Scorpio (1973)

During the Cold War, the CIA orders free-lance operative Scorpio to assassinate his former CIA mentor Cross and a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues.

Director:

Michael Winner

Writers:

David W. Rintels (screenplay), Gerald Wilson (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Paul Scofield

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Lancaster	...	Cross
Alain Delon	...	Jean Laurier
Paul Scofield	...	Sergei Zharkov
John Colicos	...	McLeod
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Susan
J.D. Cannon	...	Filchock
Joanne Linville	...	Sarah Cross
Mel Stewart	...	Pick (as Melvin Stewart)
Vladek Sheybal	...	Zemetkin
Mary Maude	...	Anne
Jack Colvin	...	Paul Milney
James Sikking	...	Harris
Burke Byrnes	...	Morrison
William Smithers	...	Mitchell
Shmuel Rodensky	...	Lang

Storyline

Cross is a CIA field agent, most of his tasks as an assassin. He has just returned to Washington DC from working on a case in Paris, he accompanied by Jean Laurier, code name Scorpio, a Frenchman who has long been mentored by Cross and who works as a freelance assassin. Scorpio pulled the actual trigger on the target in the just completed Paris case, and because of the nature of their work, Cross and Scorpio part company at Dulles Airport, neither having ever seen the other if questioned. Scorpio currently also lives part-time in DC with his girlfriend Susan and his flight attendant sister Anne. Cross' superior McLeod is surprised to see both Cross and Scorpio return to DC as the agency, through McLeod, had unofficially contracted Scorpio to eliminate Cross in Paris as it is well known within the agency that Cross plans on quitting, the threat that he could sell out to the Communists with the amount of knowledge he has too great a risk for the agency to take. Scorpio was seemingly the...

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Plot Keywords:

espionage | one word title | surveillance | cia agent | blackmail | 

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Taglines:

The most incredible manhunt of them all!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Burt Lancaster starred with Alain Delon in The Leopard (1963), and Paul Scofield in The Train (1964).

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Goofs

Early in the movie, the two CIA covert operatives are openly discussing a high profile political assassination on-board the airplane in close proximity of civilians' ears, including names and motives of involved parties. Though it helps the audience understand the story, that kind of conduct is virtually impossible in real life behavior.

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Quotes

Cross: You still don't have any questions?
Zemetkin: What answers could you have that would make any difference?I love you, Cross.
Cross: And I you, Max. That's why I must tell you there could be pain in this.
Zemetkin: I have been inoculated. You know, Cross, I used to think that the only music I would ever hear, no matter what I was really playing, was the music we played each morning when the others went out to work. Or the music for the selection, when the lucky ones went into the showers. Now I can hear Brahms... And not ...

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Connections

Referenced in Ninja Mission 2000 (2000)

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Soundtracks

Die Fledermaus
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauss
Arranged by Jerry Fielding

User Reviews

First rate plot.

It is rare nowadays to get such a good plot as this one. This film is deleted in England so I bought an American copy via Amazon - I like it so much.

I won`t go into the plot simply to say that this is first rate stuff with great atmosphere.

10 out of 10.

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

19 April 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Scorpio File

Filming Locations:

Washington Dulles International Airport - 45020 Aviation Drive, Sterling, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mirisch Corporation, Scimitar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor) Black and White (news footage) (freeze frame)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1