''Scorpio'' is a 1973 American spy film directed by Michael Winner and written by David W. Rintels and Gerald Wilson. It stars

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...

, and Paul Scofield. Delon plays the title character, a hitman hired by the

CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...

to assassinate his mentor (Lancaster), a former agent suspected of treason. The film's score was composed by

Jerry Fielding Jerry Fielding (born Joshua Itzhak Feldman; June 17, 1922 – February 17, 1980)Redman, Nick"Fielding, Jerry" Jackson, Kenneth T.; Markoe, Karen E.; Markoe, Arnold (1995). ''Dictionary of American Biography; Supplement 10: 1976–1980''. New ...

Plot

Cross is an experienced, but retiring Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent and assassin who is training freelance hitman Jean Laurier, alias 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 to kill Cross for suspected treason and collaboration with the Soviets, but Cross gets to him first and pays him a large sum of money. Scorpio travels back to the US with Cross, where Cross visits his wife and Laurier visits his sister and girlfriend, who are roommates. The CIA continue to pressure Scorpio into assassinating Cross, but he proves reluctant until the CIA break into his apartment and frame Laurier with a narcotics charge. His only choice is to take the job and terminate Cross. Understanding that the CIA wants him out, Cross flees to Vienna in disguise and reunites with his Soviet opposite and friend, Sergei Zharkov who provides him a safehouse. Scorpio follows Cross' trail to Vienna. Cross intends to bring his wife out from the US and get out of the spy business. Despite blown covers and many failed CIA attempts to ambush him, Cross manages to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. In a failed break-in at Cross's home, CIA agents shoot and kill his wife Sarah, causing Cross to return to America. He rejects protection from Zharkov, whose agency wants to know secrets he knows as a senior field agent. Zharkov helps Cross to cover his tracks and reach America. Cross evades capture by the CIA and manages to kill McLeod, the agency director responsible for his wife's death. CIA wants Cross' head on a platter and contracts Scorpio again. The new CIA director and Scorpio's handler Filchock shows him evidence that Cross might have collaborated in the past with other foreign agents and was able to make a hefty sum from it. Following surveillance video of a potential meet up between Cross's wife and accomplice at the Library of Congress, Scorpio sees his girlfriend walking out as well and comes to realization that she is working with Cross. Enraged by this, Scorpio corners Cross and Susan and kills his girlfriend instantly without remorse. Cross says she was a Czech courier and he is just a middleman between their agency for staying in the game and did not betray Scorpio. Scorpio finishes off Cross after hearing his last words of wisdom. Moments later, Scorpio is also shot by a mysterious assailant, as Cross had earlier predicted.

Cast

as Cross *

as Jean Laurier / Scorpio * Paul Scofield as Sergei Zharkov * John Colicos as McLeod *

Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Jenkins, Lady Jenkins (''née'' Hunnicutt; born February 6, 1943) is an American retired film, television and stage actress. She has made more than 30 film appearances. Early life and education The daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicut ...

as Susan *

J.D. Cannon John Donovan Cannon (April 24, 1922 – May 20, 2005) was an American actor. An alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, he is best known for his co-starring role of Chief of Detectives Peter B. Clifford in the tele ...

as Filchock * Joanne Linville as Sarah Cross * Mel Stewart as Pick *

Vladek Sheybal Vladek Sheybal (born Władysław Rudolf Zbigniew Sheybal; 12 March 1923 – 16 October 1992) was a Poles, Polish character actor, singer and director of both television and Theatre director, stage productions. He was well known for his portrayal ...

as Zemetkin *

Mary Maude Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

as Anne *

Jack Colvin Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82). Ear ...

as Paul Milney * James Sikking as Harris *

Burke Byrnes Burke Byrnes (born December 9, 1937) is an American actor, best known as the voice for Daddy Topps in ''The Land Before Time ''The Land Before Time'' is an American animated film series and media franchise created by Judy Freudberg and Ton ...

as Morrison *

William Smithers William Smithers (born July 10, 1927) is an American actor, perhaps best known for his recurring role as Jeremy Wendell in the television series ''Dallas''. He appeared in the series in 1981 and from 1984 to 1989. Early life and career Smith ...

as Mitchell * Shmuel Rodensky as Lang *

Celeste Yarnall Celeste Jeanne Yarnall (July 26, 1944 – October 7, 2018) was an American actress primarily of the 1960s and 1970s. She started her career on television before moving to feature film roles. Career A native of Long Beach, California, Yarnall w ...

as Helen Thomas * Sandor Elès as Malkin * Frederick Jaeger as Novins * George Mikell as Dor *

Robert Emhardt Robert Emhardt (July 24, 1914 – December 26, 1994) was an American character actor who worked on stage, in film and on television. Emhardt was frequently cast as a villain, often a crooked businessman or corrupt politician. Early years Em ...

as Man in Hotel

Production

The film was based on a script by David Wintels which had been bought by Walter Mirisch, who had a deal with United Artists. Michael Winner came on board to direct but wanted a rewrite. Mirsch disagreed so Winner dropped out. Then United Artists decided to remove Mirisch from the project and gave control over to Winner (although Mirisch kept a producer credit.) It would be one of the last films made by Mirisch for United Artists. Winner brought in his regular writer, Gerard Wilson, to do a rewrite. Delon and Lancaster were cast in April 1972. Lancaster's fee was $750,000 plus ten percent of the profits. Winner said he agreed to do the film because it was a more serious spy film in the vein of ''The Spy Who Came in From the Cold''. "And it has a good plot," he added. "Unexpected things happen." He was also attracted to the theme "the problems of men who have opted out of normal society to make their own way." He says many of his movies dealt with this. Filming took place in Washington, Vienna and Paris. Filming began May 29, 1972 and went until mid August. The unit filmed at the Watergate Hotel and were staying there the night of the notorious break in. Despite a script which showed the CIA assassinating people and involved with various nefarious plots, Winner was given permission to shoot in the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Scenes at Cross's home were actually filmed at then CIA Director Richard Helms's home in NW Washington D.C. Arnold Picker, Chairman of United Artists, was surprised that the CIA would allow such a thing and insisted that Winner show them a copy of the script before shooting began. He did so and approval was granted, making ''Scorpio'' the first movie ever shot on location at their Headquarters. Lancaster later said the film was "nothing incisive, just a lot of action" and was "one of those things you do as part of your living, but you try to avoid doing them as much as you can."

Release

The film was given an X rating in England but this was overturned on appeal.

Critical reception

Reviewing ''Scorpio'' for ''

Time Out Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an enginee ...

'' magazine, Geoff Andrew took a negative view of the film: "Winner directs with typically crass abandon, wasting a solid performance from Lancaster". On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 59% rating from 22 reviews with the consensus: "Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon add some much-needed weight, but ''Scorpio'' doesn't offer much that spy thriller fans haven't already seen before."

DVD and Blu-ray releases

''Scorpio'' was released on DVD by MGM Home Entertainment on April 1, 2003 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD. A Limited Edition (3,000 units) was released by Twilight Time on November 10, 2015 as a Region A Blu-ray. It features an audio commentary by film historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman.

References

External links

*
Scorpio
at Letterbox DVD
Review of film
at Roger Ebert

at Cinema Retro {{DEFAULTSORT:Scorpio (Film) 1973 films 1970s English-language films 1970s action thriller films 1970s spy films American action thriller films American spy films Cold War spy films Films about contract killing Films about the Central Intelligence Agency Films directed by Michael Winner Films produced by Walter Mirisch Films scored by Jerry Fielding Films set in Vienna Films shot in Vienna United Artists films 1970s American films