Hard Contract
Encyclopedia
Hard Contract is a 1969
film written and directed by S. Lee Pogostin and starring James Coburn
and Lee Remick
. It premiered on April 30, 1969.
Ramesy offers Cunningham one big, final lucrative job or "hard contract" as he calls it, that can allow him to retire from the business for good. This consists of three hits, two in Spain
and Belgium
, and the last victim to be revealed after the first two are dispatched.
On his way to Spain to make the first hit, Cunnigham meets two women that will change his life: American tourist and jet setter
Sheila Metcalfe, and her naive but good hearted friend, socialite Adrianne.
He does kill the first two victims, but later as remorse slowly takes hold over him, Cunningham can't bring himself to knock off his third target, former top CIA hit-man Michael Carson.
Carson, a more vicious and effective hit-man in his day than Cunningham is now has become so passive he wouldn't even defend himself.
Ramsey flies to Spain to persuade Cunningham to complete the job, but falls in love with Adrianne and is converted to a pacifist himself.
At the end of the film we see Cunningham and Sheila and Ramsey and Adrianne romping in the grass. Everyone in the film only wants to live in peace.
in 1974. It was released on VHS by 20th Century Fox
in 1982 in the UK and by Fox Video in 1996 in the United States.
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
film written and directed by S. Lee Pogostin and starring James Coburn
James Coburn
James Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
and Lee Remick
Lee Remick
Lee Ann Remick was an American film and television actress. Among her best-known films are Anatomy of a Murder , Days of Wine and Roses , and The Omen .-Early life:...
. It premiered on April 30, 1969.
Cast
- James CoburnJames CoburnJames Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
as John Cunningham - Lee RemickLee RemickLee Ann Remick was an American film and television actress. Among her best-known films are Anatomy of a Murder , Days of Wine and Roses , and The Omen .-Early life:...
as Sheila Metcalfe - Lilli PalmerLilli PalmerLilli Palmer , born Lilli Marie Peiser, was a German actress. She won the Volpi Cup, the Deutscher Filmpreis three times, and was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award.-Life and career:...
as Adrianne - Burgess MeredithBurgess MeredithOliver Burgess Meredith , known professionally as Burgess Meredith, was an American actor in theatre, film, and television, who also worked as a director...
as Ramsey Williams - Patrick MageePatrick Magee (actor)Patrick Magee was a Northern Irish actor best known for his collaborations with Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as his appearances in horror films and in Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.-Early life:He was born Patrick McGee in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern...
as Alexi - Sterling HaydenSterling HaydenSterling Hayden was an American actor and author. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as Johnny Guitar, The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing. Later on he became noted as a character actor for such roles as Gen. Jack D. Ripper in Dr...
as Michael Carlson - Claude DauphinClaude DauphinClaude Dauphin is a lawyer and politician in the province of Quebec, Canada. He is a Montreal city councillor and also serves as the mayor of the Montreal borough of Lachine...
as Maurice - Helen CherryHelen CherryHelen Cherry was an English stage and film actress.-Career:Helen Mary Cherry was born at Thurgarton, Worsley, Lancashire, the daughter of John William Cherry, a works manager then serving as a captain in the 45th Provisional Battalion, and his wife, Annie Nall.Educated in Harrogate, Helen Cherry...
as Evelyn Carlson - Karen BlackKaren BlackKaren Black is an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She is noted for appearing in such films as Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Great Gatsby, Rhinoceros, The Day of the Locust, Nashville, Airport 1975, and Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot...
as Ellen - Sabine Sun as Belgian Prostitute
- Jo Nupie as Flemish lady
- Miquel Bordoy
- Gerda Marchand
- Vic Moeremans
Plot synopsis
CIA assassin John Cunningham, a cold blooded killer with nerves of steel and no conscience kills a man on election day, votes in the local election and spends the rest of the afternoon with Ellen, a prostitute. The next day John goes to see James Ramsey, his mobilizer, a CIA man whose cover is a job as a college physics professor.Ramesy offers Cunningham one big, final lucrative job or "hard contract" as he calls it, that can allow him to retire from the business for good. This consists of three hits, two in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and the last victim to be revealed after the first two are dispatched.
On his way to Spain to make the first hit, Cunnigham meets two women that will change his life: American tourist and jet setter
Jet set
"Jet set" is a journalistic term that was used to describe an international social group of wealthy people, organizing and participating all around the world in social activities that are unreachable to ordinary people...
Sheila Metcalfe, and her naive but good hearted friend, socialite Adrianne.
He does kill the first two victims, but later as remorse slowly takes hold over him, Cunningham can't bring himself to knock off his third target, former top CIA hit-man Michael Carson.
Carson, a more vicious and effective hit-man in his day than Cunningham is now has become so passive he wouldn't even defend himself.
Ramsey flies to Spain to persuade Cunningham to complete the job, but falls in love with Adrianne and is converted to a pacifist himself.
At the end of the film we see Cunningham and Sheila and Ramsey and Adrianne romping in the grass. Everyone in the film only wants to live in peace.
Subsequent release
Hard Contract was first broadcast on television by ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in 1974. It was released on VHS by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in 1982 in the UK and by Fox Video in 1996 in the United States.