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 (1973, original) MGM (2003, DVD)
Release dates	April 19, 1973 (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.

In a failed break-in at Cross's home, CIA agents shoot and kill his wife Sarah (Joanne Linville), causing Cross to go on the run and seek protection from the Russians, who want the secrets he knows and possible revenge for past assassinations. Cross successfully evades capture by the CIA and manages to kill the CIA director responsible for his wife's death. However, the CIA gains evidence that Cross is working with Scorpio's girlfriend.

Enraged by this betrayal, Scorpio corners and kills his girlfriend and Cross, but not before Cross imparts 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.

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

Films directed by Michael Winner

Old Mac (1961)
Out of the Shadow (1961)
Some Like It Cool (1961)
Behave Yourself (1962)
Play It Cool (1962)
The Cool Mikado (1963)
West 11 (1963)
The System (1964)
You Must Be Joking! (1965)
The Jokers (1967)
I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967)
Hannibal Brooks (1969)
The Games (1970)
Lawman (1971)
The Nightcomers (1972)
Chato's Land (1972)
The Mechanic (1972)
Scorpio (1973)
The Stone Killer (1973)
Death Wish (1974)
Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)
The Sentinel (1977)
The Big Sleep (1978)
Firepower (1979)
Death Wish II (1982)
The Wicked Lady (1983)
Scream for Help (1984)
Death Wish 3 (1985)
A Chorus of Disapproval (1988)
Appointment with Death (1988)
Bullseye! (1990)
Dirty Weekend (1993)
Parting Shots (1998)

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