The Killer Elite (1975) – An operative for a C.I.A. affiliated private intelligence firm is betrayed and left crippled. But he will do everything he can to even the score.
Directed by Sam Peckinpaugh Starring James Caan, Robert Duvall, Arthur Hill, Mako,
Burt Young
Why I Liked It – Well…it has James Caan and Robert Duvall in it…
Legendary director Sam Peckinpaugh, Caan, Duvall, Burt Young (Rocky’s brother-in-law) plus a raft of familiar faces from the 1970’s movies and television. On paper this sounds like it ought to be a “grab-your-popcorn-and-settle-in” kind of movie.
If only.
Some really fine performers are sacrificed on the altar of this awful script. Plus the behind the scenes legends are waaaaay more interesting than the onscreen nonsense. Peckinpaugh had alienated almost everyone in Hollywood by this point and was hired by a buddy to get his career turned around. This is not his best work. There’s a scene in a strip club that looks like the work of a film student trying to avoid failing out. Gig Young was also hired as a favor. His real life descent into alcoholism is obvious every time he’s on the screen. A young actress named Tiana is given a central role because her husband, screenwriter Sterling Silliphant insisted on it in his contract. Legend says she was universally unpopular on the set. A few years after its debut, James Caan was asked to rate this one. He gave it a zero out of ten.
There’s a stupid, racist ninja scene near the end of the movie.
And the ending? No idea what’s happening there. Caan’s line is:
Don’t know where we’re going, don’t know where we been, I just know where were wasn’t it.
Whatever.
There’s a good movie trapped in here. But it died of boredom before it could escape. The only moments this plodding script shines is when Duvall and Caan are on the screen together. Which isn’t nearly often enough.
Rating – ** Not Impressed
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