THE EVIL THAT MEN DO

US, 1984, 90 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, Joseph Maher, Jose Ferrer, Raymond St Jacques, John Glover.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

The Evil That Men Do is a typical tough Charles Bronson thriller. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson, who directed him in St. Ives, The White Buffalo, Caboblanco.

The film has a Latin American background, showing the atrocities of military dictatorships with Nazi-style torturers. The film works on the level of eliciting audience sympathy and outrage and backing Charles Bronson as a hit-man who is commissioned to find and eliminate the doctor. The sentiments are worthy in the context of outrage for atrocities in the Third World - but many commentators thought that the film exploited what it was crusading against. The film has a strong supporting cast - and the evil doctor receives at the end, poetic justice.

1. The popularity of Charles Bronson thrillers in the '70s and '80s? The visual portrayal of violence? Questions of justice and law? The inadequacies of law? Moral and legal issues? Vigilante themes?

2. The Latin American background? The location photography? The atmosphere of Surinam, Guatemala? The cities, the mountains, the minds, the small towns? The interiors: the torture chambers, military headquarters, police headquarters? Sufficient to make the film seem authentic?

3. The background of military dictatorships in Guatemala, exploitation of people, torture and atrocities? The visual impact of the opening and the doctor as a torturer? The victims? The cruelty, the pupils learning how to torture? The doctor as mad, cruel - yet suave? His sister and her obsessions (and the lesbian background)? Governments employing such torturers? The role of the U.S., the C.I.A.? The cry for justice?

4. The significance and focus of the title? The evil that man do lives on after them - a touch of irony with the ending?

5. The emotional impact on the audience? The response to the doctor, the members of his class, the torture, the videos? Hector and his friendship with Holland? The appeal to Holland because of the friendship? The role of justice, the role of the law - and the doctor protected and untouchable?

6. The portrait of the doctor - a portrait or a caricature? Cruelty, gentlemanly manner. passionless? Tough, with the guards, with the C.I.A. for his protection? Dealings with politicians? His love for his sister? His capacity for hatred? The cock-fighting sequence? Leaving Guatemala? Contact with Briggs? The kidnapping of the daughter? The chase, the confrontation with Holland? The poetic justice of his maimed victims destroying him? Audience feeling at the end?

7. Charles Bronson's portrayal of Holland: at peace on the Cayman Islands, friendship with Hector, the discussion, the appeal, watching the videos? His change of heart? Friendship with Max, the details of the contacts? Questions of trust? The encounter with Rhiana? Sarah? Rhiana's decision to be involved? Posing as tourists - how persuasively? The hotel? The cock-fighter and the reaction? The cripple and the test? The tour and the interview with Randolph? Causing Randolph's death? The investigator at the spot? Claire's room? Hanging the killer? The kidnapping and Rhiana's reaction? His manner, her wanting to stay, pleading? His holding Claire, the phone call, being careful, the escape, the chase, the night, the funeral, the encounter with Briggs and his associate? A man of violence? The confrontation at the mine - and the doctor's death? Holland's skills, background, reading lips and the help that this gave, tough, resourceful, a man of duty? His capacity for friendship? Feelings? The end?

8. Rhiana as widow, mother? Distrust of Holland? Her queries, reaction to the deaths? Decision to stay? Conscience? Her driving? Love for her daughter? Fears? With Holland at the end?

9. Hector and his role. his skill in persuading Holland to become involved? Max and his support, the leads, torture?

10. The doctor and his associates? Claire and her cruelty, lesbian relationship? Randolph and his cruelty? Briggs and the United States? Killers?

11. Themes of torture, victims? The cruelty of torture -the horror of vengeance?

12. Themes of justice in the contemporary world, exploitation of violence, use of violence?