Point Blank

film by Boorman [1967]

Written by

Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Point Blank, American crime thriller film, released in 1967, that overcame weak box-office results to become a cult favourite, especially known for Lee Marvin’s lead performance as an emotionless man seeking revenge and for John Boorman’s stylish direction.

On the deserted prison island of Alcatraz, career criminal Walker (played by Marvin) is robbed by his partner Mal Reese (John Vernon) and left for dead. Walker returns to the mainland and remorselessly and violently works his way through the corporate criminal organization so he can kill Reese and get his money back.

Point Blank was not particularly successful upon its initial release, having been lost in the hype of Marvin’s other 1967 blockbuster, The Dirty Dozen. However, in ensuing years it became a seminal film in the actor’s legacy and helped cement his reputation as one of the screen’s most ruthless tough guys. Boorman’s direction shows the influence of the French New Wave in its use of jump cuts and a fractured narrative, which gives the film an unreal quality. Some critics have interpreted the film as Walker’s dying dream. Point Blank was remade in 1999 as Payback.