The Professionals (1966)

Directed by Richard Brooks

A group of mercenaries (Marvin, Ryan, Strode and Lancaster, as explosives expert Bill Dolworth) accept a lucrative assignment to recover a Texas millionaire’s wife (Cardinale) from a Mexican bandit (Palance). But the mission doesn’t go as expected, and little about the setup is at it initially seems. A superbly written story of honor and adventure, set in the furor of the Mexican Revolution, the film features some of Brooks’ best dialogue. “Go to hell,” instructs Mrs. Grant when she is “rescued.” “Yes ma’am,” replies Dolworth, “I’m on my way.”

Columbia Pictures. Producer: Richard Brooks. Screenwriter: Richard Brooks. Cinematographer: Conrad Hall. Editor: Peter Zinner. Cast: Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode, Claudia Cardinale. 35mm, Color, 117 min.