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''The Professionals'' is a 1966 American {{Western}} starring Creator/BurtLancaster, Creator/LeeMarvin, Creator/RobertRyan, Creator/WoodyStrode, and Creator/ClaudiaCardinale. The supporting cast includes Creator/JackPalance and Creator/RalphBellamy and the film was written and directed by Richard Brooks, whose screenplay was based upon the novel ''A Mule for the Marquesa'' by Frank O'Rourke.

In the latter period of UsefulNotes/TheMexicanRevolution, Rancher J.W. Grant (Bellamy) hires four men, who are all experts in their respective fields, to rescue his kidnapped wife, Maria (Cardinale) from Jesus Raza (Palance), a former Mexican Revolutionary leader turned bandit.

Team leader Henry "Rico" Fardan (Marvin) is a weapons specialist, Bill Dolworth (Lancaster) is an [[DemolitionsExpert explosives expert]], the horse wrangler is Hans Ehrengard (Ryan) and Jake Sharp (Strode) is a [[ArmyScout scout with traditional Apache skills]], particularly with a bow and arrow. Fardan and Dolworth, having both fought under the command of Pancho Villa, have a high regard for Raza as a soldier. But they are hard and cynical professionals so they have no qualms about killing him now.

However, once they get across the border they discover that all is not at it seems to be.

Not related to the late '70s/early '80s UK television series ''Series/TheProfessionals''. Or the 1994 film ''Film/TheProfessional''.

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!!''The Professionals'' provides examples of:

