Mechanic, The (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Michael WinnerRelease Date(s)
1972 (January 27, 2026)Studio(s)
Chartoff-Winkler Productions/United Artists (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: B+
- Audio Grade: A
- Extras Grade: A
Review
Charles Bronson made his mark in the ensemble casts of three big 1960s films, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, and The Dirty Dozen. He then starred in several European films and returned to the United States for six pictures with director Michael Winner. The Mechanic was their second.
Arthur Bishop (Bronson) is a hitman known in the profession as a “mechanic” because of his methodical planning and expertise with details. He takes contracts exclusively from an international crime syndicate referred to as “the Association.” Bishop is dependable and efficient. The job pays well and he lives a comfortable life, enjoying classical music and the expensive paintings that hang on his walls.
Lately, however, Bishop’s work has affected him physically and mentally. He takes anti-depressants and finds himself in the hospital after an anxiety attack. He regularly visits a call girl (Jill Ireland, Bronson’s wife at the time) to assuage the loneliness and isolation that his job requires. Their relationship is predicated on the fantasy that she loves him. She even writes sham love letters to help him feel a sense of affection.
Bishop is contacted by his employers to kill one of their own associates—Harry McKenna (Keenan Wynn), a former acquaintance of Bishop’s father who has displeased the higher-ups. Bishop completes the job with his usual meticulousness and McKenna’s 24-year-old son Steve (Jan-Michael Vincent) inherits his father’s wealth.
Bishop sees a younger version of himself in Steve, who considers the profession of “mechanic” exciting and glamorous, eager to learn it. Initially careful about revealing too much, Bishop eventually realizes Steve is serious and could be an asset. Breaking one of his rules, he agrees to take Steve on as an apprentice. The dynamic between the two men is interesting since Steve knows Bishop was responsible for this father’s death. Though he makes unflattering remarks about his deceased father, does he have an ulterior motive for getting close to Bishop?
Bronson, with his craggy face and cold stare, sells the character mostly with facial expressions and his proficiency in dangerous situations. He has little dialogue, which is fortunate. When he speaks, his delivery is rudimentary and fails to project what his character is thinking. He’s better when his acting consists of body language, reactions, and maintaining a cool demeanor. Bishop looks like a guy you wouldn’t want to mess with. He conveys a sense of palpable yet controlled danger, though I can’t understand why director Winner didn’t insist that Bronson get a neater haircut. His unkempt, shaggy hair, blowing every which way in the wind, is a distraction.
Jan-Michael Vincent’s Steve is cocky, good looking, and reeks of privilege. Intrigued by Bishop’s work, he wants in and asks him many questions. Vincent’s performance is shaky in his first scene, but more assured later when he has settled into the role.
Director Michael Winner begins the film with a 15-minute sequence with no dialogue that shows Bishop methodically planning a hit on his latest victim. We don’t know who the mark is, it’s all about the planning. Holed up in a building directly across from the target’s apartment, Bishop studies his movements through a high-powered telescope, breaks into the apartment when his victim isn’t home, rigs the stove, plants plastic explosives in a book, and replaces the tea bags with bags containing a sedative. He then returns to his perch to wait until nightfall to finish the job, having left no clues to implicate himself. This masterful sequence is reminiscent of the Mission: Impossible TV series, in which the details of planning were the highlight.
The Mechanic offers lots of well staged action sequences, some in Italy, the location of one of Bishop’s high-profile victims. This provides some heightened production value, with cinematographer Robert Paynter taking advantage of the winding mountain roads. There’s also an exciting off-road motorcycle chase.
Despite the director’s expertise at creating tense scenes, one wonders whether even a top-notch hit man would go to the extremes that Bishop does to kill a person. He treats each of his hits as a work of art. Wouldn’t a bullet or strangulation or a fall from a high place accomplish the goal with less fanfare? Of course, but then the film would just be an ordinary hit-man flick. Winner goes for drama and suspense and does engage us in Bishop’s intricate, carefully thought-out planning.
