Day of the Assassin (1979) User Reviews (10)

The shah and his treasure

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 5 July 2019]

It looks like a real nice luxury resort and I'm sure the inducement for being in this film was the American and Mexican stars got to stay there while shooting Day Of The Assassin.

A whole bunch of international adventure types are at this resort when an attack is made on the Shah of Iran's yacht sending it to the bottom of the bay. Reputed treasure is supposed to be there. But mysterious Greek tycoon type Glenn Ford type has hired Chuck Connors to get a list that went down with the boat.

Connors has lots of competition, some familiar faces from the spy game.

Glenn Ford is about as Greek as Barry Fitzgerald, hope his pay check cleared.

Richard Roundtree made out best, he plays a mute assassin and hence had no stupid dialog to recite.

Day Of The Assassin is a joint Mexican-American dud.

Watch as Chuck Connors and similar looking guys are trying to do stuff!

[Aaron1375 · 4/10 · 19 July 2022]

This film seems like it should be better than it was. I realize Chuck is the lead and he is pretty old, but what is age? Just a number! No, he is not the problem, the problem is even after watching this thing I am still not sure what was going on. This is mainly due to the fact that so many of the leads in this film are brown haired guys wearing similar leisure suits so I am like, "Is that guy good?" or "I thought he was working with Connors and now he is burning him!" to "I thought that guy burned Connors..."

The story, um, not going to lie, I have no idea what was going on here. All I know is that it boils down to Glen Ford hiring Chuck to retrieve some piece of paper that is worth two million dollars. Meanwhile, a bunch of guys get killed on a boat then a guy parasailing drops bombs on the killers, Shaft does not speak a line of dialog and it is unclear where he stands until the end, but at least you can tell him and Chuck apart from the myriad of dudes with brown hair!

I kind of liked Connors in this, and then that dude that he referred to as Macho man was good too as I was finally able to differentiate the characters by the end. I just thought the film could have used a bit more action than just running and slow car chases.

So, not great at all, but enjoyable in its way. Could have used some more action, maybe some nudity, but that being said what does one expect from a Italian, Mexican, Spanish and possibly American co production? Most of the time a film like this is going to be bad, but fun to watch as while I could not tell what was going on as they did not a good job of storytelling, at least I got to see a man shoot a flare to end the film!

A rare disappointment from Brian Trenchard-Smith.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 26 August 2017]

Day of the Assassins is one of those cheesy low-budget action films where one vehicle bumping into another results in an instant explosion, and where a wooden shack marked 'Explosives' is guaranteed to go up in a ball of flames. The hero (or anti-hero in this case) is unflappable and irresistible to women (despite his advancing years), the location is exotic, and the bad guys couldn't shoot a barn door at ten paces. Directed by the usually reliable Brian Trenchard-Smith, the movie consists of a series of incompetently staged action scenes, with the flimsiest of plots to tie them all together: a group of mercenaries vie to get their hands on a list of great importance (contents unknown).

There's a few unintentional giggles to be had watching star Chuck Connors, in his late 50s at the time, struggling to keep his breath while running around, Glenn Ford and Henry Silva pop up for an easy paycheck, Richard Roundtree is wasted as a mute killer who is pushed over the edge of a quarry, Trenchard-Smith delivers a few juicy squib effects, and the gorgeous Susana Dosamantes provides some welcome eye candy (hunky Jorge Rivero doing the same for the ladies), but for the most part this is about as gripping as your average episode of The A-Team.

For lovers of unintentionally funny D-flicks O-N-L-Y !!

[wmjahn · 2/10 · 30 August 2007]

Glenn FORD is in this for barely 5 minutes (if at all that "long") and has exactly 3 scenes. Either his pay-check was so low or he was so "expensive" that he was only paid for sitting (or the producers could only afford to pay him for sitting) in 2 of the 3 scenes, which he has at the beginning and in his 3rd scene in the last 3rd he is then shot (so ridiculously, that this is indeed funny). He was 63 when this was made, but actually he looks older. It's a shame that such a SUPERB actor spent a day of his life playing in such "beep", but then again he probably didn't have to leave his house at all (I don't know where his 3 scenes were shot, but it could have been in his house or some nearby hotel, all that has probably taken 1 hour or less). And it's still the best this movie has to offer. Look at Fords' eyes when he does his lines: rolls them like to say "Oh God, pardon me being in this one. When is this over ?". Sad, but then again weirdly funny as well.

