L'arme au poing

A truly epic cast of Hollywood heavyweights descend upon the idyllic backdrop of St Lucia, in a meandering action-thriller concerning a widow (Loren) who hires reputable mercenary Coburn to search for those responsible for her husband's assassination.

A galaxy of mega-stars blur the lines between allies and enemies, the intricate plot twists hatch an array of ruses, red herrings and cross and double cross subplots with which it's sometimes difficult to keep pace. Apparent continuity errors don't help the situation, but the undeniable charisma of the cast is hard not to like. OJ and Coburn make a watchable pairing, whilst bona fide stars Wallach and Mature are largely confined to bit parts, or in Mature's case, a solitary cameo lasting little more than 30 seconds. Bad guys Franciosa and Grizzard are potentially the highlights in the deep and diverse international cast.

Winner's trademark quick cuts, comic-book characters, pyrotechnics and opulent set design allied with Lord Grade's penchant for big names and lavish locations, create a colourful 70s aesthetic which admittedly is pure hokum, and yet never dull nor tedious.