Charles Bronson is Vince Majestyk, a dedicated melon farmer and Vietnam vet with one prior on his record, who is hauled into jail for assault with a rifle after a gang of small-time hoods attempt to force him to use their amateur laborers for pickers instead of the migrant workers he usually hires. Being transferred in a prisoner's van alongside a hit-man for the mob, Majestyk takes charge in a volatile situation and tries cutting a deal with the cops: the hit-man in exchange for his release. When the plan goes awry, Majestyk is eventually freed and goes back to work--but now he's got angry mobsters on his tail. Muddled plot by screenwriter Elmore Leonard (!) is strictly emotion-based; there's no logic or reasoning behind the actions taken by the hoods (led by a sniveling Paul Koslo) hoping to muscle-in on the melon picking, nor by the incompetent police department, nor by the hired gun (a cartoonishly volatile Al Lettieri) who will not stop until he gets his revenge on Majestyk. Still, Bronson comes through with one of his best genre performances; there was no one else working in '70s action pictures who could stare down a lying, cheating weasel the way Bronson could. All-purpose director Richard Fleischer keeps Bronson in character--he also stages some fast, tough action sequences--but the rest of this show belongs strictly to the star. **1/2 from ****

Having betrayed the trust of a contract killer who he fled a transportation vehicle with, a hardened melon farmer reluctantly agrees to act as a 'bait' for the police who believe that the killer will take revenge in this Charles Bronson action vehicle. Made in the same year as 'Death Wish', Bronson is in equally as fine form here, and while the film does not offer anywhere near as touching a portrait of a man forced into violence, there is a lot to be said for the genuine passion that Bronson shows for his crops and his sympathy for the migrant workers he employs. The action sequences are expectedly good too, though the script could have done with a bit more work. It is hard to believe that Bronson just expects the contract killer's girlfriend to drive the two of them to prison without any arguments at a key point. The plot also relies heavily on the hit-man being impulsive and unpredictable, which does not quite gel with the notion of him being so successful in both his profession and ability to evade the law. A half-baked romance between Bronson and one of his workers adds little to the film too. Most filmgoers will, however, come here for the action and with four wheel drive chases across the desert, tense shoot-outs and a grisly scene in which a policeman is killed while on the toilet, it is all highly memorable stuff. The novelty value of Bronson as a farmer is worth mentioning too. It seems odd that the filmmakers could not come up with a more inventive title than its main character's name, but working under open skies in the fresh air, maybe his profession really is majestic.

Mr. Majestyk (1974) *** (out of 4) Melon farmer Vince Majestyk (Charles Bronson) has a wise guy trying to force his workers onto his land, which lands the farmer in jail on assault. While in jail, hit man Frank Renda (Al Lettieri) tries an escape but the farmer puts an end to his plans. Soon the hit man eventually breaks away from Majestyk but he has sworn vengeance on the farmer and comes after his crops and him.MR. MAJESTYK is one of Bronson's better pictures from this period even though there's no question that it runs a tad bit too long and has a rather long-winded plot. With that said, if you're a fan of Bronson then the Majestyk character is certainly one of the most memorable of his career and it allows the actor to show off his tough side but it also gives him a couple very funny bits.The biggest factor that makes this film work is of course the cast. Bronson is tough-as-iron as you'd expect and this role really fits him well. The farmer is obviously your everyday type of person and Bronson fits this perfectly. He just looks, sounds and walks like a melon farmer. As I said, there's action throughout, which the actor handles without a problem but he's also given a chance to play a real character and deliver a real performance. For those who say Bronson was just a figure and not an actor, show them this. Lettieri was making a great career playing worthless scumbag and he's wonderful here as well. Linda Cristal and Lee Purcell are both good in their roles Paul Koslo is so slimy as the worthless wannabe tough guy.The film contains a great number of action scenes that are all perfectly directed by Richard Fleischer. Some of the memorable moments include the terrific car chase at the end and there's another very good sequence where Bronson has some fun beating the tar out of the hit man. The film also benefits from some great visuals and a very good music score. MR. MAJESTYK is everything you'd expect from a 70s action film.

I'm kind of surprised to see all the 8,9, even 10 star reviews for this flick. After Bronson decides to turn in the Lettieri character by calling Lettieri's girlfriend and expects her to deliver them both to the sheriff while he sits in the back seat ... it was downhill from there for me. We started laughing at the stupidity of this plot point when (shock) Lettieri gets the drop on him by pulling a gun (gasp) from the girlfriend's purse. The great melon murder scene was also good for a few snorts. Sorry, I like some Charles Bronson films (The Mechanic, Death Hunt, Hard Times, Once Upon a Time..., and The Magnificent Seven), but I think a more convincing vehicle could have been dreamed up for Il Brutto than a tough-guy melon farmer who manages to tweak the nose of a big-time hit man.