MR MAJESTYK

US, 1974, 103 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Al Lettieri, Linda Cristal, Lee Purcell, Paul Koslo.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Mr Majestyk is considered one of Charles Bronson’s best films. It has excellent credentials from director Richard Fleischer who had won an Oscar for best documentary in 1948, who had begun to direct small-budget films like The Narrow Margin in the 50s and graduated to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The 1960s for him were rather more spectacular with Barabbas and Doctor Dolittle. However, in the 1970s he directed a number of genre films including Soylent Green the year before Mr Majestyk. The film was also written by novelist Elmore Leonard, well known for his tough crime stories.

The film is about a melon farmer who wants to live in peace but is attacked by the Mob. As one commentator put it, the Mob doesn’t have a chance against Charles Bronson …

The film is well structured, has plenty of pace and action, and has a characteristic and good performance from Bronson himself.

1. Was this a good action film? What makes good action in a film like this?

2. How much did the film rely on the mystique of Charles Bronson? Bronson as hero? As the individual and the man who can succeed as private hero? Did the film use Bronson convincingly and successfully?

3. What picture of America in the seventies did the film give? Of the role of violence? The violence in the streets? The pressures on the individual? The organised criminals? Their use of guns? Revenge? How healthy an atmosphere?

4. The film's use of the Colorado fruit growing world? How interesting and convincing was this? The social overtones and implications of the film? Majestyk as a fruit grower? As independent? with the right of hiring his own men? The use of the immigrants? The illegal pressure from the unions? The use of the seasons and the need for the crops to be in? The police not understanding this? The suffering when Renda shoots the melons?

5. How sympathetic a character was Majestyk in himself? His sympathy for the migrants? His integrity before the police? The loner trying to save himself? The heroism in the response to the challenge? Was he a convincing and likeable character?

6. How interesting were the sequences of union pressures? emotional response? The plot of the migrants and their need for work? Crops suffering because of union reaction?

7. How sympathetic were the migrants? Their plight? Their support for Majestyk? The suffering and torture of his foreman? Nancy as strong-minded, as a supporter of Majestyk? Her help for him in his troubles, especially in the getaway? The contrast with Bobby Kopas? What motivated the thugs who pressurised the individual fruit growers?

8. How frustrating were the sequences with the settlers? Their inability to see Majestyk's point of view? Their lack of sympathy for him? Their use of the book against him? their disregard for his crops? Their grudging sympathy when he was being pursued? The impact of the shoot out in the streets? How repulsive was this?

9. How typical a villain was Frank Renda? His style in prison and lording it over others? The assumption that he was important? His pride in his killings? The fact that such an elaborate escape, that this could be done for him? With death for so many criminals and police? Was there anything sympathetic about his character? Why did Wiley support him? How criminal was she? Renda's associates, especially the lawyer? What picture of corruption did this give?

10. How interesting the contrast of character between Render and Majestyk? In the prison? In Majestyk’s taking the bus and keeping Render prisoner? In Majestyk’s manoeuvring to get Wiley? in the cat and mouse final chase? In the deaths? How was this central for the film?

11. How suspenseful the clash between Renda and Majestyk? What motivated Renda in his zeal for revenge? Was this his undoing? Why was he so consumed with hate? How resourceful was Majestyk? how much did he suffer during this period? did the police use him? The fact that they had him watched all the time to save him?

12. Comment on the styles of revenge? Renda, cruelty and inhumanity? Majestyk’s attempt not to take unnecessary life eg. Bobby?

13. How interesting and enjoyable for an action film were the final chase sequences? Majestyk’s tricking the car drivers and destroying them? The siege in the house and the tricks that he used? His sparing Bobby Kopas and Wiley?

14. How heroic was he meant to be? Not a mad killer? Having the right to live and survive against the criminals?

15. What values ware to the fore in this film? Were they consciously there in this thriller? Or were they implied in the nature of the thriller?