Tim Roth, John Hurt, Laura Del Sol, The Hit, Stephen Frears, 1984
The new Criterion version of this terrific, terse gangster picture is, as Jeffrey Wells has already pointed out, a very good reason to either revisit it or see it for the first time. It’s remarkable in almost every respect, but most particularly for the way that Frears makes use of John Hurt’s grim ruin of a face. And of course the way Hurt uses it too. He’s both eerie and moving, and in a way that recalls silent picture acting—not least because of the fact that the wrung-out killer Hurt portrays is a man of few words. Terence Stamp’s mysteriously chipper would-be victim is one of three perfect foils for him; the other two are pictured above.
I had had this on my “to watch” list for a bit, but what really pushed me to look at it last night was seeing Jim Jarmusch’s remarkable new film The Limits of Control earlier in the week. LIke The Hit, it’s set in Spain, and like The Hit, it features Hurt, albeit in a far smaller, and more amiable (one might even say avuncular), role. And the similarities end there! Aside from being relentlessly—one could even say defiantly—Jarmuschian, it’s also, shot for shot, the most visually beautiful film I’ve seen this year. (Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience comes in second—there’s this one actor in the picture who, alas, uglies the whole thing up.) I can’t wait to see it again, after which I’ll write more about it.
I like this film a lot, and the Jarmusch sounds great (can’t wait to see the Soderbergh, too, despite that ugly guy you mention (:), but what does the date in the subject heading mean? I didn’t get the connection to November, unless there’s some part of THE HIT I’m forgetting (it’s been awhile since I’ve seen it).
@Brian: All the November date means is that I wasn’t paying attention when Typepad’s software auto-filled it in after I typed “Imag-”
Fixed now, thanks!
I just moved “The Hit” near the top of my Netflix queue. Never seen it before, but sounds like it’s right up my alley. John Hurt tends to be underappreciated as an actor.
Glad you liked the Jarmusch film, as it’s one of the few movies I’m looking forward to for the next few months. Look forward to reading about it. Jarmusch working with Christopher Doyle for the first time seems like a good match for beautiful visuals.
Ah, ok! Hope I didn’t sound snarky when I asked– i wasn’t trying to be a nitpicking fanboy. Just curious, and wondering if I missed a reference or something.
I saw this years ago, and really liked it, as I like pretty much anything with John Hurt. “Grim ruin of a face”…that’s good.
And God, is he heartbreaking in “10 Rillington Place”.
Hurt does have a remarkable record of films: even some of the disasters are of surpassing interest (in HEAVEN’S GATE he was forced to create a character out of a hip flask prop). But much as I like him and Frears, what I remember from seeing THE HIT in 1984 was my first exposure to Tim Roth, a performance that irritated me in a way that sometimes indicates a first-rate talent is warming up to the medium (Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s early roles in the margins of SCENT OF A WOMAN and NOBODY’S FOOL rankled me the same way).
Gk, did you see the second trailer that’s out? the one you’re in?
Doyle’s shooting “The Limits of Control”?!?
And just when I thought I couldn’t possibly be more giddy with anticipation!
I’m shocked we haven’t seen or heard more about LIMITS yet. Isn’t it opening in, like, 10 days? I couldn’t find a single review online!
I will say that I’m perhaps most excited by the prospect of hearing Sunn O))) booming in surround sound.