Death Wish (1974): A Review (Review #2020)

 

DEATH WISH (1974)

This review is part of the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon. Today's star is Charles Bronson.

Justice is dealt out swiftly in Death Wish, the first of what I figure became an unintentional franchise. Still controversial, Death Wish moves fast and gives us a sympathetic portrait of a man pushed to fight whether he wants to or not.

Well-meaning architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) has a charmed life. He has a wonderful wife, Joanna (Hope Lange) and a successful career. He is concerned about crime in New York City, but he believes that crime is a result of poverty versus cruelty. His world comes undone when Joanna and their daughter Carol (Kathleen Tolan) are viciously attacked in Paul and Joanna's apartment. Carol opened the door believing that they were receiving groceries. Instead, it is three hoods who took the Kersey address from the store to at first rob them. Things go out of control when they begin beating Joanna and viciously raping Carol.

Paul is urgently contacted by his son-in-law Jack Toby (Stephen Keats) to come to the hospital. Carol survives but is left shell-shocked in a near-permanent catatonic state. Joanna does not survive. Paul is devasted and equally frustrated at the lack of movement to the investigation. He also starts considering self-defense with an improvised weapon: a sock with coins to use as a battering ram. Paul does use it when someone attempts to mug him. 

To help with his grief and move his career forward, Paul is sent to Tucson to attend to a client. Here, the client, Aimes Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) remains firm on some points. First point is on how the proposed development must not demolish the hills in the area. The second point is on how guns are just a tool, neither moral nor immoral. Aimes gives Paul a gun as a parting gift, though Paul is unaware of that until after he returns to New York.

Carol's condition has grown worse. The police are no help. Paul starts carrying the gun for his protection and eventually uses it against yet another attempted mugger. Soon, Paul becomes what the press dubs The Vigilante, a mysterious figure who is shooting criminals who either attempt to attack him or others. The NYPD is displeased by this Vigilante. Heading up the investigation is Inspector Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia). Ochoa is no fool, shrewdly narrowing down potential vigilantes based on age, sex, crime victims or relatives of crime victims and even military service. Will Ochoa track down the Vigilante? Will Paul Kersey's nocturnal activities find him out or even get him killed?

I think that Death Wish, contrary to some others' perception, does not glorify either gun violence or vigilantism. Paul does not kill for blood lust. He kills only when he sees others being attacked or is himself threatened. Paul also mentions that while he served in Korea, he was a conscientious objector. In short, Paul is a man of peace, a "bleeding heart liberal" as one of his colleagues calls him. In Death Wish, we see that Paul was pushed to vigilantism due to the tragedies he suffered, not through a specific desire for revenge.

Does Death Wish glorify violence? I do not think so. I think rather that it is a reaction against the growing violence. Wendell Mayes' adaptation of Brian Garfield's novel also suggests that the general public is capable of defending itself from violent crime. Paul and his work colleagues see a news report of a Mrs. Alma Lee Brown (Helen Martin), who took on attempted muggers by using a hatpin against them. This is a somewhat amusing moment amidst the violence in Death Wish, particularly when we see the reenactment of this seemingly frail old woman chasing after the thugs who tried to rob her yet again.

This is probably the only part in Death Wish that has anything close to lightness. Actually, the Wild West show that Paul and Aimes go to can be considered lighter given the exaggerated theatrics of the reenactors. This scene is probably here to show the seeds of vigilantism planted in Paul's mind. Still, it was realistic in its theatrical manner, a credit to director Michael Winner.

Charles Bronson is a curious figure in film. He is not traditionally good looking. Death Wish did not leave me with the idea that he was a strong actor. At times, he seemed a bit stiff in his delivery, though he did make an effort when working with Lange. Still, I can see why he became a solid action star. I think it is because of both his apparent flaws. He is closer to an everyman, someone whom we can know in our daily lives versus some glamorous figure. He is also more casual in his manner. Charles Bronson was not striking poses but doing his best to be the character. He excelled when facing off against thugs. He also did well when handling a monologue about how his father's death in a hunting accident was instrumental in his aversion to guns, albeit due more to his mother's insistence than his own views.

Death Wish also has some good performances from both veterans and up-and-comers. Though her role is small, Hope Lange does make Joanna someone we do care about. One is surprised to see Jeff Goldblum in an early role as "Freak One", one of the muggers. We also see a brief appearance from future comic actor/director Christopher Guest as Officer Reilly, the rookie who has the Vigilante's gun. Olympia Dukakis and her future Moonstruck co-star Vincent Gardenia also share a scene in the New York Police Department investigation group meeting.

I think it is a strange choice to have the very Italian Gardenia play a character named Ochoa, which is a Hispanic surname. I wonder what the rationale for such a choice was. Despite that, I think that Gardenia's performance is commendable. His Inspector Ochoa was not a dumb cop nor fanatically hostile to the Vigilante. He is shown as a dogged cop, capable, who uses logic to slowly, methodically narrow down potential suspects. 

Death Wish does not shrink from being at times rather graphic. The assault on Carol in particular is disturbing to watch. In some ways, Death Wish is a B-film, where one can see that it was not a lavish production. However, it works for the film. Perhaps a good chunk of the money went to hiring jazz legend Herbie Hancock to write and perform the score. 

Director Winner also has some wonderful shots in the film. When Ochoa and Kersey finally meet near the end, Ochoa is shown to be holding Kersey's gun in a peculiar manner, almost as if threatening him himself. Ochoa also is shown seen speaking to his officers in front of a target, a clever sight gag.

Death Wish does leave the door open to a sequel. I do not know if a franchise was needed or warranted. As it stands now, Death Wish is a good film that lets one decide if it is pro-or-anti vigilante. 

DECISION: B-