Main Cast: Charles Bronson, Al Lettieri, Linda Cristal, Lee Purcell, Paul Koslo
Release Year: 1974
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Elmore Leonard's script for Mr. Majestyk was, like his novel, supposed to have concentrated on the plight of Chicano migrant workers; but what emerged on screen was extensively reshaped into a standard Charles Bronson vehicle. Battle-weary Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk (Bronson) settles down in rural Colorado, hoping to make a living as a watermelon farmer. Despite his new-found pacifism, Majestyk can't seem to stay out of trouble, and he lands in jail, where he foils a breakout engineered by Mob boss Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). Offering to bring in Renda in exchange for his own freedom, Majestyk finds himself the main target of the Mob, who is also extorting vast sums of money from Vince's fellow farmers. It is bad enough when the crooks begin roughing up Majestyk's field hands; but when they ruthlessly machine-gun his entire melon crop, they've gone too far. Teaming up with Chicano labor activist Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal) (any relation to Cesar?), Majestyk decides to track down the mobsters one by one and mete out retribution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
This darkly witty action tale is one of the best Charles Bronson vehicles from the 1970s. Mr. Majestyk rises above its revenge melodrama roots thanks to a quirky, inspired script by veteran crime novelist Elmore Leonard; he populates the tale with unusual characters (this must be the only action movie with a melon farmer as the hero), packs the plot with plenty of unexpected twists, and works some interesting commentary about labor unions and police corruption into the action. Director Richard Fleischer handles the proceedings with economic style, keeping the action moving at a slick, steady clip, but giving the actors enough room to flesh out their roles. This was a wise choice because the role of Majestyk brings out Bronson's underrated skill for deadpan wit and Al Lettieri is a worthy equal to Bronson, blending machismo and offhand wit to create a menacing yet charismatic antagonist. Paul Koslo also steals a few scenes with an inspired character performance as a sniveling small-time crook who gets caught in the crossfire. All in all, Mr. Majestyk is a tight, nicely understated piece of work that is a must for Bronson fans. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Taylor Lacher - Gene Lundy; Alejandro Rey - Larry Mendoza; Frank Maxwell - Detective Lt. McAllen; Vern Porter - Gas Station Attendant; Jordan Rhodes - Dep. Sheriff Harold Ritchie; Julio Tomaz - Bert Santos; Allen Pinson; Bill Morris - Police Officer; Jim Reynolds - Black Prisoner; Bert Santos - Julio; Luis Ramirez - Labor Contractor
Credit
Cary O'Dell - Art Director, Jack Baur - Casting, Richard Fleischer - Director, Ralph Winters - Editor, Charles Bernstein - Composer (Music Score), Philip Rhodes - Makeup, Richard H. Kline - Cinematographer, Walter Mirisch - Producer, Robert Dawson - Special Effects, Harold M. Etherington - Sound/Sound Designer, Elmore Leonard - Screenwriter, Elmore Leonard - Book Author
Vince Majestyk (played by Bronson) is a former U. S. Army Ranger instructor and Vietnam Warveteran who now owns a remote watermelon farm. He needs to harvest his crop in order to keep the farm financially solvent.
A small-time hoodlum, Bobby Kopas, tries to coerce Majestyk into a protection racket of using drunks for his farm workers. Majestyk runs him off and instead hires skilled Mexican migrant workers, including Nancy Chavez, with whom Majestyk begins a relationship. Kopas brings assault charges against him, however, causing Majestyk to be sent to the local jail.
There he meets Frank Renda, a notorious mobhit man being transferred to a higher security prison. Renda's men break him out of police custody. In the escape attempt, Majestyk gains the upper hand and drives off with Renda in handcuffs. Majestyk plans on trading Renda back to the police so that he can finish his crop harvest. Renda offers a fortune for his freedom but Majestyk just wants to get back to his melons.
With the help of Wiley, his lawyer, Renda escapes and meets up with his henchmen. The violent Renda is advised to fly to Mexico to elude a police dragnet out looking for him, but he is blinded by a desire for revenge against Majestyk. He tells his men to find the "melon picker" so that he personally can have the satisfaction of killing him.
Rather than being afraid, Majestyk turns the tables. He sets a trap at Renda's cabin hideout. Renda betrays his own men, leading to one's death and to Kopas being captured. Kopas nevertheless tries to save Renda by lying where he can be found, but Majestyk is not fooled. He leaps through a window and shoots Renda dead.