All the other cast are have-beens, too, but one nevertheless wonders, how they all got into this one. I mean there's Henry Silva in it (also for less than 5 minutes, also 2 or 3 scenes, but he survives), he was 51 then, but also looks older, Richard Rountree was in it, then 37, moving slowly like on dope, Chuck Connors, then 58, looking like 70, but from what I have seen of him he must have born looking like 70 (he always looks that way) and "the princess" was 41 then and certainly had her heydays behind (but don't be mistaken, she's still the most "juicy" person in this sad flick). It indeed seems that everybody involved in this movie aged considerably between the time he (or more likely his/her inept small-time agent) signed the contract (to be in this) and when the few scenes were shot.

All the other cast looks like retired bookkeepers or controllers as well.

Still, this cast 20 years earlier ... would have been a competent cast.

There are hardly any action scenes in it (too expensive), and the few, which are, are cheaply made (sure, the budget must have been a shoestring) and incompetently staged. Anyway, lovers of unintentional fun will have a field day.

I managed to sit through it for app. 30 minutes, until I first hit the "fast forward" button to swallow some unbearable "action" scenes: men, hardly able to run, "running" with all sorts of guns on roads and between trees. Then I watched in normal speed here and there, but most of it fast forward.

Inept dialog, too (but again, some funny moments).

The storyline: forget it (they all want some piece of paper, some sort of list ... what it contains - never explained ... who cares anyway).

But still, there's something worth mentioning: the music. Not that it is first rate, but at least it is pretty competent: BEBU SILVETTI composed some disco-influenced funk-pieces for this wast-of-time-movie and what is even more remarkable, it was actually released on vinyl LP-record on some obscure backyard US-label (Texas, if I recall correctly) on behalf of the composers permission. Contains on the back cover a long list, in which countries this vinyl may be sold and in which not. But it most likely sold less copies than there are countries mentioned on the cover. :-) Very rare, of course, and nice cover, too.

For Glenn Ford & Henry Silvas 6 scenes and the music I gave it 2 instead of no star. How this gets 4,7 on the IMDb is beyond me. 30 voters ... 4 gave it 10 !! Fun voters ?? I'd be happy if one of them would explain on the discuisson board, which splendid scenes I missed through my fast forwarding ... thanx! :-))

NOT worth the effort of tracking it down (unless you are Quentin Tarantino, but he'll know that one anyway, I bet :-)) ).

Brian Trenchard-Smith's lowest ebb SURELY?

[bamptonj · 12 October 2001]

You know how in movies like Boogie Nights they have reference to those throw-a-way 70's C-Grade action flicks?

Well, this completely fits the stereotype. Terrible acting, low budget. negligible special effects - though there was an amusing scene where a helicopter dropped dynamite into the sea as it pursued a swimmer. I can't really remember the plot, but i doubt the original writer could either, so...

I really don't think anybody could watched more than 10 minutes of this... Still, it may be better than 'JOCKS'

A cheap looking films with some American stars well after their primes.

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 1 March 2022]

"Day of the Assassin" has an overall score of 4.4 on IMDB...which seems way too high! After all, the film is very cheaply made and it looks it! Even hiring some American actors who were way after their prime (Chuck Connors, Glenn Ford, Henry Silva, Richard Roundtree...who doesn't even talk in the film, as I assume they were paying him by the word) didn't help this one much...especially since Connors seemed way too old for such a macho role.

The plot involves some sunken treasure and mysterious documents from a Shah's boat and lots of different people are willing to kill to get it. And, throughout Mexico, they run about killing each other--some in completely ridiculous manners (the parasailing murders was beyond dumb).

The bottom line is that the film is pure cheese. The action bits are often poorly done, the edits seem as if they were done by a monkey, and the dialog is at times pretty awful. There really is very little to like about the film.

