The Evil That Men Do * (1984, Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, Joseph Maher, José Ferrer, René Enriquez, John Glover, Raymond St Jacques) – Classic Movie Review 6781

Director J Lee Thompson’s competent but disreputable 1984 vengeance/ executioner action thriller stars weary old Charles Bronson, who is still doing his vigilante violence at the age of 62, this time as Holland, a retired hit man killer for hire, who, in order to avenge the brutal murder of an old friend, agrees to take on the job of eliminating an evil political torturer called Clement Moloch (Joseph Maher) in Central America. He takes the widow (Theresa Saldana) and daughter of his friend along so he can appear to be a family man.

Capably and professionally made by Bronson’s usual regular director Thompson for Britain’s Incorporated Television Company (ITC) company, headed by Sir Lew Grade. The Evil That Men Do is nevertheless below par even for Bronson in the Eighties.

Also in the equally capable support cast are Theresa Saldana, Joseph Maher, José Ferrer, René Enriquez, John Glover, Raymond St Jacques, Antoinette Bower, Enrique Lucero, Jorge Luke, and Joe Seneca.

The Evil That Men Do is directed by J Lee Thompson, runs 93 minutes, is produced by Capricorn, Zuleika Farms and Incorporated Television Company (ITC), Producciones Cabo, is distributed by TriStar Pictures (US) and Paramount (UK), is written by R Lance Hill [as David Lee Henry] and John Crowther, based on the novel by R Lance Hill, is shot by Javier Ruvalcaba Cruz, is produced by Pancho Kohner, and is scored by Ken Thorne.

Shakespeare and Bronson make strange bedfellows. The title is a quote from William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene ii: ‘The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones.’

Hill was hired to adapt his own novel and used the pseudonym David Lee Henry but his script was totally reworked by John Crowther, though the pseudonym was still credited.

It was shot in Mexico. It was profitable, costing $4,600,000 and grossing $13,102,025 in the US.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6781

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