The Mechanic (1972 film)
| The Mechanic | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Michael Winner |
| Produced by |
Robert Chartoff Irwin Winkler |
| Written by | Lewis John Carlino |
| Starring |
Charles Bronson Jan-Michael Vincent |
| Music by | Jerry Fielding |
| Cinematography |
Richard H. Kline Robert Paynter |
| Edited by | Freddie Wilson Arnold Crust, Jr. |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Mechanic is a 1972 American action-thriller film directed by Michael Winner. It stars Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent.
The film is noted for its opening, which features no dialogue for the first 16 minutes, as the hit man (Bronson) prepares to kill his current target.
Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson) is a "mechanic"—a top hit man (assassin). He works exclusively for a secret international organization, which has very strict rules. Bishop is very sophisticated, as he regularly listens to classical music, has an art collection, and is a connoisseur of fine wines. However, he is forced to live alone - he cannot show emotions or trust people. Bishop is under constant emotional pressure, so much so that he is prescribed medication for depression, and one day he is temporarily hospitalized when he loses consciousness as a result of the stress. Bishop pays a call girl (Jill Ireland) for an ongoing girlfriend experience to have a simulated romantic (social and sexual) relationship, including her writing him fake love letters.
When Bishop is assigned one of the organization's heads, "Big Harry" McKenna (Keenan Wynn), he shoots at Big Harry, while making him think that the shots are being fired by a hidden sniper. Harry, who Bishop knows has a weak heart, runs up a steep incline, which triggers a heart attack. Bishop then finishes Harry off by smothering him.
At Big Harry's funeral, Bishop again runs into Harry's narcissistic, ruthless and ambitious son Steve (Jan-Michael Vincent). Steve is intrigued by Bishop and seeks to find out more about him. Bishop is also intrigued, as he realizes that Steve has a personality suited for being a hit man, and plays along. As part of his training, Bishop teaches Steve that "every person has a weakness, and that once this weakness is found, the target is easy to kill." But Bishop failed to get his superiors' prior consent for the arrangement. Following a messy assassination conducted by Bishop and Steve, the organization warns Bishop that his irresponsible choice to involve Steve has been interpreted as selfish behavior.
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Wikipedia