movie was filmed in Death Valley and in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. The colorful rocks and barren desert scenery are used to good effect in the film.

Although the plot is simple, the professionals' mission is not what it seems. They feel they've been set up at the very beginning when Woody Strode, a master tracker, finds the tracks of 10 horses who have been circling. They have obviously been waiting for them. This is only the beginning of the twists and turns in this movie. The film's imaginative plot is delightfully refreshing.

The professionals have a code. Sure, they can be bought. For $10,000 these men will risk the desert, bullets and other dangers. However, they won't go to any lengths to complete their mission. The code first manifests itself when Marvin prevents Lancaster from killing Raza. Later, Lancaster finds out "how a woman can be worth a hundred thousand dollars."

This film doesn't really have a serious weakness. The mix between action, humor and outstanding scenic backdrops makes this a much better than average Western. "The Professionals" is extremely fun to watch and the movie finishes with one of the best comic lines I've ever heard in movies. You won't forget it.