Prime Cut - Die Professionals

After Gene Hackman won the Oscar for Best Actor for "The French Connection" in 1972, this cheezy flick was quickly released to take advantage of his newly hot career. Largely relegated to the exploitation drive-in markets, this film is notable solely for the 3 Oscar-winners heading the cast. The story is stupid, Lee Marvin is drunk or hung-over and couldn't care less for the entire movie, Sissy Spacek is game for anything (thus the full-frontal nudity) but characterless, and Gene Hackman seems to be having a good time chewing the scenery, but all to no avail. I only got this because I had fond memories of seeing this because of my interest in Gene Hackman as an actor, and, in hindsight, I could have done without it. Take my advice and do without.

I saw this movie when it was first released around 1972 and truly enjoyed this different Organized Crime story with two heavyweights going against each other in Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman. Throw in Sissy Spacek in her first major role and it is a true winning combo. Lots of action, but also a lot of violence. Very good movie beginning to end.

This story of how the head of an Irish gang in Chicago sends its enforcers to Kansas to force its local affilate headed by Mary Ann(Gene Hackman) to make good on a delinquent debt is intriguing and even funny at times. The late Lee Marvin stars as Nick Devlin with Sissy Spacek as the young girl he rescues from Mary Ann's white slavery operation.It is true that Devlin is not what you could a traditionally heroic character but in the 1970s, the "anti-hero" was very much in vogue, especially in American films(porbably a reaction to the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal).I especially liked the sequence at the end in which Spacek's character confronts the abusive head of the orphanage, and floors her with a good right hook after which Devlin frees the other children(mainly girls)!

An excellent neo noir, with a great cast (Sissy Spacek’s first film!) & a unique, creative presentation. I don’t want to give away any surprises; & there’s also plenty of conventional action for genre fans

What can I say, I am a sucker for 1970's crime-suspense-thrillers...Pros:-Realistic look at organized syndicate in this case: Chicago Irish mob-The opening scene with titles is very original and memorable-Another memorable scene is the one with Lee Marvin and his henchmen riding in a car,loading weapons, and getting ready for a confrontation, with a great background music, androlling thunder as a precursor for what is about to happen...really-really cool.-Lots of good open-air atmospheric scenes. Like the one with Lee Marvin and his teenage mistresshiding in the field of wheat.-Gene Hackman as a bad guy...really-really cool thing to see...Cons:-Not enough character development-Not enough sex (actually I don't recall any sex in the movie)-I was not satisfied with the ending of the movie...wish there so more to it.

Prime Cut is a rather unusual crime drama set in the mid-west, specifically the Kansas City metropolitan area. This includes some wheat fields and rural areas BTW. It definitely earns it's R rating. Unless you have a strong stomach and a broad mind you might want to pass on this one.However those who enjoy a little different crime story would probably like "Prime Cut". Lee Marvin is very good, Gene Hackman is OK but he chews the scenery somewhat. Sissy Spacek is good and displays her lovely attributes without shame.

If you are a true film fan, this is a recognised cult classic. Not technically a neo noir, but more of an outrageous crime story, it is a must for fans of Lee Marvin whose powerful presence blows someone as strong as Gene Hackman off the screen. The two famous set pieces, featuring a combine machine destroying a limo, and the grinding up of people into sausages, are remembered by those of us who saw the film only one time over half a century ago. Unfortunately, I regret there are no commentary tracks by film historians or notable extra features.

Another one of those forgotten gem movies. Pure Lee Marvin, with Gene Hackman as the bad guy. How can you go wrong... WARNING, there is a lot of nudity in this, as well as violence.

There were moments that were a bit silly, like the combine harvester chewing up a car, with huge chunks of metal dropping out the rear, or incredibly accurate fire from a sub-machine gun, and there was a plot you just didnt know where it might go, which was good. The 70s feel was nice, the sparse dialogue, under-explained back-story where you had to make assumptions, all made it watchable, and the rather extreme plot devices thrown in to shock 70s audiences were what makes it a curiousity, but it also felt like good acting talent was wasted, and better writing could have made it a classic. The script had some moments where a pithy Clint-style one-liner was called for, but all we got was lame forgettable dialogue. eg. when at a very key moment Hackman declares 'a man and a beast are just the same', instead of a killer memorable line and then walking off Lee Marvin just says, "no, you're wrong" and walks off. The film was a wasted opportunity.

