Charles Bronson was an American actor who gained fame for portraying vigilante-type characters in revenge-oriented movies. His first notable role was in ‘Apache’ (1954) and his first major role was portraying murderous Modoc warrior Captain Jack in ‘Drum Beat’ (1954).
His lead role in the detective series ‘Man with a Camera’ (1958-1960) led to more starring roles in a number of low-budget films. However, he achieved a breakthrough as one of seven heroic gunfighters in ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960). During this time, his supporting role in an episode of ‘General Electric Theater’ earned him an ‘Emmy’ nomination. In 1963, he played the co-lead in ‘The Great Escape’ and a villain in ‘4 for Texas’. He also played the third lead in the box-office hit ‘The Dirty Dozen’ (1967), but moved to Europe to star in lead roles in films such as ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968), ‘Lola’ (1969), and ‘Rider on the Rain’ (1970).
Back in America, he collaborated with director Michael Winner in many successful action films including ‘Chato's Land’ (1972), ‘The Mechanic’ (1972) and ‘The Stone Killer’ (1973), which culminated in his best role as Paul Kersey in the vigilante-action film-series ‘Death Wish’ (1974-94).
The Mechanic is a crime thriller action film which tells the story of a professional hitman named Arthur Bishop who works for an international organization. However, he wishes to retire and live the rest of his life in peace. A young man approaches him and asks him to teach him the skills of his trade. But it seems that the man is connected to one of Arthur’s past victims.
In 1944, an American intelligence officer is assigned to train a bunch of hardened criminals and turn them into commandos to be sent to France on an important, but a near suicide mission. He eventually recruits twelve, five of whom are on death row and proceeds to turn them into a courageous and cohesive unit.
After street thugs murder his wife and brutally rape his daughter during home-invasion, mild-mannered architect Paul Kersey turns to police who are unable to apprehend the criminals. When he receives a revolver as gift from a client, Paul, frustrated with a feeling of injustice, starts patrolling the streets, dispensing vigilante justice to the muggers he encounters in the dark of the night.
Set in 1944, this historical war drama film takes us back to the time of the Second World War, and it surrounds the allied army’s invasion of Germany through the point of view of an American intelligence officer as well as a of a German tank commander.
Hard Times is a sports drama crime film which tells the story of a man named Chaney, living during the time of the Great Depression. He witnesses a bare-knuckled street fight, and decides to bet six dollars on himself, after which he manages to beat his younger opponent. A gambler named Speed recognizes his potential and becomes his manager. Speed decides to borrow cash from gangsters, in order to bet on Chaney’s fights, hoping that they will make a lot of money together.
After repeated terrorizing attacks from pillaging bandits led by Calvera, farmers of an oppressed Mexican village hire seven master gunmen to defend their village. The gunslingers train the villagers and help them fight off the goons. The next time, Calvera’s men capture and drive the gunmen away. The seven men decide not to run off, but to return and confront the outlaws.
Warren Stacey is a repairman whose attempts at flirting fails, as women view it as creepy, resulting in him getting rejected. Therefore, he eventually decides to kill every woman who rejects his advances. Meanwhile, Detective Kessler, a veteran and his rookie partner Paul is investigating the murders. However, Stacey manages to avoid arrest due to his sound alibis, and the way he assaults his victims without leaving fingerprints.
Jill McBain becomes the owner of a prime railroad land after her new husband and his children are assassinated by gunman Frank who works for the crippled railroad baron Morton. To protect Jill from Frank, a fugitive Cheyenne and a cryptic Harmonica unite. However, Harmonica also has a personal score to settle with Frank.
Frustrated with escape attempts, the German army moves a large group of Allied prisoners of war to a high-security POW camp. The film portrays a fictional account of how over 200 prisoners, led by RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, dug a deep, long tunnel to execute an even greater mass escape plan to further harass the enemy.
Shortly after the American Civil War, two adventurers are hired by Emperor Maximillian to escort a countess named Marie Duvarre to Vera Cruz. Despite their differences, the two agree to work together, since they are being offered a good sum of money. However, things take a turn when on the way, they find a wealth of gold hidden in the stagecoach.
