“The Stone Killer” (1973) starring Charles Bronson / Z-View

The Stone Killer (1973)

Director: Michael Winner

Screenwriter: Gerald Wilson based on A Complete State of Death by John Gardner

Cast: Charles Bronson, Martin Balsam, Jack Colvin, Paul Koslo, Norman Fell, David Sheiner, Stuart Margolin, Ralph Waite, Alfred Ryder, Walter Burke, Kelley Miles, Eddie Firestone, Charles Tyner,  Byron Morrow, Frank Campanella and Robert Emhardt.

Tagline: Take away his badge and he’d top the Ten Most Wanted list!

The Plot…

Detective Lou Torrey (Bronson) killed a 17 year old hood who fired first.  Torrey’s shooting is justified, but the heat is on.  Torrey is quick with a gun and pushes past what is legal to get the guilty.  So Torrey leaves the New York City to become a member of the LA police force.

When Detective Torrey comes across clues that the Mafia is planning something big, no one believes him.  As he digs deeper, Torrey discovers that mercenaries are working with the mob bosses.  Soon Torrey is in their sights.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Charles Bronson and Michael Winner hit gold with The Mechanic.  Unfortunately, lightning didn’t strike again with The Stone Killer.  It would however, when they teamed the following year with Death Wish.

The Stone Killer is definitely a ’70s movie.  Detective Torrey is made in the mold of Harry Callahan, but The The Stone Killer is at best a poor man’s Dirty Harry.

If you’re a fan of character actors, you’ll enjoy all of the faces popping up throughout The Stone Killer.  You’ll see Martin “Psycho” Balsam, Norman “Three’s Company” Fell, Stuart “The Rockford Files” Margolin, Ralph “The Waltons” Waite, Alfred “Star Trek” Ryder, Charles “The Outlaw Josey Wales” Tyner, Robert “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” Emhardt to name just a few.

The Stone Killer isn’t one of Bronson’s best, but it does have more high falls than a John Wayne western and a car chase worthy of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

The Stone Killer (1973) rates 2 of 5 stars.