Mr Majestyk **** (1974, Charles Bronson, Linda Cristal, Al Lettieri, Lee Purcell, Paul Koslo) – Classic Movie Review 8320

The 1974 Mr Majestyk is one of Charles Bronson’s most effective action thrillers thanks to Richard Fleischer’s buzzing direction and Elmore Leonard’s playful but tough original thriller screenplay. It is Bronson’s only cinema movie written by Leonard, though they seem made for each other.

Bronson overcomes unlikely casting as a troubled Middle-American melon farmer, Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk, working with Chicano workers, who is wrongly jailed by Detective Lieutenant McAllen (Frank Maxwell), but escapes in a freedom bid by hit men trying to rescue mobster Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). Then Bronson captures Lettieri and tells the cops that he will swap him for his own release.

Mr Majestyk is different and intriguing – and excellent of its kind.

Also in the cast are Linda Cristal, Lee Purcell, Alejandro Rey, Taylor Lacher, Jordan Rhodes and Bert Santos.

Paul Koslo (1944-2019).

Paul Koslo has a notable role as a local strong arm guy who makes the mistake of trying to muscle Majestyk into hiring his crew. And, intimidating Bronson in Mr Majestyk, Lettieri shows why he was one of the most convincing heavies of Seventies cinema. His best known role was as Virgil ‘The Turk’ Sollozo trying to eliminate Marlon Brando in The Godfather (1972).

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8320

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