Scorpio (film)
| Scorpio | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster by Robert McGinnis | |
| Directed by | Michael Winner |
| Produced by | Walter Mirisch |
| Written by |
David W. Rintels Gerald Wilson |
| Starring |
Burt Lancaster Alain Delon Paul Scofield John Colicos Gayle Hunnicutt J.D. Cannon |
| Music by | Jerry Fielding |
Production company |
The Mirisch Corporation Scimitar Production |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates | April 19, 1973 |
Running time | 114 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Box office |
$1,400,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[1] 1,052,001 admissions (France)[2] |
Scorpio is a 1973 spy film directed by Michael Winner. It stars Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and Paul Scofield.
Plot
Cross (Burt Lancaster) is an experienced but retiring Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent and assassin who is training free-lance hit-man Jean Laurier (Alain Delon) (alias "Scorpio") to replace him. Cross is teaching him as much about protecting himself from his patrons and never trusting anyone as how to get away clean.
The CIA tells Scorpio to kill Cross for suspected treason and collaboration with the Russians. Scorpio is threatened with jail on a false narcotics charge if he doesn't cooperate. Scorpio follows Cross' trail across Europe. Cross intends to bring his wife out from the country and get out from the spy-business. His covers are blown and CIA loses men.
In a failed break-in at Cross's home, CIA agents shoot and kill his wife Sarah (Joanne Linville), causing Cross to go back to America. He rejects protection from his Russian ally Zharkov, whose agency wants to know secrets he knows as a senior field agent. Zharkov helps Cross to cover his tracks and reach America. Cross successfully evades capture by the CIA and manages to kill the CIA director responsible for his wife's death. CIA wants Cross' head on a platter and contracts Scorpio again for the same.
The new CIA director and Scorpio's handler, Filchock shows him evidence that Cross might have collaborated in the past with other foreign agents and was able to make a hefty sum from it. Scorpio comes to know his girlfriend Susan is working with Cross.
Enraged by this perfidy, Scorpio corners Cross and Susan and kills his girlfriend instantly without remorse. However, Cross tells she was a Czech courier and he is just a middleman between their agency for staying in the game and didn't betray Scorpio. Scorpio finishes off Cross after hearing his last words of wisdom. Moments later, Scorpio is also assassinated, as Cross said he would be, when "They" were done with him. The viewer is left to speculate on who is behind Scorpio's death.
Cast
- Burt Lancaster as Cross
- Alain Delon as Scorpio
- Paul Scofield as Zharkov
- John Colicos as McLeod
- Gayle Hunnicutt as Susan
- J.D. Cannon as Filchock
- Joanne Linville as Sarah
- Vladek Sheybal as Zemetkin
- Mary Maude - Anne
- Jack Colvin - Thief
- James Sikking as Harris
- William Smithers as Mitchell
- Burke Byrnes - Morrison
- William Smithers - Mitchell
- Shmuel Rodensky - Lang
- Celeste Yarnall as Helen Thomas
Critical reception
Reviewing Scorpio for Time Out magazine, Geoff Andrew took a negative view of the film: "Winner directs with typically crass abandon, wasting a solid performance from Lancaster".[3]
DVD
Scorpio was released to DVD by MGM Home Entertainment on April 1st, 2003 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD.
See also
References
- ↑ "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p 60
- ↑ Box office information for film at Box Office Story
- ↑ "Scorpio", in Time Out Film Guide 2011, Time Out, London, 2010. ISBN 1846702089 (p. 936).
External links
- Scorpio at the Internet Movie Database