Death Wish II is an action thriller crime drama film which revolves around Paul Kersey, an architect, whose daughter is murdered by five street thugs. He is forced to become a vigilante again, and find the culprits who are responsible.
Dalchimski, a former KGB agent, is sent to the US, to stop few sleeper agents who have been hypnotized to attack government entities when they hear certain coded words.
Death Hunt is a western crime thriller adventure film which tells the story of Albert Johnson, a fur trapper in the Yukon Territory, who finds a badly injured German Shepherd, and takes it forcibly from the owner, by paying some money to him. However, Hazel, the owner, starts claiming that his dog was stolen from him by Johnson. Soon a rumor starts spreading that Johnson is a violent psychopath and serial killer who murders other trappers in the wilderness, to rob them of their possessions.
After his girlfriend’s daughter dies from a drug overdose, Paul Kersey, a vigilante sets out on a mission to eliminate the two most vicious drug cartels in Los Angeles.
Paroled man Steve Lacey is persecuted by a suspicious detective and his former jail mates make it difficult for him to go straight.
Two gangsters enter a train in which the Japanese ambassador is travelling, along with a valuable gold sword, which he intends to present as a gift to the American president. They also shoot one of his bodyguards. However, the surviving bodyguard Kuroda, goes after the gangsters to track them down and kill them.
Professor Jarod, a talented sculptor, runs a wax museum where he creates wax statues of well-known historical figures. His partner, who is hungry for money, sets the museum on fire hoping to obtain the insurance money. To avenge them, Jarod murders his partner and his fiancée, and uses their wax-coated corpses as displays.
Guns of Diablo is a Western film, which tells the story of Charles Bronson, a wagon scout, who encounters several difficulties when he meets his old girlfriend Maria, who is now married to Rance Macklin, a corrupt law officer.
This Property Is Condemned is a romantic drama film which tells the story of Alva, a young girl who clashes with her oppressive mother, when the latter asks her to get married to a wealthy man, although she has her eyes on another man named Owen, whom her mother disapproves of.
The film tells the story of Captain Stephen Maddock who is posted at a cavalry desert outpost, and Lieutenant Curtis McQuade, an officer without field experience, who joins him at the outpost.
A young asthma patient runs away into the woods when a nurse approaches him with an injection syringe. There he is found by an extortionist, who demands a hefty ransom from his father. Although the boy dies while he is collecting the money, he buries the amount. Later, he is caught and put in jail with hardened criminals, who plot a breakout to get at the money.
The Indian Runner is a drama film which revolves around two brothers Frank and Joe, who have conflicting personalities. While Joe manages to become a deputy sheriff, Frank turns to crime. Joe wants to help his brother change, but Frank’s inner turmoil impacts him.
Also known as ‘Lola’ the movie tells the story of 40 years old erotic novel writer Scott Wardman who falls in love with 16 years old school girl Twinky. In spite of her parents’ protests, the two get married and move to Scotland. However, the age difference soon comes to play driving the two apart.
Set in 1872 and based on true events, the film follows Indian fighter Johnny MacKay, who is assigned by President Grant to negotiate peace with Modocs from Northern California and Southern Oregon. Also, he is to escort an army colonel’s daughter, Nancy Meek. But following an incident, Modoc rebel Captain Jack turns hostile, so MacKay has to take up arms against him.
Deputy Marshal Luke Welsh turns bounty hunter to get a wanted criminal. But as the criminal draws a gun, Welsh has to kill him. However, he cannot collect the bounty as townspeople refuse to identify the criminal, a well-liked resident. As Welsh stays on, finding ways to collect the reward, he grows close to waitress Jill, but faces challenges on all the fronts.
Kid Galahad is a musical sports drama which revolves around a young man named Walter Gulick, who completes his military service and returns to his hometown where he belongs. He soon takes up a job as a boxer, where he finds success within a short time. However, things take a turn when his friend who is a promoter gets into trouble with mobsters.
Set during the 1930s, the film is loosely based on the real life gangster, Machine Gun Kelly. Kelly is extremely scared of death and it is his mistress Flo who persuades him to commit bigger crimes. After a bank robbery goes wrong due to his fear, he decides to switch to kidnapping to earn more money. The move eventually paves way for his downfall.
