Did it ? I don't think it did. I might have found out if I'd listened to the director's commentary, with Soderbergh, but I couldn't be bothered. Maybe I'll take it in at some future time. Otherwise it was quite interesting, but terminally puzzling. It didn't hang together very well. More or less a permanent clash of personalities. Difficult to know why they were so cool with each other. Why did Angie try to batter Lee so furiously, with no effect ? Frankly, I needed more clarity. What exactly was it about ? Did Marvin collect his money ? Did he wind up as a part-owner boss of the mob ? Most of the rest of the cast were dead by the end. Similar to Bacon's opinion about his own paintings. Meaningless, unless you find meaning in them. One critic thinks that Marvin was actually dead throughout the entire movie.

Lesson one, don't mess with Lee Marvin. This dude is bad, and ice cold. After getting stabbed in the back (well, actually, shot in the chest) and left for dead, he pursues the money that was owed to him up the chain in an organized crime syndicate. In one fight, he hammers a guy on the ground in the groin. When he's shot at in an underground garage, he calmly takes a couple of steps back behind a pillar, and allows the police to take care of the shooter. He's so direct and menacing in making it clear he's going to be paid, or he's going to kill you. He's a terrific tough guy, and turns in an excellent performance.The film was entertaining, but I'm not sure it ever really broke out of the usual Hollywood formula of a very brave, very tough guy taking on an unseen web of corruption. I was reminded of The Big Heat (1953), which ironically also starred Lee Marvin, and there are many others. After you've heard the premise, you can imagine what's going to happen, and it's got a few plot holes as well. On the other hand, it's well made within this genre, with director John Boorman filming at Alcatraz, using a gritty, stark style, and employing mini-flashbacks to realistically show Marvin's state of mind. John Vernon, ubiquitous bad guy from this era, is solid, and it was nice to see Angie Dickinson, particularly in the scene where she gets mischievous and annoys Marvin. The bit with her wailing away at him while he stands there impassively fit well and made me smile. Less successful is Carroll O'Connor, who is a little harder to believe in the few scenes he has, though it was interesting to see him in role other than Archie Bunker. Overall, a good action 60's action film, but probably a little over-hyped, with the gushings of critic David Thomson leading the way. I'd give a slight edge to Bullitt, from the following year, if you have a choice.

This was one of several films released at a time when English Directors were shooting not only in Hollywood but working in distinctly US genres not normally associated with roast beef and two veg and as such it is no better or no worse than any of the others. Like many prolific authors associated with one genre Donald E. Westlake, who had made both a name and a young fortune out of light-hearted crime novels, thought he'd try the real thing and created a second persona under which he published a much smaller output including Point Blank in which an ultra 'hard' man, left for dead, recovers and possibly mistaking himself for Richard, Duke of York, works his way up the hierarchy of the 'organisation', offing them systematically until he reaches the top. This is, of course, the kind of role that Lee Marvin can phone in and he brings it off to a fare-thee- well leaving the undemanding entertained with it.

I found this film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was looking forward to seeing it because it was the chance to see the leading actor in a different kind of role than I've seen from him before, directed by John Boorman (Deliverance, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Excalibur, The Tailor of Panama). Basically a man known to everyone only as Walker (Lee Marvin) who was double-crossed by his partner and his wife Lynne (Sharon Acker) is unfaithful to him. Walker does not seek retribution, all he wants is his share of the loot, $93,000, and nothing and no-one will stop him from doing whatever it takes to get it. Walker goes through a number of henchmen, slick operators and shrewd entrepreneurs that stand in his way of getting to the main man and his money. Walker's self- motivated operations takes to locations such as Alcatraz Island and Fort Point, he does force the criminals to give him what he wants, the final confrontation sees the man who set him up leaving the money in a briefcase, but in the end Walker leaves it, the criminals assume he will return to collect it, it is unclear if he does. Also starring Keenan Wynn as Yost, Carroll O'Connor as Brewster, Lloyd Bochner as Frederick Carter, Michael Strong as Stegman and John Vernon as Mal Reese. Marvin who I knew best for being in westerns and playing rough or messy characters gives a magnificent performance as the revenge-seeking lethal weapon man, the film makes great use of cinematography and Los Angeles locations, and the violence throughout really draws you in, I agree with critics the slightly complicated characters and story mean it may require repeat viewings, but I can confirm it is a most worthwhile crime thriller. Very good!