Mr. Majestyk

1974's MR. MAJESTYK may appear to the unfamiliar to be yet another Charles Bronson revenge actioner, and while many of those elements are in place, Elmore Leonard, who adapted his own novel of the same name, has added enough quirkiness to distinguish it.  Especially in the first hour, when the plot takes some unexpected detours.  Yes, we know that watermelon farmer Vince Majestyk (Bronson) will have a climactic showdown with Mob hitman Frank Renda (Al Lettieri), but the path there, for awhile at least, is a bit unpredictable.

Majestyk ends up in jail after an assault complaint from a wimpy local thug named Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo), who tries to force/extort the farmer into hiring unskilled workers to pick the harvest crop.  Vince ain't having it, and runs Kopas off with his own shotgun in an amusing scene.  While in the can, Majestyk meets Renda, who apparently scares the hell out of everyone.  But our hero isn't intimidated.  The next several events lead Majestyk and Renda to end up on the run from the law.  Well, for Majestyk, that's a "sorta."  I don't want to give anything away.  Suffice it to say that soon Renda wants the melon farmer dead, and is even willing to sacrifice a sure fire exit out of the country to do the deed himself. 

There is some nice character work from Bronson, who is clearly enjoying himself, and Lettieri in their earlier scenes. 

By the second hour, MR. MAJESTYK becomes a bit more traditional.  Majestyk's friends are injured by the goons, his crop gets decimated by machine guns, a love interest gets frisky, and there are wild chases.  All through it, the running gag is that Majestyk is worried, above all else, that he won't get the crop picked in time.  In a film with numerous laugh out loud moments, my favorite was his shout out to Renda during the finale battle  - "Hey, let's finish this!  I have a lot of work to do!" Now there's a work ethic.  A shame that the battle itself fizzles a bit, and is far weaker than what came before.

I used the word "gag".  Leonard's script is quite tongue in cheek, refreshingly so. Reflective of his sensibilities.   Director Richard Fleischer does a yeoman's job with the picture, staging solid action sequences, though he does let things get silly more than once.  Lettieri is suitably menacing but a total cartoon; he even looks like someone drew him.  That love interest is a defensive union leader named Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal in a flagrantly bad performance).  There is also Wiley (Lee Purcell), Renda's girlfriend, a potentially interesting character we don't really get to know.  I have to say I was disappointed in the women's roles in this movie.  Maybe in the remake Nancy will get to kick ass, too.