The Hit List

Jeff Fahey (Psycho III, The Lawnmower Man) stars as Charles Pike, a professional hitman. His boss, Mayhew (James Coburn), puts him in contact with Jordan Henning (Yancy Butlerz), an old family friend. Pike wants out of the game, but he agrees to speak with Mrs. Henning. It turns out her husband was murdered and she wants revenge.

Pike carries out the hit on the man thought to be responsible for the death of Mrs. Henning's husband. They begin an affair. Soon Pike is questioning what's really going on. Has he been played? People have been following both Pike and Mrs. Henning. Does someone want to eliminate both of them?

I typically enjoy Jeff Fahey, but I did find The Hit List to start losing steam after about an hour in. It was an okay watch, but I don't think that I would watch it again.

This movie is slow and tedious. But thats only at the first viewing of it. The Story is actually a fun and original one. Yancy Butler's Real life ex-fiancé (Jeff Fayhey lawnmoverman ) Plays charlie Pike a Hit man who takes a Job as a favor for Jordan Henning ( Yancy Butler ) the rich widow of a mob boss. But Jordan has something more sinister up her sleave then the protection she is asking pike for. The acting in this film is surreal and eerie. Fahey gives a oddly quiet though not bad performance of the hit-man falling for the possibly deadly Butler. He is fit in the role. This was Yancy's first film. She does an excellent job. Still though today this film lookes and sounds dated. It didn't stand the test of time...but its still for a good viewing every now and then.

This film starts by giving you the impression you are in for a good show (b movie or not), right from the outake you are presented with a far from unattractive sexually active blonde and Jeff Fahey (someone I regard as a good actor) preparing to do something nasty with a suppressed gun and a container of rather deadly looking pills! This is where the impression quickly wears off. The plot is very weak making it impossible to take your eyes off the screen in fear of getting lost in the film should you decide to do so. The action is also very weak and never really takes off, something which is usually a necessity in order to save a film with a plot as tender as this. I never have been a big fan of Yancy Butler but have never been one to complain about her removing her clothes, something which this film also shy's away from bar once. I cannot think of one reason to recommend this film for viewing, so basically don't watch it....

Fahey is good here actually...the story's ok enough, its got all the classic ingredients of a solid film noir--its got a potential femme fatale, its got a decent enough boss character played by a great veteran actor (in this case James Coburn), its got a hero who is talked into murdering a guy who's giving a woman a lot of trouble....I just 100% described "Double Indemnity" which this movie is nowhere near the quality of...but for once its not the screenplay's fault so much as it is the pacing of the film...it is sloooow moving from plot point to plot point. Slow and rather somber too. A movie like this, i'm not asking for it to be funny but a couple of wry tossed off one liners here or there would've been very effective. Instead we get a lot of Fahey grimacing over him violating his own code. (Hmmm an assassin with his own moral code...where have i seen that before???) That said, its not terrible, if you stumble across it as I did, its worth a look if only for Fahey's very solid performance. (Coburn is good in his handful of scenes too, but unfortunately he's not really given much to do beyond look concerned and issue some ominous warnings about Fahey getting too close) Again its not a terrible movie, but its just too slowly paced for its own good. (I did like the jazz score to it tho, those opening credits are very engaging and seem to promise a better movie largely due to that score)

the hit list is an awesome film . i think the jazz soundtrack adds to the 'mood ' and suspense . his film adds to the fact that all you need to make a great suspense film is a man , a woman , an old man , a villain and most definitely ... a room with a view (preferably a view offered by a telescope ) i mean , now , how many erotic thrillers have featured glass windowed apartments which have a telescope ...?

the beauty of watching such films is the fact that they have residues of great suspense moments created by many directors and storytellers over the years . hence you always end-up feeling or rather being reminded of some classics .

one doubt though . the film was R-Rated for most things . however the version i saw had none of hose things . people out there please educate me if there is an uncut version or at least if what i saw was probably cut .