If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Watched this movie last night, didn't expect the production quality to be so poor. Cheaply made, amateurish editing.But man, this storyline/plot is actually really cool...it's got a great deal of potential, I think. But ol' Jack as "JimBuck" - I wrote it that way intentionally, because that's how Jack says it...like it's one word. He doesn't say "My name is Jim Buck" like a regular person, he says "My name is JimBuck," like it's just one word. Hilarious.The only reason I watched this was for Jack Palance, and it was worth watching it to see him. What else, what else...I think that about covers it. A low budget affair from 1977 that could be really engrossing and cool if remade today with a talented writer and director. The storyline is great - built, of course, on an interesting internal conflict (loyalty to a friend/humanity vs obligation to employer) and the required external conflicts (good guys vs the bad guys). Put a smokin' hot chick in there (adds yet another layer to the conflict), and you've got a movie.By the way, if anyone reads this and actually does make a movie out of it, is there any way I can get in on that?jacobnunnally.blogspot.com3/10

According to IMDb, this film wasn't released until 1984, seven years after its completion. When you watch Portrait of a Hit Man (as the title appears on screen), you'll understand why it sat in the can so long. Jack Palance delivers one of his anguished non-performance performances as Jim Buck, a professional gunman (and amateur painter) hired by Max Andreotti (a svelte Rod Steiger) to rub out Dr. Bob Michaels (Bo Svenson). Problem: Jim and Bob are best buds from way back, and Jim is most reluctant to carry out the hit. There's a ton of navel-gazing, some very boring sex scenes, an embarrassing turn from Richard Roundtree as a Jamaican drug dealer, some Asian wisdom offered by Philip Ahn, and even a brief appearance by legendary singing cowboy Herb Jeffries, who wisely chose to hang up his acting spurs after appearing in this film.

I rented this movie with my girlfriend years ago. I liked the cover at the video store. Unfortuanately that and the name were the only good aspects of this film. The first 2 minutes were good, and the rest of this film is one horrible ride. If he UN arm inspectors found this movie it would be labeled a weapon of mass destruction. I remember watching this films years earlier with my dad; I for got about it because the film was that bad and I only watched half of it. The second time I watched this insomnia cure the second half made me remember this film forever. At least this time I got to cuddle with my girlfriend. This film is incredibly awful, and will haunt your memory. Not too many films merit a 1 out of 10

**Possible Spoilers Ahead**Jack Palance as a talented painter/vicious hit-man? Bo Svenson as a brilliant neurosurgeon? The casting is almost as weird as the plot, in which Palance and Svenson are old friends in love with the same woman and Palance has been hired to murder Svenson. Ann Turkel, Rod Steiger and Richard Roundtree are on hand also. Full of flashbacks, occasionally bloody and entertaining in spite of itself. An amusing companion piece to another Palance wonder-work, ONE MAN JURY.