The last job is always the hardest. That final kill. You want out but out
rarely comes. Not many professional killers are sitting around pools lapping
up the sunshine in Miami Beach in their golden years. At least not in the
movies. There have been a lot of films that have covered this subject and
they rarely end happily for anyone. Still this Italian production felt a
little different because of the casting of the hired killer. It is the American
actor Robert Webber. He was ubiquitous in movies and then television from
the 1950s through the 1980's - in comedies, drama, crime - rarely the leading
man but always very noticeable around the film. Usually a white collar corporate
type - often the bad guy behind the bad guy - so it is surprising seeing
him out front here as a killer. A well-spoken one, calm not prone to violence
unless necessary, always in a suit. But a killer when called upon.
He works for the organization and is paid per job. Paid well. He finishes
what he tells his bosses is his last job with a well placed shot from a rooftop
in NYC. Just one more job Clint. A rat named Secchy blabbed to the cops and
is now in Paris with a new face. Go and kill him. Sorry. Then his brother
is killed and the blame put on Secchy and he agrees to take it. But he has
to take a rookie killer with him - mentor him - teach him the ropes. The
kid is played by Franco Nero, a legendary Italian actor - but not then. This
was only a few films into his career and with his glasses and without his
moustache I would not have recognized him. He looks like a fresh faced fraternity
boy. In the same year he was to star in the Spaghetti Western Django and
he was on his way up.
Their contact who knows what Secchy now looks like is dead and they have
no leads but keep on digging - bringing the bad guys out of the shadows but
every lead turns into a dead end - sometimes literally. It is a slow moving
film - no razzmatazz or big displays of gunfire. Just a pro refusing
to take the bait that is set out for him and honing in relentlessly on his
target. But these films are never quite as simple as that as we know. Nicely
shot with location shooting in NYC, Paris and in the Cinecitta Studio in
Rome. Webber is excellent underplaying his character and Nero isn't given
much room to play with. Directed by Francesco Prosperi though credited in
the film as Frank Shannon.
