Based on
The Hunter: Based on
The Hunter:
Point Blank
(1967)
Movie:
Depiction of
Parker: 
Parker's name in film: Walker
Played by: Lee Marvin
I have a distinct minority opinion of this film. It is generally considered a classic, and one critic (who I don't like and who's name I can't remember) even placed it on his list of the top 100 American films of all time. I thought the plot was barely comprehensible, making it difficult to follow, the voiceovers were bad, and the twist ending was stupid and unnecessary.
However, the film has several excellent moments. A scene of Parker walking down a hallway and a scene in a nightclub are fantastic. Despite this, the film as a whole doesn't add up to much.
Admittedly, the home video version of this film isn't very well done. The pan-and-scan is awful, and the sound mastering is even worse. When Point Blank is released in a remastered and letterboxed version, as befits the classic it is supposed to be, I'll watch it again, and perhaps I'll like it better.
Lee Marvin makes a great Parker. He hasn't got the
looks to make women "feel vibrations above the nylons" and a scene where he
takes Angie Dickinson out on a date is totally out of character. He also rarely
speaks, used to great effect in the movie but different from the novel. However, in
spirit, he is very close to the cold-blooded machine Stark intended the character to be.
Other Opinionss:
Leonard Maltin: (out of four)
"Marvin, shot and left for dead by unfaithful wife and mobster boyfriend, gets revenge two years later. Taut thriller, ignored in 1967, but now regarded as a top film of the mid-60s."
More of Mr. Marvin? This way to foreign Point Blank posters:
Here's one fan's tribute to Point Blank from the Fade2Blank site.