MESSENGER OF DEATH

US, 1988, 91 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Trish Van Devere, Laurence Luckinbill, John Ireland.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Messenger of Death was one of the last of the Charles Bronson action movies. It was directed by long-time colleague, J. Lee Thompson (Tiger Bay, The Guns of Navarone). Their collaborations included St Ives, White Buffalo, Cabobianco, Ten to Midnight, Evil That Men Do, Murphy's Law, Death Wish IV, Kinjite.

Bronson acts his age in this film, a newspaper reporter who is involved in minimal fisticuffs and actions as in his previous films. The setting is Colorado, a state with all kinds of odd religious groups and tensions. However, the Mormons are being exploited by the Colorado Water Company, fomenting a feud between families to gain access to water.

The material is familiar enough but John Ireland and Jeff Corey as the two patriarchs of the feuding families give some strength to the film. The supporting cast includes Trish Van Der Veer as a newspaper proprietor, cousin of the Mormons, who helps Bronson in uncovering the true story. The villain is Laurence Luckinbill, who has quite an outburst mad scene at the end.

It is standard action material in the Bronson style.

1.The popularity of Charles Bronson, man of action? As an older man, American hero? The popularity of his films in the '70s and '80s?

2.The Colorado locations, Denver, the Rockies, the highways, the properties? The beauty of the landscapes? The musical score?

3.The title, avenging angels, images for the Mormons? In the sermons of the Mormon patriarchs?

4.The religious codes of the Mormons, patriarchy, families and wives? Loyalties? Outsiders as Gentiles? Laws unto themselves, suspicious of the media? Being exploited by business interests? Capitalising on family feuds and violence?

5.The opening, the massacre and its brutality, the killers? The reappearance of the killers murdering the patriarchs? The young killer and his wanting to do a deal with Smith? His being murdered by his accomplice? The final confrontation between Smith and the main assassin?

6.Smith, the journalist, his work, the dinner with the business executive, the police chief and his ambitions to be mayor? Setting the scene? Smith as personality, relationships? With his editor?

7.Smith as the journalist, going to the scene of the crime, the investigation, seeing Beecham in jail? Going to Willis and hearing him preach, the clash with the family? Beecham coming out of jail and returning to his family, his grief with the massacre, suspicions of their relations? Meeting with Jastra, her link with the Mormons? Going out to visit Zenas and his family? The welcome, the meal, their code? Smith and his attempt to reconcile the two families? The massacres? His sighting of the killer, the chases, Jastra and himself being threatened by the tankers?

8.The portrait of the families, the patriarchs, the preaching? The tradition of the Mormons? The families? Their codes? Willis and the pretence of his death and funeral, Smith opening the empty coffin? Their being prepared for reconciliation, the deaths, the young men of the family and vengeance? Zenas's death and his final words, the funeral?

9.Jastra, her work as a newspaper editor and owner, cousin of the Mormons, friendly with Smith (after the police not co-operating)? The visit to the families, continued information, the attraction and Smith trying to publish her articles?

10.The police chief, wanting to be mayor, his contacts, the wealthy business people of Denver and the function for raising funds, his speech?

11.The businessman and the water company, friendship with the mayoral candidate, giving him money, hosting the function? His hiring of the killers? His associates and Smith's dinner, exposing the truth? The function, the speeches, the killer, Smith fighting with him, bringing him downstairs, his denunciation? The businessman and his outburst, greed, killing himself?

12.The killers, hired, the young man as the lookout, the brutality of the murders? The death of the young man in the hotel toilet? The fight in the mansion?

13.American thriller themes: business and greed, violence? Eccentric religion? Investigations, police and media?