PIC of the Week – Mr. Majestyk
Article Series by Ray Schillaci
That’s right, between all the first run films being offered – The Suicide Squad, The Tomorrow War, and Reminiscence – it’s a ’70s release by Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Mr. Majestyk that stands out over the mega budgets that did not impress me in the least. I’ll save my opinion of the others in a later article. Right now, filmmakers should take note as to how entertaining a simple straight forward story with some depth and a one-of-a-kind actor can make a film far more entertaining than all the special effects with an overblown budget can deliver.
Just the name, Charles Bronson, conjures up the ultimate tough guy, mostly known for either portraying an officer, a gunfighter or vigilante, usually caught up in revenge stories. But, he also had a great sense of humor and it slipped out in some of his characters. What he really wanted was to do a romantic comedy and the closest he came was From Noon Till Three, a light comedy western with his beloved wife Jill Ireland.
Bronson was the action icon in the ’70s and commanded up to a million dollars a picture. His films ranged from crime dramas to westerns. But, he was not without his struggles. His career started off with small and supporting roles for over ten years until he left the States to become an international star in Europe.
Then he went on to build his reputation in the States with his first hit, Rider on the Rain, and continued his climb with such memorable films as Red Sun, The Valachi Papers, The Mechanic and The Stone Killer before he took on the role of an ex-convict/veteran/watermelon farmer who has a run in with the mafia in Mr. Majestyk.
Bronson had done excellent work for both directors Terence Young and Michael Winner in the past. Young was famous for the first three James Bond films and the thriller Wait Until Dark and would prove to work well with Bronson on Cold Sweat, Red Sun (personal favorite) and The Valachi Papers. Winner displayed a harsh and hard man’s tale with Burt Lancaster as The Lawman and later he would choose Bronson as the lead in Chato’s Land and go on to doing another five films with him including their most successful, Death Wish.
Director Richard Fleischer and Bronson met for the first time with Mr. Majestyk. Fleischer was a workhorse of a director and very diverse with his subject matter from 1946 to 1989 with such notable films as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Boston Strangler, Fantastic Voyage, Soylent Green and Tora! Tora! Tora! Both filmmakers were blessed with a script by none other than Elmore Leonard, novelist, short story writer and screenwriter. Best known for his pulp fiction, westerns and crime fiction.
The marriage of the three proved to be a pure delight for Bronson fans and those just getting introduced. As mentioned, Bronson plays Majestyk, a simple melon farmer who just wants to have his produce picked and sent off to market. But, his business is interrupted by local thugs and later a mafia member with hot temper. Fleischer and Leonard carve out an exciting action piece with a few surprises, a dash of gore and some social messaging as well. Need I say anything more and spoil the fun?
This Blu presentation is the best the film has ever looked. For the most part it’s a sharp, crisp picture. Yes, you will notice grain, but this is a film from the ’70s. Darker scenes are most notable, though it’s not enough to really take you out of the story. The film is free of most specks, scratches, stains and damage marks. That is my one beef with new Blu presentations these days. With all the technology at our disposal we still cannot get a stain-free North By Northwest yet Mr. Majestyk shines in its newest form.
Okay, where some will quibble over the absence of a newer stereo track with at least 5.1 sound attached. I am just happy and thankful for what is delivered, an DTS-HD 2.0 Mono track. Look, it’s a pretty clean, absent of hisses or pops. Charles Bernstein’s score is a stand out, commanding suspense.
Bronson would continue his film career for another 25 years. But, few would match some of his earliest efforts: Once Upon a Time in the West, The Mechanic, Death Wish and Mr. Majestyk. Looking for an action star who doesn’t act like a super hero? Just a regular Joe getting caught up in something bad and seeing his way through with guts and smarts? Then look no further and run out and get Mr. Majestyk.
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