Prime Cut (1972)

Lee Marvin, Gene Hackman, and no plot, 5 July 2006

The best thing about Prime Cut is the chance to see both Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman. Marvin is the understated bad-ass we've seen before and Gene Hackman is the greasy bad guy we've seen before. If you like these two in familiar roles that don't require them to stretch their acting abilities, Prime Cut is for you. There are some good action sequences (especially the scene in the wheat field), but it's the two stars that make this one worthwhile. The plot certainly isn't the attraction. In fact, the plot is the weakest part of the movie. Why? Because there is no plot. Instead, Prime Cut is a series of action sequences strung together with a bare minimum of story. When the movie ended, I had more questions than when it began. What's the history between Marvin and Hackman? What is the relationship between Marvin and Hackman's wife? Does anyone in the movie have a backstory? Are the Kansas City area police completely oblivious to everything going on around them? Was that just some random fat guy on the combine trying to kill Marvin? Do people in Kansas City really wear overalls with no shirt or shoes? It's these burning questions that I wanted answers to.

5/10