Memorable Quote: "Nothing to do but cut and run, huh? What
else? What about the old American social custom of self-defense? If the police
don't defense us, maybe we ought to do it ourselves."
Though known to many as an overly
... moresimplistic portrait of pro-vigilantism,
there's more to this incredibly brutal Michael Winner picture, chiefly a disturbed look at a man
who has absolutely flipped his lid. A weirdly yet perfectly cast Charles Bronson
plays a mild-mannered architect who turns vigilante after his wife is killed and
his daughter is raped in a senseless act of viciousness. Taking to the streets
of New York, he seeks out violent offenders, and makes a huge impression on the
police and public after continually blowing away thugs (or positional thugs) in
a sadness turned to fury. "Death Wish" was an important step for the fascinating
Bronson, an actor who hadn't found huge success in America until this movie (he
was a big star in Europe and known as "Il Bruto"). Showing that fame wasn't just
a young man's game, Bronson became an unusual leading man, both in his offbeat
looks and his ascending age. He would make five "Death Wish" movies of varied
quality, but none was as powerful and controversial as the original.
(Everett Collection)Close
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