Mr. Majestyk isn't great art, but then Charles Bronson hasn't often been in many movies (Once Upon a Time in the West and possibly the Great Escape as exceptions) that might even be considered full-on 'films'. He's a movie-star, and on the B-side of the record, so to speak, of 1974's Death Wish was this little diddy where he plays, of all things, a melon farmer. But don't let that fool you into thinking this movie's a campy push-over. The first part of that might be true here and there, as it's hard to avoid it being a little goofy seeing a guy like Bronson as a farmer. Elmore Leonard as screenwriter, however, elevates the material to being fun without being overly stupid. Richard Fleischer as director, too, keeps the material afloat above that dangerous level of being one of those more forgettable Bronson programmers of the 80s. This is a writer, director and star all knowing what can be done with the material, and it works for what it's worth. I loved seeing some of the action, even if it early on is fairly brief (albeit with an amazing shot of Bronson literally crashing out of the back window of a car), and there's always a fresh way in terms of attitude with him.
Mr. Majestyk is, if nothing else, a showcase for Bronson and his 'quiet but don't-f***-with-me' take on his character. He's believable because of a very simple character establishment- a war hero, already served time, divorced, just wanting to do his work, right? Wrong. He gets put in jail for getting in a scuffle with a cowboy (a funny scene all-around), gets put into a rock and a hard place with a mob boss (Al Lettieri) who is obsessed with rubbing him out for almost taking him back to jail. Soon, once the melons get involved, it becomes a mano-a-mano movie. Some of the acting is less than great, specifically from Linda Cristal as the Migrant lady whom Bronson's Majestyk falls for. But all the way the sense of tongue-in-cheek never becomes too much, as a mob movie crossed with vigilante drama could get. It's just enough to garner some big dumb grins, and mostly it's very professionally shot and scored in a very 70s style too. It's a tough better than average 'guy' action-genre movie, and definitely one of the Bronson vehicles I'd recommend.
Mr. Majestyk is, if nothing else, a showcase for Bronson and his 'quiet but don't-f***-with-me' take on his character. He's believable because of a very simple character establishment- a war hero, already served time, divorced, just wanting to do his work, right? Wrong. He gets put in jail for getting in a scuffle with a cowboy (a funny scene all-around), gets put into a rock and a hard place with a mob boss (Al Lettieri) who is obsessed with rubbing him out for almost taking him back to jail. Soon, once the melons get involved, it becomes a mano-a-mano movie. Some of the acting is less than great, specifically from Linda Cristal as the Migrant lady whom Bronson's Majestyk falls for. But all the way the sense of tongue-in-cheek never becomes too much, as a mob movie crossed with vigilante drama could get. It's just enough to garner some big dumb grins, and mostly it's very professionally shot and scored in a very 70s style too. It's a tough better than average 'guy' action-genre movie, and definitely one of the Bronson vehicles I'd recommend.