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Memorable, crazy movie

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

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.

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...

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 :-)) ).

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'