Hit Parade

The Hit (1984) looked like a can't miss. A crime story starring Terence Stamp, John Hurt, and Tim Roth. Adding some spice is Laura del Sol, who danced flamenco for Carlos Saura in several movies (but not this one). 

It starts with a trial with Terence Stamp grassing on his criminal confederates, sending half a dozen to prison, including the boss. They react by raucously singing "We Will Meet Again".

The government sends Stamp to a village in Spain, where we see him living happily, chatting with the padre, shopping in the market. But when he gets home, a quartet of young thugs grab him, stuff his head in a bag and take him away.

The thugs deliver him to Hurt and Roth, who pay them off with a bomb. (They don't realize that one of them gets away.) Hurt is grim and focused, running the operation. Roth is a cocky youngster with flashy shades and a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. Stamp takes all this with some equanimity, chatting about how he expects they will get him to England. Roth tells him he's wrong - the boss is in Paris. When Hurt tells him to shut up, he apologizes, using Hurt's real name. So he's spilled two pieces of info. 

So most of the rest of the movie has Stamp acting unconcerned about his upcoming demise, and subtly trying to pit his two captors against one another. He gets Hurt paranoid about the car they're driving, so Hurt diverts to Madrid to a safe house. But they find a fat old Australian gangster squatting there. He has been living with Laura del Sol, his paid companion, who he really loves. When they leave, Hurt figures they have to kill them, but softens and just takes del Sol as a hostage. 

She acts as another wedge between the captors. Roth is a bit sweet on her, and even Hurt can't bring himself to just kill her. 

Ready for the spoiler? OK, SPOILER. Before they get to the French border, Hurt decides he has had enough. Stamp has been talking about the fragility of life and the futility of fighting death. But when Hurt tells him he's going to kill him right now, Stamp freaks, begs, and runs away, only to get shot in the back. Then Hurt shoots Roth - getting rid of witnesses, particularly one as lame as Roth. He beats up del Sol, but can't bring himself to kill her, muttering "You lucky girl". 

So as he's crossing the border alone on foot, del Sol sees him from the police station window, and he is gunned down too. 

This is a very stylish movie. Stamp is dressed all in white, doing a variation of his Christ figure. Hurt is a great grim-faced villain, and Roth is the dumb kid who thinks he's tough. He confesses that this is his first hit, and asks if Hurt will do the killing for him, and will he still get paid? Del Sol is beautiful and strong, never trying to seduce her way out, fighting to the last. Director Stephen Frears makes it all looks gorgeous.

And the whole psychological set up is so good, especially the payoff. Stamp is so aloof and philosophical, until reality comes home. When Roth asks him why he became a grass, he said that he couldn't keep running with that mob, like it was an ethical choice. Then he reveals that it was all about the sweet deal the police offered, and it makes more sense.

On the other hand, Ms. Spenser declined to watch more than a few minutes. Said something about spending enough time with unpleasant people in real life...