The Professional (1981)

A hit-man, a helicopter, an unforgettable climactic sequence, a, thriller, a music Â… It's sad that 90% of movie fans now remember "The Professional" as a great action/thriller film made by a French director named Â… Luc Besson, and featuring the acting debut of Natalie Portman, and Jean Reno as a professional hit-man protecting her from the claws of a demented cop played by Gary Oldman.

I guess EVERYONE in America associates THIS title with THIS film, while in France, and probably in Europe, when people think of "The Professional", there's a beautiful melody instantly resonating in their mind, a penetrating score that conveys the fatality hanging over the shoulders of one of the greatest antiheroes of French Cinema: Joss Beaumont, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo in his career's most defining role, and the notes I'm thinking of while writing these lines are certainly some of the greatest that ever enriched Cinema's musical memories, a sound made by the great Ennio Morricone. If you haven't seen the film and if you're unfamiliar with the music, I allow you to suspend the reading of this review, because it's so pointless compared to the beauty of "The Professional"'s score. And I implore you to go listen to it, before getting back to this useless assemblage of words.

What is "The Professional", or who is he? I don't know if this really matters if you don't plan to watch the film. It's so simplistic in its premise that it can be compared to anything made before or after, like "The Day of the Jackal" or even the 1994's "Professional" after all: you have your traditional cat-and-mouse chase between a killer with a sense of honor, and the cops and politicians whose ambiguous motives make you inevitably root for their target. Manipulation? No, the film is simply above these considerations, when you watch it; you understand that it doesn't have no purpose else than to captivate you until a rewarding confrontation. It still has an average 80's B-movie feel, some campy acting, some visual and sound effects that need to be reconsidered, the blood looks like red paint, in fact, the form is as simplistic as the content.

And the treatment toward women is exquisitely misogynistic in the purest tradition of James Bond films where even in the most honorable woman, there's something slutty waiting for the magnetic Belmondo, to exude itself, all the opportunities to expose some nude breasts or curvy legs are good, but for some reason, it suits the spirit of a film that doesn't embarrass itself with political correctness: these were other days where movies obeyed to some formulas that didn't depend on the public's reaction. Indeed, the script written by Michel Audiard, one of the most popular French writers, is a challenge for moral sensitivity, since nobody's spared : Africans, politicians, women, cops, there's a cloud of badness contaminating the air and spilling over all the characters, and in this environment where each works for his or her interest, all we can do is to root for the man who follows his instinct, his sense of duty, his honor.

Joss Beaumont is the man who was paid to kill the President of a fictional African country, and was literally sold by his government. After two years, he's back to France, and determined to finish his job, even if the President became a friend of France. People are so banally corrupted that the very notion of hero and villain becomes

Fmovies: This spy movie packs thrills , emotion , exciting action scenes , good performances , spectacular car chases, and a moving finale . Belmondo steals the show , as he runs , bound and leaps ; he jumps over buildings , cars and executes his own stunts . It concerns a French secret agent named Joss Baumont (Jean Paul Belmondo) is sent to one of the African countries to murder president Njala . However, at the last moment the political climate turns and his superiors decide to sell him to the new African regime ; as the French secret service deals with the African authorities , Joss is double-crossed and condemned to a long-term imprisonment , two years of hard labor . After a daring getaway he goes back to his country and deliberately communicates his previous bosses of his presence promising them to kill Njala (Pierre Saintoins) who has just arrived in France with the official visit . And so begins the manhunt , including Le Ministre (Jean Desailly) , Chief of Police, and Military Adviser . Belmondo being relentlessly chased by his former superiors and a tough agent (Robert Hossein) , while he attempts to see his wife (Elisabeth Margoli) and lover (Cyrielle Clair) .