All action, no heart or brains

[lemon_magic · 3/10 · 6 September 2022]

This director has several good films to his credit...but this isn't one of them. Some of the bare bones of a decent action/adventure movie appear here and there - interesting stunts, some OK car chases and gun battles, an oddly uncharismatic and ineffective Chuck Connors trying to pretend he's 30 again, a bunch of other action stars you may recognize from other movies, all better than this one...some mildly amusing lines of dialog here and there...but there's no "oomph" to anything, and no reason to care about any of these characters.

I have rarely seen a movie where it was so obvious that everyone involved - actors, director, screenplay writers, etc - was just going through the motions. Glenn Ford, for instance, is here for about 5 minutes...and he doesn't actually do anything but grunt out some lines, look worldly, and wear a track suit. Yes, He's still Glenn Ford, but so what? And wait till you see the scene where Connors and his cohort have an extended conversation in a stage whisper that every single person in the building will obviously able to hear, including their enemy played by Richard Roundtree - who makes no attempt whatsoever to hide. Seriously, he's just leaning on a rail in plain sight.

But mostly, the problem is Chuck Connors. He's in 80% of the movie, and the screenplay tries to make his character an "international man of mystery", mixed with a watered down version of Travis McGee...but it just doesn't work. Connors is too much of an pro to blow his lines, drop character, or look at the camera...but I was still embarrassed for him. He brought TV level acting to a wide screen movie that called for a lot more than he was giving. Of course, so was everyone else, but he bothered me most because Connors was my idol during his "Rifleman" and "Branded" days...and those days were obviously long gone.

To summarize: lot of people get shot and die, a lot of cars crash and explode, a lot of bullets are fired, and a lot of windy dialog is delivered in an OK way. And none of it means a darned thing.

Ageing Hollywood stars in a low budget thriller

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 4 June 2016]

Shot in Mexico with an international cast, this is a routine action yarn with a threadbare plot that almost defies belief. That's because it's virtually non-existent. In essence, it's about an anti-hero and his efforts to steal a priceless piece of paper (yes, you heard me right) which apparently holds information that half of the world wants to get its hands on. What follows are a series of elaborately staged, low budget and often entertaining action set-pieces, usually involving big cars chasing each other, or ageing action heroes running about the rural roads in Mexico. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith went on to make the cult classic TURKEY SHOOT in Australia after this, and he proves to be a worthwhile gun-for-hire, delivering a film that balances on the line between class and cheese. Sure, the film is low budget, but it's hard to dislike.

Even if the movie was totally diabolical, it would still be worth watching for the cast alone. Headlining things is old-timer Glenn Ford, appearing in just three scenes as a millionaire whose desires set off the movie. He's on screen almost as little as Henry Silva, top-billed but appearing just twice – and one of those times he's on a TV set! The hero of the piece is ageing Western star Chuck Connors, strutting his athleticism in much the way that Kirk Douglas refused to give up his physicality as he got older. Connors, who I've not seen in a film before, is surprisingly charismatic with his old-fashioned tough guy persona and I enjoyed his performance a lot. Richard Roundtree pops up as one of the assassins, and he has a non-speaking part, although he takes part in much of the best action. Rounding things off are a couple of Mexican movie stars, Andres Garcia and Jorge Rivero, who lend rugged good lurks and charm, as well as plenty of muscle, to the proceedings. And if that's a little too much testosterone for you, there's at least one female beauty in the cast – Susana Dosamantes.

DAY OF THE ASSASSINS sure isn't a classic, but as a low budget thriller you could do a lot worse. The simple nature of the story, the sun-drenched surroundings and the old-fashioned stunts and fist-fights made it enjoyable for this viewer. If watching aged Hollywood stars slugging it out with each other is your idea of entertainment, hunt this one down...

