THE HIT

UK, 1974, 97 minutes, Colour.
John Hurt, Terence Stamp, Laura del Sole, Timothy Roth, Bill Hunter, Fernando Rey.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

The Hit is an interesting, offbeat thriller. While it focuses on English criminals, it transcends audience expectations about petty criminals interacting amongst themselves. The setting is Spain. A hit man and his assistant track down a petty criminal in hiding in Spain and take him on a journey towards execution.

John Hurt is excellent as the tight-lipped, though doubtful hit man. Timothy Roth (from Mike Leigh's excellent Mean Time) is the garrulous, over-self-confident apprentice. But Terence Stamp as the hit, capitalises on past experiences on film as Billy Budd, the stranger in Pasolini Teorema, and is an enigmatic challenge and change.

Bill Hunter has an excellent cameo role as an Australian criminal caught in Madrid (watching a VFL semi-final between Carlton and Essendon - though he refers to the fact that he is watching his team, Hawthorn, lose). Laura del Sole, Carmen from Carlos Saura's film of Carmen, is the leading lady.

The film focuses on the variety of landscapes of Spain - lush and desolate as well as towns and the city of Madrid. Director of photography is Mike Molloy (who filmed a number of films in Australia, Mad Dog Morgan, Dead Easy). The film was produced by Jeremy Thomas - and extends the range of his interesting features which include Mad Dog Morgan, The Shout, Eureka, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence.

1. A satisfying thriller? But more? The use of the genre and conventions of the crime thriller? Observation of criminals, examination of behaviour and motivation? Mood and reflection?

2. British production values: the cast and their expertise? Playing in type or against type? The conventions and types - plus? The success of their ensemble acting?

3. The opening in Britain with its drabness? The transition to Spain and its sunlight, the focus on the sun? The fact that the film took place over one day - with the final focus on the moon? Beauty of Spain, ruggedness. isolation. distance? The range of scenery: town, Madrid. countryside? Buildings, castles, cities, service stations? The old and the modern? Britons in Spain? The ironies of the evocation of the windmills of La Mancha? Roland and Oliver and the legends at the foot of the Pyrenees? The musical score - Eric Clapton's title theme, the Spanish style music throughout?

4. The blend of the real and surreal - the criminals singing 'We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when ..' in the court? Willie singing and humming this throughout? Willie's funeral - as a flash-forward at the beginning. the end?

5. The journey theme - a metaphor for the meaning of life? The stages of the journey? How well did the journey theme work as a symbol?

6. The prologue: Willie and his reading in the early morning. his breakfast. his being covered and taken to court? His type of testimony. putting the finger on his associates. wanting to do the right thing, denying the deal - although it was true? The revenge of those he gave testimony against? The setting up of a fate, of a destiny? Willie having time to prepare for his own death? The importance of reading and reflection for him?

7. Spain and Willie's hideaway? Police protection - Juan on the bike, the irony of Willie moving away from him and Juan's being killed as a hit-run? The buying of books? His library in his house - and the intercutting of the thugs invading his privacy? Willie in immaculate white clothes? The confrontation, court, beaten, taken?

8. Willie and his self-confidence? Terence Stamp - and utilising the characterisations of his previous films? The enigmatic hero? A man of fate? Ability to read characters? The challenge to Myron, the friendship with Braddock? His calmness confronting the criminals? His going against all expectations? The smoothness of his talk? Sowing seeds of doubt? Quiet smiling? Disrupting the journey - though always declaring that he wanted it to go well? Giving the information to Harry? Inspiring all in Myron? Myron explaining himself to him, Braddock explaining himself? Braddock appreciating his mystique? The irony that they had met before? The sunset aura around Willie's head as he stood at the waterfall confronting Braddock? Their reminiscences, the discussion of real names? Willie's explanation of destiny. the lack of fear of death, moving from one place to another? Maggie and giving her hope yet not promising to rescue her? The final panic? The border and the mountains? Willie declaring that it was the wrong day for his death - and unable to change his destiny? The pathos of his death? Braddock remembering Willie's words as he lay dying?

9. The journey: tense or not? The variety of landscapes, the driving, the interaction of the group, the variety of stops, changes of attitude? Madrid and Harry, Maggie? The talks and the detours? Myron and the thugs at the bar? Braddock and the service station and his killing the attendant? The lyrical stop at the waterfall? The variety of stages in the journey and their effect on each character?

10. Braddock: John Hurt's presence, type, toughness? The mistake of one of the initial thugs being left alive, a growing list of mistakes? The wearing of the dark glasses, the covering of fear? Myron's presence - his chatter, giving things away? Changing plan? The encounter with Harry - and his friendship and respect for Harry? The decision to kill him? The interaction with Maggie - discovering that she could understand English, the importance of his holding out against her biting him? The fate for Maggie and his decision not to kill her, that she was 'a lucky girl'? The killing of Myron, listening to Willie yet killing him? His plan for escape - but Maggie identifying him? The final confrontation amongst the lights? His dying and remembering Willie's words? His sense of identity?

11. Myron as young, the amateur, the apprentice, guns, blase attitudes, his continuing talk, analysing the situation, unsure of Willie? Reacting to Harry, to Maggie - attraction, getting her the clothes? Hungry and fighting the thugs? His range of weapons, the cosh (made at school)? Sleeping on guard? The girl and the gun? His thousand pounds? The suddenness of his death?

12. Harry at the flat, his Australian background, watching the VFL football, his compulsive talking to save himself, friendship with Braddock, his explanation of Maggie, his lies, Braddock taking him out onto the balcony, heights, intimation of death, his seeming to get out of things, his making a phone call for the reward, his being shot? A vignette of a criminal?

13. Maggie and her being with Harry, the reasons, her fears, shrewdness, covering her Knowledge of English? Going with the group? Sharing in the journey? Her change of clothes, being caught by Braddock in understanding English? Her attempts to change Braddock? Willie? Myron’s attention to her? Her going to the service station and witnessing the killing? Braddock not killing her? Her escape, the police, her identifying Braddock and causing his death?

14. The sketch of the police: following the tracks of Braddock, the inspector and his interrogations, the steady and relentless following of the group? The final confrontation at the border?

15. The criminal world, the criminal code? The film understood on a realistic level? On a symbolic level? The meaning of life, destiny?