This is an intriguing film that contains noisy action , suspense , thrills , car chases and may other things . Belmondo sports an inimitable smile while shots and kills ; as usual he combines action with comic episodes . The highlights result to be a dueling filmed in Western-showdown style between Belmondo and Robert Hossein , furthermore a suspenseful ending . Enjoyable acting by main star names , Jean Paul Belmondo and Robert Hossein . Belmondo steals the spectacle , as usual at the time , he runs , bound and leaps ; Belmondo makes as his own stunts as well as Jackie Chan , he jumps over buildings, climbs walls , drives rapidly automobiles , including those of the car chase on The Trocadero Plaza . Belmondo asked his father Paul Belmondo to help with the authorizations needed to perform the famous car chase scene . Jean-Paul always performed all the stunts himself but ceased to do so after the accident during the filming of ¨Hold Up¨(1985) . Strong and agreeable secondary cast such as Jean Desailly , Cyrielle Clair and Elisabeth Margoni , among others . Interesting and thrilling screenplay by the prestigious Michael and Jacques Audiard based on a novel by Patrick Alexander . Colorful cinematography by Henri Decae , considered to be one of the best French cameramen , shot on location in Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (Africa scenes) and Château De Ferrières, Ferrières, Seine-et-Marne, France . Wonderful musical score by the classic Ennio Morricone , including emotive leitmotif . Released years before this film, Ennio Morricone's musical theme "Chi Mai" was never intended to be used for cinema. After hearing it on the radio however, Jean-Paul Belmondo was so impressed that he suggested it should be put into the soundtrack of his film. Ultimately, the record of this musical score was not only more successful than its initial release but came to be one of Morricone's bestselling work .

The picture was successful at box office , ranking 4th highest grossing movie of its year in Franc e. Broke the 300,000 admissions mark in Paris ; a record at the time . The motion picture was well directed by Georges Lautner . He was an expert on comedy and action genre , and realized various vehicles for famous and tough French actors ,such as Alain Delon (Twisted detective , Les Seins De Glace), Michael Constantin (These was once a cop , Man in t

This is a movie I can't help seeing again and again. The classic scenes are so many I don't have enough space to write them. Best of all, the very last scene (Joss exiting the castle). The movie is brilliantly complimented by Ennio Morricone's Chi Mai, a song you must have in your CD drawer. Don't you miss it!

The Professional fmovies. The tale of an assassin left behind, and his quest to get revenge has been done in many movies. For about 50 minutes, this version isn't in any way exceptional, and has nothing special going for it - in fact, at times, it is rather silly.

Then we get to a high noon duel in the streets of Paris - and you have to pause, and ask yourself - did I accidentally change channels and ran into a Sergeo Leone film? Because this scene is definitely good enough for "Once Upon a Time in the West"... accompanied as it is with Ennio Morricones score.

From this moment the film becomes faster, more intense and more interesting, until it culminates in the absolutely classic scene of Belmondo walking away towards the helicopter, with "Chi Mai" (bet you heard the tune before, and had no idea where it's from) accompanying him...

This is the best movie that Jean Paul Belmondo performance the movie came to this country in 1982 and you can see it how france handle political situation.. is the same way that countries in the first world treated third world countries during that time and if you remember during the 80's cold war was in the very best successful, beside this the acting is good and Ennio Morricone music "Chi Mai" combined with the dramatical scenes gives to you a spectacular moment that you never are going to forget this is the kind of movie for have in collection but unfortunately is not released in DVD region#1 or VHS but if you have an opportunity to rent it in your local video store ""DO IT""

This is what action movies should be like...without pretension, without being overly philosophical...it's the raw simplicity and humor in "Le Professionnel" that make it oh-so-magnifique! Yes, Morricone's score is unforgettable. The characters...the heroes, antagonists...everything is so yummy and cozy. Belmondo exudes such irresistable charm that at the end I just hoped he'd RUN to the helicopter...but alas, this isnt a Hollywood production. Go Joss, woo! A definite must-see...and the car-chase was good, even in today's CGI standards. Oh, and the French ensemble cast is wonderful!

Yum, yum, yum...