LOTS OF ACTION IN AN OK TIME-WASTER

[larryanderson · 7/10 · 17 March 2021]

This movie was filmed at the El Presidente Hotel at Las Palmas, in Xpata-Zihuatanejo, MX. A lot of the action takes place at and around the resort. There is a fire fight from a par-sailing bad guy. (I have para-sailed on that coast over shark infested waters). In the big car chase at the end they destroy a 1971 Mustang Mach-1 by driving it over a cliff. (I had a 1973 similar Mustang so it broke my heart to see this). Bad acting but a lot of action makes for a somewhat enjoyable movie.

Day of the Assassin is a nice, harmless adventure outing

[tarbosh22000 · 6/10 · 6 May 2022]

When the Shah of Iran's boat sinks to the bottom of a Mexican bay, word spreads that said sunken vessel contains treasure. And not just any treasure, mind you, but supposedly among the contents of the loot is a piece of paper with the most important information in the world. What is that information? Well, Christakis (Ford) wants to find out, and he's willing to pay big. So he hires Fleming (Connors) to get the paper. But it's not going to be easy, because treasure hunters from around the world want to get to it first, among them Fessler the Mute (Roundtree) and Dante Vallone (Rivero). Police Chief Jorge Gomez (Silva) is at a loss. Susana, AKA "The Princess" (Dosamantes) is swept up in it all. Which adventurer will walk away with the prized paper?

Day of the Assassin is a nice, harmless adventure outing that sports a handful of cool moments. It definitely has its flaws; it's a bit too "safe", if you know what we mean, and the peaks-and-valleys structure of the film has some pretty deep (i.e. Slow) valleys. But, overall, it's pretty amusing and mildly entertaining, thanks to its cast, its quirks, and the direction of fan favorite Brian Trenchard-Smith.

It all kicks off with a fantastic opening sequence: a guy bombs, neck-snaps and knives people while parasailing. That's right, a man suspended by a parachute over a body of water by a boat manages to kill several people, while Jorge Rivero watches the incident through a pair of binoculars. We can't say we've ever seen that before.

Soon enough, we're introduced to Glenn Ford as Christakis. He wears gray formal suit pants and dress shoes with a cream-and-red Adidas warmup jacket, gold chain, and sunglasses. He may not be in the movie that much, but at least he has a funky wardrobe. Then we get to our hero, Fleming, played by our real-life hero, Chuck Connors. At least in Day of the Assassin, he looks like what Dolph Lundgren will look like 40 years from now. As Elderly Dolph goes on about his adventuring, he then encounters lots of his competition, the most noteworthy of which are Fessler and Gomez.

That's something we appreciated about the film - it features a panoply of middle-aged or older character actors that we know and love. Yes, Roundtree doesn't say anything (because he's "mute", you see), but it was nice having Ford, Connors, Silva, and Roundtree all together. Jorge Rivero is the young man of the group. Dosamantes is the only woman. Perhaps there should have been more women.

Connors, instead of wearing his usual Brooklyn Dodgers hat, has a variety of different baseball caps this time around. Maybe this was an in-joke because he always insisted on his trademark Dodgers cap, but he's seen with Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals (?) and perhaps one other baseball team's logo on his head. Or he'll put the hat on a desk in plain sight. Even in such a light and jaunty outing as Day of the Assassin, there's some Prerequisite Torture of our hero, Fleming. Guess you always have to have that, even in something pretty fluffy like this.

Other movie highlights include the standout score by Bebu Silvetti, who is perhaps best known in America for his Spring Rain disco album from 1977. He contributes some library music-esque funk and other notable cues. Put that together with the picturesque Spanish locations (although the movie is set in Mexico) and you've got two noteworthy elements right there.

When it comes to the films of Brian Trenchard-Smith (who's the original BTS), Day of the Assassin does not reach the heights of The Man From Hong Kong (1975), or the Jason Blade diptych Fists of Blood and Day of the Panther (both 1988) (he must like "Day of the..." movie titles), but it still holds a certain charm, especially when cars blow up with little or no provocation.

Day of the Assassin originally came to home video in the U. S. on the Prism label on VHS. There doesn't seem to be any DVD history of the film, then it jumped to Amazon Prime. Despite the film's shortcomings, there's still plenty to enjoy here, especially if you're a fan of anyone involved.