Scorpio (1973)

Scorpio poster

The Mirisch Corporation
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Gayle Hunnicutt
Directed by: Michael Winner

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some major spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A cold war CIA operative named Cross (Burt Lancaster) is targeted by his superiors who want him dead and have hired a freelance assassin known as Scorpio (Alain Delon), a former associate of Cross, to do the job.

Cat Cattle Call: The opening scene of the film finds Cross delivering money to Scorpio, a Frenchman whose real name is Jean Laurier. The dilapidated apartment where Laurier is staying under cover is filled with cats, mostly black ones.

Scorpio - black cat in foreground with Laurier Alain Delon

Cross suggests Laurier lets the cats out once in a while but Laurier insists the cats wouldn’t survive.

Scorpio - Cross Burt Lancaster looking at black cats at foot of bed with Laurier Alain Delon

Scorpio - black cat lying on bed

It turns out Laurier has a thing for cats and this comes up several times throughout the film. When Laurier travels to America he gets a suite at a fancy hotel. A long-haired silver cat is sitting in the room when the bellhop shows Laurier the room. The man moves to remove the cat but Laurier tells him to leave it.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon spotting silver long-haired cat

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon holding up silver long-haired cat

Scorpio - close up of silver long-haired cat

Laurier feeds the cat milk and it is seen drinking during the next couple of scenes.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon feeding silver long-haired cat

Scorpio - silver long-haired cat drinking milk from bowl

Later Laurier is in bed with his girlfriend Susan (Gayle Hunnicutt) in the hotel. The silver cat is nearby. Suddenly the room is invaded by CIA agents who are framing Laurier. The silver cat runs for cover as they ransack the room.

Scorpio - silver long-haired cat

Closer to the end of the film Susan takes Laurier to a shelter where they watch several cats and giggle at their antics.

Scorpio - tabby kitten in cage

Scorpio - kittens playing in cage

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Susan is buying Laurier a present and he picks out a small white kitten, a former stray, and explains he likes street cats.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon holding up white kitten Sun Tzu

He names the kitten Sun Tzu after the Chinese general. The kitten is seen for a while afterwards.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon holding white kitten Sun Tzu

The kitten also shares a brief scene later with Laurier.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon with white kitten Sun Tzu

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon with white kitten Sun Tzu looking in mirror

At the very end of the film, Laurier exits a parking garage and sees a black and white cat nearby. As he walks over to pet the cat, someone points a gun at him from a nearby car.

Scorpio - Laurier Alain Delon looking down at black and white cat