Point Blank (1967). Directed by John Boorman; screenplay by Alexander Jacobs, David Newhouse, and Rafe Newhouse; based on the novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake. Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, and Keenan Wynn.
I recently had the pleasure to watch Point Blank, a film I had previously not seen. The film stars Lee Marvin as Walker, a gangster who is double crossed by Reese (played by John Vernon), his partner in crime, after a heist. Reese shoots Walker, takes all the money and Walker's wife, and leaves Walker for dead on Alcatraz. Walker some how recovers and gets off Alcatraz where he is contacted by the mysterious Yost (played by Keenan Wynn) who directs him on how he can get his share of the money. This relatively straight forward plot is told in spectacular fashion by Boorman.
There are a host of things that make this film so completely enjoyable. First is the cast; there's Marvin himself who plays Walker with an icy cool that would make John Wick look hysterical in comparison. There's a young and very beautiful Angie Dickinson as Walker's sister-in-law who helps him gain access to Reese. There's an abundance of instantly recognizable 1960s-70s era character actors from Keenan Wynn and John Vernon (already mentioned) to Carol O'Connor, Lloyd Bochner, Michael Strong, and James B. Sikking. They are all top-notch actors and do great jobs here. Second is a screenplay that is minimalist in its dialogue; this allows the story to be told visually which, in my opinion, is the point of watching movies. But what really makes this film is Boorman's eye for visual splendor. And this film is indeed visually splendid! There are long takes with little to no dialogue in sets or locations that are practically eye candy. These are counter-pointed with action sequences that are brutally short; they act as exclamation marks in the film and enhance the violent nature of Walker. The sequences with Walker and Reese are not only violent but full of a weird homo-eroticism which I'm not sure was intentional given the time the film was made but adds an extra element of intensity to the revenge story. I love films where the camera tells the story, and this is certainly one of those!
The film is not without flaws; there are multiple flashback sequences that are spliced throughout the film and these are confusing, particularly at the beginning. From what I've read on the film these were in the source material and Boorman elected to keep the non-linear narration from the book. They sort of work and sort of don't, but the parts that don't aren't enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. Besides, these sorts of weird incoherent sequences seem to be a hallmark of many of the Boorman films I've seen (think Zardoz).
This film has apparently become a cult classic and a critical favorite, and I can see why. I'm sorry I hadn't seen it before now, but better late than never.
Recommend.
One of my all-time favorites. I wish I could see it again for the first time. You lucky bastard.
Sounds intriguing!