Prime Cut Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Mob enforcer goes to farm country to collect debt, discovers the real crop is…people!

🍿 Prime Cut: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Chicago Sends in Devlin

The Chicago Outfit is bleeding money. A Kansas City mobster, Mary Ann, isn’t paying up. After the previous collectors end up as sausage, the Outfit sends in their top enforcer, Nick Devlin. Devlin is tasked with collecting the $500,000 owed or putting Mary Ann down.

Kansas City’s Dark Secrets

Devlin arrives in Kansas City and discovers Mary Ann’s operation goes beyond traditional racketeering. Mary Ann runs a slaughterhouse as a front, but also deals in drugs and human trafficking. Young women, stolen from orphanages, are sold as sex slaves.

Poppy’s Rescue

During a ‘cattle auction’ Devlin witnesses the sale of young women. Disgusted, he rescues Poppy, a recent arrival from an orphanage. This act puts him in direct conflict with Mary Ann, who retaliates by sending his men after Devlin.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Nick Devlin (Lee Marvin): A cool and professional Chicago mob enforcer sent to Kansas City to collect a debt.
• Mary Ann (Gene Hackman): The ruthless Kansas City cattle rancher and mobster who owes money to the Chicago syndicate.
• Poppy (Sissy Spacek): A young woman sold into sex slavery whom Nick rescues.
• Weenie (Gregory Walcott): Mary Ann’s thuggish and demented brother and right-hand man.
• Jake (Eddie Egan): The Chicago mob boss who hires Nick Devlin.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Nick Devlin: “Anyway it cuts.” – Spoken as a fatalistic acceptance of the situation, indicating his willingness to handle the job regardless of the messiness involved.
• Mary Ann: “Cow flesh. Girl flesh. All the same to me.” – Mary Ann’s callous statement encapsulates his dehumanization of women, equating them to livestock.
• Weenie: “You eat guts.” – A memorable line highlighting the brutal and unsettling nature of Mary Ann’s operation, delivered with a mix of disgust and fear.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $3.5 million
• Domestic Gross: $520,493
• Worldwide Gross: $520,493

💥 Prime Cut Reviews

Personal Review

I’ve never seen anything quite like Prime Cut. It’s like a fever dream of crime and country living. The opening scene in the slaughterhouse is haunting. Gene Hackman is terrifying as Mary Ann, and Lee Marvin is the ultimate cool guy. The sunflower field shootout is one of the most memorable movie scenes ever. You won’t forget this movie, that’s for sure.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman”
  • “Viewers interested in 1970s crime thrillers”
  • “People who appreciate gritty, violent movies”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Graphic violence”
  • “Human trafficking”
  • “Nudity”
  • “Sexual content”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “Prime Cut is a brutal, unflinching crime drama that pulls no punches. Marvin and Hackman deliver stellar performances, and Ritchie’s direction keeps the tension high. It may be too violent for some, but fans of the genre will be rewarded.
• Roger Ebert: “Prime Cut is a stylish and violent, almost cartoonish, thriller. The movie’s plot is thin, but the performances of Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman are amazing to behold.

Audience Reactions

The combine harvester scene is insane!: Viewers praised Lee Marvin’s cool demeanor and Gene Hackman’s intense performance as the villain.

Sissy Spacek’s first role is surprisingly captivating.: Many fans highlight the film’s gritty and unapologetic violence as a key element of its appeal.

Overall Consensus: Prime Cut is a stylish and violent crime thriller with memorable performances and a unique setting. It is a cult classic for fans of the genre.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Director Michael Ritchie had a contentious relationship with Lee Marvin during filming due to disagreements about the film’s content, particularly the portrayal of violence and the romantic subplot with Sissy Spacek.”
• “The opening credits sequence, showcasing the meat processing factory, was intended to be a stark and unsettling introduction to the film’s themes of violence and exploitation.”
• “Sissy Spacek’s role as Poppy was one of her earliest film appearances, and it showcased her range as an actress even in a smaller role.”

🖥️ How to Watch Prime Cut?

As of October 2024, ‘Prime Cut’ is available for purchase or rental on various platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your preferred streaming service for availability.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Prime Cut, you might like these similar films:

• Point Blank (1967): Another Lee Marvin action crime film where he plays a tough, relentless protagonist seeking revenge, sharing a similar tone of hard-boiled violence.
• No Country for Old Men (2007): Shares the thematic element of violence and the exploration of morality in a lawless setting, with a protagonist facing ruthless antagonists in a stark landscape.
• Get Carter (1971): A gritty British crime film with a similar tone and a focus on a tough protagonist navigating a world of violence and corruption.
• Road to Perdition (2002): A crime drama set in the Prohibition era, featuring themes of family, loyalty, and violence within the criminal underworld.

🛒 Prime Cut Related Products

• Lee Marvin: Point Blank – Blu-ray: Experience Lee Marvin’s other iconic role as a ruthless man on a mission in Point Blank. A must-have for any fan of classic action cinema.
• Gene Hackman: Unforgiven – Blu-ray: Witness Gene Hackman’s chilling performance in Unforgiven, where he plays a ruthless sheriff. A perfect companion piece to see Hackman in another villainous role.
• Vintage 1972 Movie Poster Prime Cut Lee Marvin Gene Hackman Sissy Spacek 11×17: Capture the essence of 70s cinema with this vintage movie poster, a collector’s item showcasing the iconic cast and artwork of Prime Cut.
• Prime Cut T-Shirt: Show your love for the film with this stylish T-shirt featuring the Prime Cut logo. Perfect for fans who want to showcase their appreciation for this cult classic.

🎧 Soundtrack

Prime Cut features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Main Title” – performed by Lalo Schifrin
• “Poppy” – performed by Lalo Schifrin
• “Clarabelle” – performed by Lalo Schifrin

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Sissy Spacek was mortified at the many scenes WITH NO CLOTHES in her debut film “PRIME CUT”

Can you imagine your first movie role involving a lot of nudity? Sissy Spacek sure can, and it sounds like it wasn’t easy! Check out this video for a peek into her experiences filming ‘Prime Cut’ – it’s pretty eye-opening, and I think you’ll be surprised.

Josh Olson on PRIME CUT

Ever wondered what makes ‘Prime Cut’ so weird and memorable? Josh Olson breaks it down in this commentary, pointing out the film’s wild themes and Sissy Spacek’s early role. His analysis is insightful and definitely worth a watch to understand the movie better.

✨ Rate