The Killer Elite

***

Towards the end of his career, Peckinpah was in shambles. But actors either were encouraged to work with him or gave up standard working fees just to get the chance to star in his films. The Osterman Weekend (1983) was such an example. Lot of name actors wanted to work with him towards the end. I've never watched either that or Convoy (1978) all the way through but both are interesting Peckinpah in his twilight. As is The Killer Elite (1975), starring James Caan as a CIA "private company" operative betrayed by partner, Robert Duvall, during assignment, resulting in the murder of another in their party. Duvall respects and likes Caan which is why he caps an arm and knee to "retire" him. Not plugging him in the head was quite a mistake. Gig Young and Arthur Hill are the CIA heads who puppet guys like Caan and Duvall around to their bidding. Money or the code, whatever works as motivation. So Caan must recover, rehabbing with help from a nurse and a martial arts trainer. Meanwhile Hill's gone rogue, setting up Caan (and his hired operative buddies, Burt Young and Bo Hopkins), behind Young's back, hiring Duvall to take out a client needing protection (Mako, a democratic idealist accompanied by a daughter and ninjas) before he can get a boat out of the country and back home to his own. It has the unique perspective of a Peckinpah martial arts action sequence, complete with slow motion, guns fired at ninjas bearing swords, and Caan warding off a bum leg with good use of a cane to protect himself against enemy combatants. Hopkins, as the guns specialist, and Young as the "cabby" and mechanic specialist are a welcome addition to the film as Duvall is given very little to do except plan to take out Mako and avoid Caan's revenge. To me the real star of the film (like many others in the 60s/70s) is San Francisco, a location as much a character with its busy streets and iconographic Golden Gate Bridge. The hilly streets, airport, and other Cali locations gave me a bit more enjoyment than the material necessarily. I certainly felt Peckinpah passed through the film with his direction giving the material nary a care besides the customary slow motion and dying bodies. Caan and Duvall are both going through the motions, and I don't think either of them gave much of a shit. Peckinpah and his deterioration due to vices out of their control certainly might have had something to do with that. I'd guess you would have to ask them. The on-the-location shooting outside the studio gave the film enough of an edge, I think, and there are machine guns bulleting bodies in the edit of a PG cut. Is this Peckinpah at his best? How could it have been, all things considered? It was held together professionally which might be enough of a surprise if anything...