MR. MAJESTYK - another long and detailed review :-) (spoilers!)

Unfortunately the IMDb allows only comments up to 1000 words and I was so much taken in by MR. MAJESTYK that my comment got longer, so here is the complete one ... :-))

I have always considered Charles Bronson to be the epitome of a man, the icon of man-like behavior, who reigns (together with Steve McQueen and Dean Martin) supreme on the throne of "king of cool". If you check all male heroes in cinema's history you will - in my humble opinion - not find any other actor, who embodies the ideals of manlike behavior better than Charles Bronson, not from the time when silent films were made up to today. Many have tried, nobody succeeded.

I know I am old-fashioned, but in my opinion there is a set of behaviors how "real men" handle things, they don't whine, they don't wince, they don't give up, they don't offer the other cheek, they don't act like cowards. Real men mind their own business, they do what has to be done, they stand up and fight when necessary, they offer protection, say what's right and act to their beliefs, in short: they WALK TALL. MR. MAJESTYK is a prime example in this action sub-genre defined in 1973 by Phil Karlson's masterpiece WALKING TALL, starring Joe Don Baker.

And "walking tall" (but without a big stick, just his bare hands) is exactly what Charles Bronson does in this superb action-milestone. "Real men" do not bully others, but when they are bullied, they don't walk away. They try to calm down once or twice, but in case this does not help ... well ... then the one who bullied should wish he would have thought twice before.

Charles BRONSON is Vince MAJESTYK and he minds his own business, all he wants to do is pick his watermelons or have them picked by able hands. He's a watermelon farmer out to have his harvest in. Nothing else is of importance. But unfortunately they won't let him. That's a mistake, something they should not have tried.

Already the opening scene defines the character of Vince Majestyk. After striking opening titles we see THE MAN getting gasoline, while a bunch of Mexican's are looking for a toilet. The owner of the gasoline station won't let them "dirty Mex" in his toilet, so - without uttering too many words - Vince helps them and gets them the key. No violence in this scene, because it ain't necessary. He hires them for picking his melons.

Unfortunately Paul Koslo has other plans, he wants to convince Mr. Majestyk to take his (unqualified) pickers, because they do it for less (1 buck 20 an hour). Mr. Majestyk tries to explain to him, that he picks his own workers, but Koslo won't listen. The next scene could well be titled "Mr. Majestyk resolves a labor-dispute" and he does it well and efficiently. Another superb scene in this wonderful flick.

That brings Mr. Majestyk to jail shortly, where he meets a local mobster and killer, superbly played by AL LETTIERI, whom movie buffs will remember very well from Peckinpah's THE GETAWAY. Mr. MAJESTYK (1974) is Lettier's last well-known movie, before he died untimely in 1975 of a heart attack (I have no doubt he would have played many more great roles, wouldn't he have died that early). Frank Randa and Vince Majestyk don't get along together that well and Lettieri threatens Bronson to kill him, which is one of the most memorable scenes in action-cinema:

After Randa has uttered his death-threat and THE MAN has asked him calmly "and when is this big event gonna take place?", Bronson sighs and concludes "seems like there's no use trying to get on your good side ...", stands up, all calmly, and smacks Randa once and so hard in the face, that Randa falls from the chair and - while walking away - Bronson suggests "hey, why don't you call the cops?", whilst Randa's men are helping their boss back on the chair. My God, what a short, efficient and wonderful scene !!! Charles Bronson does not do this happily or smiling, he just does what has to be done. Better to open the fight than to be hit, better to show the enemy, that he won't run away, that this won't be an easy win (if at all), that he will WALK TALL.

These three scenes more-less define the movie. I don't need to go on telling the story-line, because of course it is clear what will happen. One thing leads to another ... whilst we are enjoying one of veteran-director Richard Fleischers most memorable efforts.

Fleischer, who left us 3 years after Charles Bronson (2003) took his seat in heaven, is often (unjustified) regarded as a minor action-director, but has in fact given us a string of great movies in the late 60ies and first half of the 70ies: EVERY (!) movie from THE BOSTON STRANGLER (1968) up to MANDINGO (1975) is definitely worth seeing and his earlier and later works are not that bad either (altough of changing quality). When directing Mr. Majestyk Richard Fleischer was on the height of his directorial abilities and I can't see any scene in Mr. Majestyk, which does not fit it's subject: this is a lean and efficient action-movie, directed by a veteran director at the height of his abilities with a striking, absolutely perfectly chosen cast acting just on spot, and this includes everybody, zen-like superstar Charles Bronson and the whole other cast and crew.

When Mr. Majestyk hit the cinemas in 1974 it was promoted with the tag-line "Why are they saying it's the one movie you should see this year? Ask anyone who's seen it. Anyone" and of course Charles Bronson, on his way to super-stardom and already working on his next picture, could not foresee that his next movie would change the history of action-cinema forever. Charles BRONSON was already working on the movie, which actually defines the year 1974 and for which he will be remembered, when today´s action-"heroes" will already be long forgotten: DEATH WISH I. Mr. MAJESTYK is the movie he did right before DEATH WISH I.

Besides being a brilliant action-flick, Mr. Majestyk also offers a superb urban funk score by vastly underrated Charles Bernstein, which effort still remains unreleased on any media (no 45, no LP, no CD), something that should be changed by some leading soundtrack label hopefully some day (I suggest this heavily to INTRADA, because it would perfectly suit in their soundtrack line). Soundtrack-buffs like me are certainly awaiting this release and would cherish it!

And this certainly also goes for the movie itself, so get it, see it (again and again) and love it, because it indeed "touches the hero in all of us"! :-)