Mr. Majestyk
Encyclopedia
Mr. Majestyk is a 1974
American action film
directed by Richard Fleischer
and starring Charles Bronson
. The film is based on a novel written by Elmore Leonard
.
) is a former U. S. Army Ranger
instructor and Vietnam War
veteran
who now owns a remote watermelon
farm in rural Colorado. He needs to harvest his crop in order to keep the farm financially solvent.
A small-time hoodlum, Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo
), attempts to coerce Majestyk into a protection racket
of using unskilled drunks to harvest his watermelon crop. Majestyk runs Kopas off (with his own shotgun) and instead hires skilled Mexican migrant workers, including Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal
), with whom Majestyk begins a relationship. Kopas brings assault charges against him, however, causing Majestyk to be arrested and taken to the local jail.
There he meets Frank Renda (Al Lettieri
), a notorious mob
hit man being transferred to a higher-security prison. Renda's men break him out of police custody during a prisoner movement in a bus. In the escape attempt, Majestyk drives off in the bus with Renda still in handcuffs. Majestyk plans on trading Renda back to the police so that he can finish his harvest. Renda offers a fortune for his freedom but Majestyk just wants to get back to his melons.
With the help of his girlfriend Wiley (Lee Purcell
), Renda escapes from Majestyk. He meets up with his lawyer and his right-hand man Lundy and plans his revenge on Majestyk. The violent Renda is advised to fly to Mexico to elude a police dragnet looking for him, but he is blinded by his desire for revenge. He tells his men to find the "melon picker" so that he can have the satisfaction of killing him personally.
Rather than being afraid, Majestyk turns the tables. He sets a trap at Renda's cabin hideout. Renda betrays his own men, Lundy and Kopas, leading to Lundy's death and to Kopas being captured, prior to a final showdown between Majestyk and Renda.
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
American action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by Richard Fleischer
Richard Fleischer
-Early life:Fleischer was born in Brooklyn, the son of Essie and animator/producer Max Fleischer. He started in motion pictures as director of animated shorts produced by his father including entries in the Betty Boop, Popeye and Superman series.His live-action film career began in 1942 at the RKO...
and starring Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
. The film is based on a novel written by Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
.
Plot
Vince Majestyk (Charles BronsonCharles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
) is a former U. S. Army Ranger
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
instructor and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
who now owns a remote watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
farm in rural Colorado. He needs to harvest his crop in order to keep the farm financially solvent.
A small-time hoodlum, Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo
Paul Koslo
Paul Koslo is a German-Canadian actor.-Career:Koslo started his career in such 1970's cult films as Nam's Angels a.k.a. The Losers, , Mr. Majestyk, Vanishing Point, Joe Kidd and The Stone Killer...
), attempts to coerce Majestyk into a protection racket
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
of using unskilled drunks to harvest his watermelon crop. Majestyk runs Kopas off (with his own shotgun) and instead hires skilled Mexican migrant workers, including Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal
Linda Cristal
Linda Cristal is an Argentine actress. She is currently retired....
), with whom Majestyk begins a relationship. Kopas brings assault charges against him, however, causing Majestyk to be arrested and taken to the local jail.
There he meets Frank Renda (Al Lettieri
Al Lettieri
Alfred Lettieri was an American actor, known for his portrayal of Virgil Sollozzo, in The Godfather....
), a notorious mob
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
hit man being transferred to a higher-security prison. Renda's men break him out of police custody during a prisoner movement in a bus. In the escape attempt, Majestyk drives off in the bus with Renda still in handcuffs. Majestyk plans on trading Renda back to the police so that he can finish his harvest. Renda offers a fortune for his freedom but Majestyk just wants to get back to his melons.
With the help of his girlfriend Wiley (Lee Purcell
Lee Purcell
Lee Purcell is an American actress and writer-producer who has starred in films including Mr. Majestyk, Big Wednesday, Stir Crazy, and Valley Girl. She has also appeared in numerous television and stage productions.-Early life:Purcell was born at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North...
), Renda escapes from Majestyk. He meets up with his lawyer and his right-hand man Lundy and plans his revenge on Majestyk. The violent Renda is advised to fly to Mexico to elude a police dragnet looking for him, but he is blinded by his desire for revenge. He tells his men to find the "melon picker" so that he can have the satisfaction of killing him personally.
Rather than being afraid, Majestyk turns the tables. He sets a trap at Renda's cabin hideout. Renda betrays his own men, Lundy and Kopas, leading to Lundy's death and to Kopas being captured, prior to a final showdown between Majestyk and Renda.
Cast
- Charles BronsonCharles BronsonCharles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
as Vince Majestyk - Al LettieriAl LettieriAlfred Lettieri was an American actor, known for his portrayal of Virgil Sollozzo, in The Godfather....
as Frank Renda - Linda CristalLinda CristalLinda Cristal is an Argentine actress. She is currently retired....
as Nancy Chavez - Lee PurcellLee PurcellLee Purcell is an American actress and writer-producer who has starred in films including Mr. Majestyk, Big Wednesday, Stir Crazy, and Valley Girl. She has also appeared in numerous television and stage productions.-Early life:Purcell was born at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North...
as Wiley - Paul KosloPaul KosloPaul Koslo is a German-Canadian actor.-Career:Koslo started his career in such 1970's cult films as Nam's Angels a.k.a. The Losers, , Mr. Majestyk, Vanishing Point, Joe Kidd and The Stone Killer...
as Bobby Kopas - Taylor Lacher as Gene Lundy
- Frank Maxwell as Detective Lieutenant McAllen
- Alejandro ReyAlejandro ReyAlejandro Rey was an Argentine actor. He immigrated to the United States in 1960, later became a U.S. citizen and gained his widest acclaim there.-Career:...
as Larry Mendoza - Jordan Rhodes as Deputy Harold Richie
- Bert Santos as Julio Tomas