THE MARSEILLE CONTRACT
UK, 1974, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Anthony Quinn, James Mason, Alexandra Stewart, Maureen Kerwin.
Directed by Robert Parrish.
The thriller genre will probably go on forever. Most big budget thrillers are competent, entertaining and not very memorable, which is a description of this particular film. Its stars are a drawcard, although Anthony Quinn offers a variation on his ageing hero role and Michael Caine offers his same bland killer performance. James Mason as the suave villain is good. The plot centres on drug traffic. The most memorable sequences in the film are deaths: a pre credits car murder, Michael Caine casually pushing a man from a high construction site, several of the main characters dying in the shootout and the unobtrusive demise of the villain at a party.
1. How successful a thriller was this? Was it conventional or did it rise above its conventions? The role of deaths and danger, killing, the police, villains. the drug atmosphere, the locations in France?
2. Do you think the film gave any insight into the French scene of drug importation and smuggling? The interest of America in France for drug circulation? How important was this for this thriller?
3. Who do you think was the central character of this film? who focussed all the themes in himself? Why? Where did your sympathies lie?
4. How interesting a character was Ventura? Did you like him? The first meeting with him and his relationship to Matthew's wife, his desire to be in the field, his getting old, his reaction to the deaths of his men. the sequences with him in the office, and his secretary, the building up of vengeance in him? Did he let revenge overpower him or did he have a sense of justice? How was he hampered and helped by the law? His relationship with the French police? (And the irony of their later using him)? The sequences where he had informers and got information? How interesting a man was he? Of justice. violence, brutality?
5. The introduction of Johnny as a killer? His relationship to Ventura? Ventura's surprise at finding him as a killer? Why? How did Johnny justify himself? His morals? Killing merely as an occupation for earning money? His greed? His ability to study a killer? His infiltration of Brizzard's home? The importance of the car chase with Brizzard's daughter? (Was this too sensational?) His inability to see that he was being used? His desire then to murder Brizzard? The irony of all the discussion by the socialites about pollution and overpopulation? Did he change by the end? His desire to help Ventura? His death? Did you feel sorry for him in his death? (As contrasting with his pushing the killer off the top of the building?)
6. The presentation of Brizzard ? high society.. social charity, police protection, no moral standards, the mastermind and the use of power, complete inability to appreciate human life, his relationship with his daughter, style? His masterminding of evil from his rather aristocratic point of view? His relationship with his men? The irony of his death during the dance?
7. Calmet: as the typical second-in-command, brutal? What did he add to the film?
8. What was your initial response to the French police inspector? His cooperation with Ventura? Did you appreciate his strong emphasis on getting the killer and getting Brizzard killed? The irony when Brizzard knew everything and the policeman was criminal-minded? What was your final response to him? Were you surprised at his portrayal?
9. Did the women in the film contribute anything? Ventura's girlfriend and her grief at her husband's death, her relationship to her son? Brizzard's daughter and her relationship with Johnny? The socialites at Brizzard's home?
10. How successful dramatically were the incidents in the film? The police methods, Brizzard's way of life, Johnny's infiltration, the transporting and smuggling of drugs, the final shootout?
