Love and Bullets ** (1979, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Rod Steiger) – Classic Movie Review 9142

Director Stuart Rosenberg’s 1978 film Love and Bullets is a workmanlike Charles Bronson thriller in which Bronson’s character, the Phoenix, Arizona, cop Charlie Congers, is assigned to rescue Jackie Pruit (played as usual by Bronson’s real-life wife Jill Ireland) from the arms of a crime kingpin, mob boss Joe Bomposa (Rod Steiger).

The action moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Switzerland, Europe, in an attempt to get Ireland (the actress, not the country) back to America to testify before the grand jury. The mobster has other ideas, and sends in assassins.

Classy director Rosenberg fails to stir up the tension or emotions, with a rough and none too ready script by Wendell Mayes (writer and story) and John Melson (writer), and the performances are under-achieved. But, if the tried-for quality eludes it, there is some basic exciting-enough violent action to keep Bronson’s action fans distracted if not exactly engrossed or thrilled.

Also in the cast are Henry Silva, Strother Martin, Bradford Dillman, Michael V Gazzo, Paul Koslo, Val Avery, Sam Chew Jr, Billy Gray, Jerome Thor, Joseph Roman, Albert Salmi, John Hallam, Richard Graydon, Alan Bryce and Lorraine Chase.

In the UK it went out in a double bill with The Domino Killings (1977). Cinematographer Fred J Koenekamp was injured during filming on The Domino Killings and he had to be replaced but he is back filming here in 1979.

Love and Bullets is directed by Stuart Rosenberg, runs 103 minutes is made by Incorporated Television Company and Sir Lew Grade, is distributed by Associated Film Distribution (1979) (US). is written by Wendell Mayes and John Melson, is shot in Metrocolor by Fred J Koenekamp and Anthony B Richmond, is produced by Pancho Kohner, is scored by Lalo Schifrin and is designed by John DeCuir.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9142

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