Willy is a fight promoter who meets an illiterate but very religious and gifted boxer named Danny. Over time, Willy manages to turn Danny into a champion. However, when Willy falls into financially tough times, he asks Danny to throw a fight and lose intentionally.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Laurence Jeffries, being engrossed in his research, neglects his wife Frances, who develops a relationship with a French journalist named Paul Damien. When Laurence learns about this, he brings home one of his patients, an amnesiac, and brainwashes him to think of Frances as his own unfaithful wife so that he exacts revenge on her.
Set against the turbulent Turkey of early 1920s, the film follows two former US soldiers Adam Dyer and Josh Corey, who are engaged to escort Turkish governor Osman Bey’s three daughters to Smyran and to safeguard his gold consignment, which they plan to steal. But they have to lookout for Colonel Elci, who is after the gold, and face other rebellious enemies.
The film depicts a fictional account of the X-15 research rocket aircraft program undertaken jointly by U.S. Air Force and N.A.S.A. at the Edward Air Force Base in 1960s and focuses on several test pilots, who take part in final launching.
Giff Hoyt is a café owner in Cabo Blanco, Peru who finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game between escaping Nazis and their enemies. When a sea explorer is murdered and the corrupt police get involved, intimidating newcomer Marie Claire Allesandri, Hoyt starts suspecting Nazi Beckdorff who is looking for a sunken treasure.
In this 1951 gangster movie, detective Johnny Damico is suspended from the law force after a mishap. However, in reality, he is given a second chance to go undercover and discover the identity of the ruthless boss of the NY waterfront.
Florence and Chet Keefer, arrive in front of Judge Anne B. Carroll asking for a divorce. When the judge asks them to recount the story of their marriage, they reveal a story of loss, pain, jealousy, and love which ultimately leads them to try and save their marriage.
U.S. Diplomat, Mike Kells, travels to Salzburg to meet his friend, Sam Carew, to retrieve some top-secret documents from him. When Sam ends up getting murdered, Mike finds himself trying to retrieve the documents, survive assassination attempts, and find out which of the two mysterious women, Joan Ross or Janine Betki is a spy.
Retired recovering alcoholic lawyer, James Curtayne, is persuaded into taking the case of young boy Johnny O'Hara who is falsely accused of murder. Because of his bad handling of the case, Johnny ends up being found guilty. James takes matters into his own hands to prove Johnny’s innocence with fatal consequences.
Alcoholism causes serious problems for former-Ziegfeld star Dodo Delwyn, who is reduced to playing clown in fairgrounds. His wife, Paula, has divorced him but his little son, Dink, believes in him and requests agent Goldie to find work for Dodo. Failing to get any assignment, Dodo sends Dink to now-remarried Paula, but Dink returns to Dodo who strives hard to make Dink proud.
Red Skies of Montana is a drama film which portrays the hazardous work of the US Forest Service’s paratroop fire-fighters in Montana.
You’re in the Navy Now is a 1951 comedy film, which tells us the story of a newly commissioned Navy officer during the World War II, who wants duty at sea, but is instead assigned to an experimental project.
Off-Limits is an action thriller film which tells the story of two military detectives who arrive in Saigon, Vietnam in 1968, to investigate the murder of a prostitute.
An under-investigation bookie Robert ‘Numbers’ Foster flees to Florida; however, his girlfriend Yvonne’s testimony clears him. While returning, he is smitten with Emily Stackerlee, an aspiring stage-artist. When he takes her along to give her a part in a nightclub act, she brings her bloodhounds with her. Yvonne feels jealous, which gives rise to complications when a fresh investigation starts over Foster’s book-making.
Torpedo Alley is a drama film which tells the story of Lieutenant Bob Bingham, who becomes the sole survivor, when a transport plane crashes. He finds himself shipwrecked, but he is found and rescued by a submarine crew. Eventually, he decides to enter the Navy and start a new life as a submarine commander.
Battle Zone is a war film which takes us to the time of the Korean War. It revolves around two combat photographers, who develop a rivalry as they both fall for a Red Cross nurse during the war.
Charles Bronson Awards
| Winner | World Film Favorite - Male | 1972 |
