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 |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates | 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
It is about a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent named Cross (Burt Lancaster), a successful but retiring assassin, who is training "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", Jean Laurier (Alain Delon), 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 of 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 maybe revenge for past acts. Cross is very successful at evading capture, and even kills the CIA director who was 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 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
- James Sikking as Harris
- William Smithers as Mitchell
- 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]
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
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