"The Old Pro" is about as standard a Hitchcock episode as one will ever see. That said, it still has some suspense built into it and fine performances from the cast, although no one has to stretch too much to play their part. Richard Conte is the title character, and "old pro" hit-man who has retired to the countryside with his wife. But all is not well in his newfound world; he's being blackmailed by a journalist who will sell his story to the press. This publicity will ruin the life he's made for himself and, worst of all, expose his criminal past to his unsuspecting wife. She thinks he's a retired "engineer" who used to "troubleshoot" for his company. Conte decides to eliminate his blackmailer and calls up his old boss (character actor John Anderson) to set up a "hit" on the fellow. A young assassin named Mace (Robert Carlysle) is sent to do the dirty job. What Conte doesn't know is that the blackmailer has also called up Anderson with similar ideas of his own. But old pro Conte is able to rise to the occasion and ends up getting the drop on both of them; both Mace and the blackmailer end up floating face-down in a nearby lake. Unfortunately, Conte's plans to continue his retirement are put on hold when Anderson decides that since his murderous skills are still intact, he can do further work for the "company." Like Al Pacino complained in Godfather III, every time Conte tries to get out "they pull him back in." At least the money is good. "The Old Pro" was directed by veteran actor Paul Henried who does his usual fine work. Richard Conte appeared in many great movies, playing nice guys and criminals with equal enthusiasm. His "Barzini" in the original "Godfather" was one of his better late-career roles. John Anderson remained one of Hollywood's premier character actors throughout his long and distinguished career. He was another fellow who could play good and bad guys effectively in nearly any genre.
Review of The Old Pro