The Mechanic was shot by cinematographers Richard H. Kline and Robert Paynter (for European sequences) on 35mm film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The Blu-ray re-release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics features a new 4K scan of the original camera negative. Scenes set in a dark room at night where Bishop observes his quarry are poorly defined, making it hard to see what Bishop is doing. Outdoor scenes fare better and look crisp and nicely delineated. The scene between Bishop and McKenna looks great. The chase scenes use many angles for optimum excitement and make good use of the terrain to pack a visual wallop. Bishop’s home reflects affluence but also seems cluttered, with action relegated to one room. The Italian locations are exploited effectively, giving the film the look and flavor of an international thriller.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear and distinct, though it takes a back seat to action sequences. Minimal exposition about Bishop’s victims streamlines the narrative flow, though it keeps us wondering exactly why they’re targeted. The opening sequence’s sound mix contributes to the film’s most memorable and distinctive sequence. Sounds of Bishop unloading equipment, adjusting a telescope, and loading bullets combine with Jerry Fielding’s suspenseful music and ambient traffic noise to heighten tension. Sound effects include screeching tires, motorcycle engines, a massive explosion, gunfire, classical music, and a telephone ringing.
Bonus materials on the Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Steve Mitchell and Troy Howarth
- Audio Commentary by Paul Talbot
- Audio Commentary by Richard H. Kline
- Interview with Screenwriter Lewis John Carlino (13:51)
- Trailers:
- The Mechanic (2:31)
- Violent City (3:54)
- Cold Sweat (2:36)
- Mr. Majestyk (1:33)
- Death Wish (2:20)
- Breakout (1:34)
Audio Commentary #1 – Film historians Steve Mitchell and Troy Howarth say that The Mechanic is one of their favorite Charles Bronson films. Bronson is a “local boy who done good.” The poster was designed to grab the viewer, with a full figure of Bronson next to three action scenes from the film. The Mechanic was Bronson’s first American starring role after his successful pictures in Europe made him a big star there. Those films didn’t do well in the States. The commentators speak about the 15-minute-plus sequence that opens the film, citing it as a great example of visual story telling with its attention to detail. The film feels like a French neo-noir. We see Bishop work through problems. Director Michael Winner and Bronson show Bishop’s thought processes. Listening is the hallmark of a great actor. Bronson realized there was power in behavior. The commentators mention big American films—“manly movie classics”—in which Bronson appeared as part of an ensemble cast.
Audio Commentary #2 – Film historian and Charles Bronson expert Paul Talbot, author of Bronson’s Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films, speaks about Michael Winner’s early films, pointing out that the director became noted for action pictures. Jerry Fielding used experimental music in the lengthy opening. When Bronson made The Mechanic, he was at a career peak. Talbot speaks about the precise planning by Bishop to kill his first victim, adding that the resulting explosion was the biggest in Los Angeles film history up to that time. He identifies various locations that appear in the film and discusses production details. He also gives background on the careers of supporting cast members. Keenan Wynn had been in over 100 films by the time The Mechanic was made. The story about Bishop’s father illustrates how cruel he was when Bishop was a boy. Charles Bronson agreed to have Jan-Michael Vincent as his co-star after he screened Tribes, in which Vincent played a Vietnam vet.
Audio Commentary #3 – Cinematographer Richard H. Kline says that Michael Winner had a tyrannical side, backing up his statement by relating anecdotes about how rough Winner could be with the crew. Kline speaks about accommodating his work to the different styles of directors. His primary focus is the film he’s working on at the moment. Once a film is finished, he moves on to the next project without ever second-guessing his cinematic choices. Kline liked Michael Winner at once and was personal friends with Bronson. Kline recalls Bronson as a kind man with a sense of humor. For a time, Bronson was cast mostly as a bad guy. After Once Upon a Time in the West, he became a leading man. There’s a sense of mystery about him; he doesn’t have an “effusive” personality. Jan-Michael Vincent had been a child actor. With The Mechanic, he “became a force to be reckoned with.” A suicide scene was controversial because it’s shocking in the way Bishop and Steve react. There’s a stark coldness to the scene, which was ahead of its time. Kline talks about the interesting way the sequence was filmed.
Interview with Screenwriter Lewis John Carlino – Carlino had written scripts for a number of films about the Mafia and actually met professional assassins. He became fascinated by the isolation that the profession involves, making Bishop an educated man who appreciates classical music and fine art but leads a solitary life. The script found its way to Michael Winner, who liked it and agreed to direct the film. When Charles Bronson signed on, the script was adjusted to make Bishop more down to earth and familiar. Carlino talks about his method of adapting and altering a script. The concept went from abstraction to “popcorn movie.” It was experimental to start the film with no dialogue. The public’s reaction was positive; they liked the film.
The Bronson/Winner collaboration would eventually lead to the Death Wish franchise. The Mechanic showcases Charles Bronson with Michael Winner playing up the actor’s strengths, focusing on his stoic manner, strong screen presence, and rugged features. The script provides action and suspense, culminating in an elaborate climactic sequence. What’s designed as a surprise plot twist is evident well before its revelation.
- Dennis Seuling