* AntiVillain: Ruthless as he may be, Raza gets more and more sympathethic as the film goes on.
* AutomatonHorses: Averted; Hans Ehrengard is put on the team because he's a horse wrangler, both sides make sure to bring spare horses during the chase, and a horse has to be shot after it's lamed while crossing a stony desert.
* AvengersAssemble: The film includes a sequence where each character is named and briefly described in voice-over while being seen doing what they do.
* {{Bandito}}: Revolutionary banditos under Captain Jesus Raza.
* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: Dolworth does it to J.W. Grant's man at the end of the film.
* BodyLanguage
** Used for a BaitAndSwitch when Maria pushes away the maid who tries to brush her hair, making her look like a resentful captive. Raza then enters the room and dismisses the maid, removes his shirt as if to have his wicked way with her...then sits down on the bed with his back to Maria who rests her head on his shoulder. Fardan and Dolworth who are watching the scene promptly exchange a surprised look.
** On encountering a group of banditos in a pass, Fardan tells his men to fire if the leader during parley tries to cover his gun hand with his sombrero (to conceal his QuickDraw, which is exactly what happens).
* BountyHunter: Jake Sharp is shown in his introductory scene working as one.
* BrickJoke: When Fardan picks up Dolworth from the prison he's still in his underwear after having to flee an outraged husband before he could put on his pants. Fardan tells him the job might cost him his life, but not his pants. Later he gets captured by Raza's men who strip him down to his underwear again.
* CasualDangerDialogue: Many, many scenes. Fardan rescuing Dolworth in the canyon is the outstanding example.
-->'''Bandito:''' Put down your gun, mister.\\
'''Fardan:''' If I do that, how do I know you'll still be friendly?\\
'''Bandito:''' Do I gotta kill you to prove I like you?
* CattleBaron: J.W. Grant. He thinks his money can buy him anything.
* CigarFuseLighting: Dolworth does this with a stick of dynamite when they're fleeing Raza's camp.
* CovertDistressCode: The scout leaves a cross carved on a wall like the usual graffiti to signal to those coming that everything is OK. Fardan explains to Ehrengard that if there was danger, the cross would be inverted. Dolworth realises he's BeingWatched and as he's in the [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace Grave of Nameless Men]], turns a crucifix upside down to warn the others just before he's captured. Later Ehrengard has been captured and is told at gunpoint to call in the others, and mentions an upside-down cross to warn them. He's shot at once as the banditos holding him prisoner were expecting this trope and told him to only say what they told him to say.
* DemolitionsExpert: Bill Dolworth is hired specifically because the teams needs an explosives expert to even the odds.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Fardan dons a sombrero and poncho to infiltrate Raza's camp. He also grabs a discarded bottle of tequila as an excuse to get close to the machine gunner he's planning to kill.
* DuringTheWar: WWI is raging in Europe; though in this case it's a GreatOffScreenWar.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Does this via a montage during the TitleSequence. Fardan is introduced demonstrating a machine gun; Ehrengard beats up a man abusing horses; Sharp clobbers a convict he's arrested; Dolworth... jumps out his lover's window in his long johns as her husband returns.
* EthicalSlut: The voluptuous and cheerfully slutty Chiquita, Raza's right hand woman.
-->'''Dolworth:''' Chiquita. How's your love life?\\
'''Chiquita:''' Terrific!\\
'''Dolworth:''' Don't you ever say no?\\
'''Chiquita:''' Never!
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Grant is a lot of things, but he treats Jake Sharp the same as the rest of the team. In fact he seems worried ''Fardan'' might be racist when they first meet.
* ExactWords:
** The goatherder says he's loyal to Maria and would not betray her. Of course as she's not being held under duress, this doesn't mean what Fardan's team thinks it means.
** Fardan gave his word to Grant that he would rescue his wife from a kidnapper. The kidnapper turns out to be Grant, who invented the story because his wife ran back to her lover Raza and he wanted Fardan to snatch her back. When Grant confirms this, Fardan has no problem letting Maria escape with Raza again.
* {{Fanservice}}: We get a topless bathing scene from Chiquita, while Maria can't seem to wear a top that doesn't show off her cleavage. [[SexySoakedShirt Her top gets wet]] as well when she pours water on herself in the ThirstyDesert.
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Rico is choleric, Dolworth is sanguine, Ehrengard is melancholic and Jake is phlegmatic.
* FriendlyEnemy:
** Dolworth has to HoldTheLine against Raza and Chiquita and they spend their climactic gunfight talking like old friends while still doing their level best to kill each other. Raza's bravery and MotiveRant even convinces Dolworth to see Raza as a WorthyOpponent worth sparing.
** Dolworth also has a strong case of DatingCatwoman with Chiquita, and the two flirt shamelessly with each other. Her death at his hands is enough to cause him a minor HeelRealization.
* GideonPloy: When infiltrating the hacienda of Jesus Raza, the eponymous professionals set off explosions to make the banditos think they are being attacked by the Mexican army, who would start such an attack with an artillery bombardment. This sends everyone to the walls [[WeNeedADistraction instead of looking inward]].
* HoldTheLine: Dolworth stays back at the pass to give the others time to reach the border. [[spoiler:To everyone's surprise, he makes it back.]]
* HonorBeforeReason
** Fardan stops Dolworth from shooting an unconscious Raz, even though Raza has the most incentive to chase after them.
** Ehrengard convinces Fardan not to shoot the horses, saying they'll head for the nearest river instead of circling back to the bandito camp and alerting them that their owners are dead. Turns out that's exactly what happens.
* InsultBackfire: A truly epic one.
-->'''Grant:''' Bastard!\\
'''Rico:''' Yes, sir, in my case, an accident of birth. But you, sir, you are a self-made man!
* ISurrenderSuckers: When rescuing Dolworth, Fardan pretends he's been talked into lowering his gun rather than take on the three Mexicans facing him. Then Jake shoots two with arrows while Fardan takes down the other.
* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: It saves Dolworth's life.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Grant is clearly a rude entitled bastard at first glance but he desperately wants his kidnapped wife back and will pay through the nose to get her back. Then, it's revealed he strongarmed her into marriage and she simply escaped, erasing any sympathy for him.
* KnightInSourArmor:
** Rico and Dolworth were once ardent supporters of the Mexican Revolution but are now cynical and bitter mercenaries willing to kill an old comrade for money. As the film progresses, they slowly regain their honor.
** Raza himself admits his cause it not what it should be, but it's important to keep on fighting regardless.
-->"You want perfection, or nothing. The Revolution was never perfect. We fight because we believe, we leave because we are disillusioned, we return because we are lost, we die because we are committed."
* TheLoad: Ehrengard, especially in the second half when he's wounded. The gang even leaves him behind for their raid on Raza's compound.
* NewOldWest: Comments are made about [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI the Great War]] raging in Europe and the heroes have to face the traditional dangers of the West combined with more modern threats such as machine guns and artillery pieces. Farden also carries an M1911 semi-automatic pistol in addition to a revolver.
* NobleDemon: The movie makes no bones that Raza is a brutal killer but there's no mistake he loves Maria and the revolutionary cause.
* PlayingPossum: After Dolworth shoots [[ActionGirl Chiquita]], who used to be his former lover, he goes over to the dying woman to give her some water. While he's [[CradlingYourKill cradling her in his arms]], she puts her revolver under his chin and pulls the trigger, but [[ItWorksBetterWithBullets the gun is empty]]. Neither of them take this personally, with Chiquita just saying it's not her lucky day.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Rico is first shown demostrating his machine gun on sale to the American military.
* RealityHasNoSubtitles: The Spanish dialogue goes untranslated.
* TheRemnant: Raza's men are still fighting the Mexican Revolution.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilised: Raza openly murders captured soldiers in his first scene.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Grant.
* ShortRangeShotgun: Averted. Shotguns are shown as being effective at the same range as pistols. Dolworth takes out one opponent with an impressively long-range shot with one.
* TheStoic: Jake.
* ThirstyDesert: A problem for the professionals as they journey south to find Raza's compound. Ehrengard faints from the heat at one point.
* TwilightOfTheOldWest: To the point of machine guns and automobiles being available.
* UnwantedRescue: Maria wasn't kidnapped, she escaped and reunited with Raza, her lover, after being forcibly married to Grant. She is consistently trying to get free of Rico and his crew.
* YouWouldntShootMe: When charging through the valley to attack Dolworth, Raza tells Chiquita to stay behind him, but he says that Dolworth won't shoot her and rides ahead. She's wrong (in fairness, she fires several shots at him before he has a chance to fire back).
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