BLOODY SAM: THE FILMS OF SAM PECKINPAH

      Set in modern day San Francisco, "The Killer Elite" revolves around an elite team of CIA security specialists. There is a typically exciting credit sequence in which Mike Locken (James Caan) and George Hansen (Robert Duval) blow up a building along with the enemy agents who are after the person they are protecting. Following their job, George shoots Mike in the knee and elbow officially retiring him. George doesn't kill Mike as they are old friends, however George has become a turn coat and doesn't want Mike coming after him. Their is a long, painful sequence in which Mike undergoes physical therapy in order to return to work. Beating the odds, Mike's hard work pays off and he is able to overcome his crippling injuries. James Caan's athletic background serves him well in this role. Sam's slow and methodical pacing in this sequence is out of sync with the rest of the film, however it works because the viewer gets to know Mike as a persistent and determined man.

      Finally Mike is ready to return to work, and it turns out that he has a choice assignment. Mike is informed by his superiors Cap Collins (Arthur Hiller) and Laurence Weyburn (Gig Young) that Yuen Chung (Mako), a Chinese underground leader is arriving in San Francisco. Mike must assemble a team to protect Chung as the Communist Chinese have put a hit out on him. The icing on the cake for Mike is the fact that his old partner George is the leader of the rouge hit team. Mike enlists Mac (Burt Young), a cranky demolition’s expert and ace driver who's cover is as a cab driver and Jerome Miller (Bo Hopkins), a crazy country sniper as his backup crew. Upon his arrival at the airport, Chung and his entourage are attacked by a squad of Ninja assassins. It turns out that the ChiComs have sent a backup team. Chung's own security squad along with Mike fight off the Ninjas and are whisked away to a safe house. Chung's daughter Tommie (Tiana Alexander) proves herself to be a fierce warrior as she both fights off the assassins and puts Jerome in his place when he makes a sexist comment. The rest of the film deals with numerous attempts on Chung's life, Mike’s vendetta with George, and everything culminates in an exciting kung fu, Uzi powered climax on board the mothball fleet in San Francisco Bay.

The Killer Elite French Poster

      Sam’s trademark, slow-motion action sequences are on vivid display in this film. His themes of loyalty, honor and the price of betrayal are all dealt with. Like "The Getaway" "The Killer Elite" was a non-controversial crowd pleaser. While it did not enjoy the success that "The Getaway" did it did seem that Sam had finally put the ghosts of "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Behind Him." The plot of "The Killer Elite" was complex and convoluted as there are several secret government agencies playing with people’s lives. There are twists and turns coming from all directions. Sam handled this web quite well. Keeping "The Killer Elite" in mind, one wonders just what went wrong with Sam’s final movie, the Robert Ludlum spy thriller "The Osterman Weekend." Before Sam’s final film, he made two others (not counting an uncredited directing job on the forgettable "Jinxed"). "Convoy" based on the novelty CB song about truck drivers, which has never been a favorite of mine. Sam did have one last great movie left in him. In 1977 Sam made his only war movie.

» CHAPTER 7: CROSS OF IRON (1977)

Rusty White