I rather liked this weird, shocking and less than half-serious 1972 crime film, even if it is not exactly a masterpiece. Below, more of my impressions, with some SPOILERS.Irish mob bosses from Chicago have a problem - one of their business partners, known as Mary Ann (Gene Hackman) owes them money - in fact A LOT of money - and not only he obstinately refuses to pay, but treats most unkindly all those who are send to collect. Mary Ann lives on a farm near Kansas City and officially makes his money in cattle slaughtering and meat packaging, but in fact he is a dangeorus and vicious crime lord, ruling his rural neighborhood almost as a feodal duke.Having received loud and clear (by mail) Mary Ann's latest unequivocal (and, in a way, very tasty) refusal to pay, Chicago mob bosses decide to send in another crew of debt collectors - this time more numerous and especially headed by a particularly vicious enforcer, Nick Devlin (Lee Marvin). Other than 50.000 dollars fee Devlin is also incited to take this offer by the oportunity of revenge - indeed, between him and Mary Ann there is considerable beef (sorry, I couldn't resist)... And then the film really begins.This film mixes elements of:- gangster movie, as there is lots of gangsters- film noir, as there is a femme not only fatale but "très fatale"- western, as there are gunfights and chases in a very rural environment, and also lots of chattel (both four and two legged), shotguns and hats,- parody, as the two bad guys, both "muy macho", are called Mary Ann and Weenie...))) Also, the wife of the main villain, who as we remember has a cattle slaughterhouse and meat packing business, is named Clarabelle...)))...)))...)))- soft porn, as for most of the film young Sissy Spacek, for whom it was the first role ever and who is cute like a button and delicious as a damsel in distress, runs completely naked, full frontal included... We also learn a lot about intimate life of little orphan girls who never saw a man in their life...)))- promotion of vegetarianism becasue CLASSIFIED TO AVOID SPOILERS - but believe me, you will probably not want a steak or a sausage for some time after watching "Prime Cut"- child movie (SPOILER WARNING HERE), as at one moment murderous gangsters with machine guns will mount on the white horse (OK, in fact get in a black car - but metaphorically speaking it is true) to save a virgin princess kept in a tower by two ogres and later a lot of poor orphans kept prisoners by a bad, bad, bad lady...As we can see, the coctail is indeed exotic and sometimes surrealistic - in fact it reminded me a little bit of Quentin Tarantino scenarios...This film contains some deliberately very shocking scenes, including a slave auction - it certainly made a splash in 1972 - all rhytmed by a very good musical score by Lalo Shifrin. Action scenes however aged a lot and are rather boring and the great finale showdown is very, very disappointing. Dialogs are a mixture of good one liners and smart come backs, but also sadly some banalities. Finally, actions of the bad guys finally don't make much sense and for that reason the frontal shock between Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman doesn't deliver as much as it could be expected.But still it is an interesting film, with two excellent actors, a cute (and naked) damsel in distress, some shocking moments, some good dialogs, a femme (très) fatale and, let's say it again, a lot of beef...))) ENJOY!

What a treat.Two of Hollywoods greatest in one hell of a gangster movie. If like me,your a big Lee Marvin fan and hadn't seen all his movies,especially this your going to love Prime Cut. It starts off with some very unusual sausages and ends in a tense shootout. Lee Marvin does what he did best (owning every scene) and Gene Hackman plays the part of part-time pimp,part-time butcher...all bad guy.I'm not one for spoiling movies if you've not seen them but trust me when I say that once I'd watched this I couldn't wait to start over and watch it all again.

The Swiss label Explosive Media edition of Prime Cut is,i'm reliably informed, the best restored version of this classy film.As well as improved video the soundtrack with Lalo Schifrin's score is much better than on the region 1 edition. Extras include :Original trailer 3 mins.Gallery 4 mins.Trailers for other Explosive Media releases.Reversible cover ( same both sides apart from age restriction sticker).2.36:1 aspect ratio.Region free.English LPCM 2.0.German LPCM 2.0.No subtitles for the main film.I'm sure it could be improved but as it's probably a niche market they haven't done a bad job although worthwhile extras are certainly conspicuous by their absence plus if you're hearing impaired I hope you can lip read. All told I'm glad to see this gem on bluray,I won't see sausages in the same way again but recommended.

White-bread Mid Western farm boys are angering Chicago mobsters by muscling in on their business and sending their representatives back disguised as sausages.Micheal Richie's Prime Cut is one of the oddest and finest crime films of 1970s,taking in everything from Gothic horror, romance, sleaze, shoot em' ups and satire. For once the mob is Irish rather than Italian and the good ole boys are from the heartlands rather than the South. Gene Hackman adopts one of his most sinister beep-eating-grins and delivers pure evil. Lee Marvin handles his machine gun like only a WWII vet could do and is way cooler than even Clint Eastwood was at his height. Sissy Spacek makes a great and surprisingly tough damsel in distress.There are some stunning set pieces. The fire fight in a field full of sun flowers stands out, as does the sight of a cadillac being eaten up by a combine harvester and the grand guignol final confrontation in a barn full of pigs is one of the all time greats.Prime Cut is also an oddly prescient action movie. The concentration on visuals, disinterest in social realism and genre cross-pollination are much more like the concerns of a graphic novel than was the norm in 1970s crime dramas. In other words, a great film that was ahead of its time.The region 1 DVD is in widescreen and features optional subtitles, but no extras.