THE FILM:

Although its title makes The Destructors sound like a boxing or Kaiju film - the original title, The Marseille Contract, makes more sense - the France-set drama offers beautiful locations and an entertaining performance by Michael Caine, who plays a jovial hitman. Anthony Quinn is less compelling as a U.S. Embassy official tracking a drug kingpin, portrayed by James Mason, so Caine's arrival thirty minutes into the film is a welcome one. The second-unit's car chase is unexpectedly exciting, with Caine's Alfa-Romeo Montreal racing Maureen Kerwin's Porsche 911 along a winding roadway. This ended up as director Robert Parrish's final feature film, and there are sparks of The French Connection here.

Steve Ventura (Quinn) is bored with his post leading the U.S. Embassy in Paris and yearns to return to the field. He is sleeping with Rita (Alexandra Stewart), the wife of fellow agent Frank Matthews (Robert Rondo), but Rita is clearly not enamored with Ventura's affections. When Matthews is killed by drug kingpin Jacques Brizard (Mason), the local inspector (Maurice Ronet) refuses to pursue the case against the powerful, connected criminal. This infuriates Ventura, who takes $50,000 in agency money to hire a contract killer. This man is John Deray (Caine), a long acquaintance of Ventura, who shocks the embassy man with his new career choice. Deray cozies up to Brizard and the man's daughter, Lucienne (Kerwin), while Ventura pursues legal avenues to entrap Brizard.

Director Parrish emulates William Friedkin but does not quite nail the tense, break-neck pace of The French Connection. Early scenes in The Destructors are slack, as Quinn unnecessarily overacts and his relationship with Rita is uncomfortable. Once the machine is warmed up and Caine arrives, things improve considerably. Deray is quick with women and a quip, and his character lacks the dead-eyed resolve of most film killers. I'm not sure I'd call this character realistic, but Caine makes the part entertaining. Caine's effortless charm makes Quinn's performance all the more disappointing, and at times it feels like the actors were shooting two different films.

The French locations are beautiful. The Destructors was shot in the streets of Paris and along the water in Marseille, and these backdrops add much to the film. The plot gets a bit murky as it goes forward, and Deray actually begins working for Brizard for a time. The film contrasts the dashing field agent and the paunchy desk drone, but appearances are deceiving. A worthwhile, if minor, 1970s thriller, The Destructors provides unfussy thrills and several good performances.

THE BLU-RAY:

PICTURE:

Previously only available on DVD as part of MGM's Limited Edition Collection (manufactured on demand on DVD-Rs), Kino Lorber releases the film in high definition here. The 1.85:1/1080p/AVC-encoded image is certainly decent. Fine-object detail is acceptable, and outdoor scenes amid the beautiful French countryside are particularly impressive. The film appears a bit flat at times, with some dull colors, but the print is reasonably clean. The grain structure is intact, and I didn't notice any artificial sharpening.

SOUND:

The DTS-HD Master Audio stereo mix is clear and free from distortion. Dialogue is without interference and balanced appropriately with effects and score. There is reasonable depth here, and I noticed no glaring flaws. There are no subtitles.

EXTRAS:

The only extra is the film's trailer.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This 1974 France-set thriller from Robert Parrish never achieves the heights of contemporary thrillers like The French Connection, but the film is a worthy entry for the genre. Michael Caine is strong as a jovial hitman hired by Anthony Quinn's pencil-pushing embassy man to take down a drug kingpin. Early scenes drag, but once Caine comes into the picture, things pick up nicely. Recommended.

William lives in Burlington, North Carolina, and looks forward to a Friday-afternoon matinee.