THE PROFESSIONALS

US, 1966, 106 minutes, Colour.
Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode, Jack Palance, Ralph Bellamy, Claudia Cardinals.
Directed by Richard Brooks.

The Professionals has been a very popular action packed western, an adventure with an ironic twist at the end. Popular heroic stars do their thing well in beautiful western scenery and spectacular incidents. Nothing startling in description, but excellent of its kind. This was a change of pace for Richard Brooks and came between Lord Jim; In Cold Blood; amongst his films which include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; The Brothers Karamazov; Sweet Bird of Youth, Elmer Gantry (in which Burt Lancaster also appeared).

1. What is the meaning of the title?

2. The Professionals was one of the earliest westerns with a group as the central theme. Is this obvious or does the film seem fresh today?

3. The group was ageing. How does this tie in with a changing west of 1917 and old styles and myths dying?

4. Grant - what did he really want?

5. Give your impressions of each of the four men - were they 'professionals'? How did the credit sequences indicate this? Why did they take on the job, and get on so well?

6. How professional were they in getting through the desert to Raza's hacienda? Were their exploits interesting? What mistakes were made? Did they really understand Raza? Was the Mexican setting well done, the revolution, Raza's motivations and involvements?

7. What was the significance of the train ambush? Was the raid well planned and executed? Capturing of Maria? Why could they not kill Raza?

8. Was the chase exciting?

9. Was the final ambush and killing necessary? What did this sequence reveal about Raza?

10. Was the character of Maria well drawn and developed? Did you understand why she acted the way she did?

11. What did the finale reveal about good and bad men, the cynical use of others? Were the Professionals right in their final decision? Why?

12. What kind of western was this? What did it add to the genre?