The Professional (1981): Cast & Plot
The Professional is a 1981 adventure thriller directed by Georges Lautner, starring Jean-Claude Bouillaud as Agent service secret 2, Yves Pignot and Bernard Marcellin. It runs 1 hour 48 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 48m (108 min)
- Director
- Georges Lautner
- Original language
-
French - Studio
- Cerito Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Professional About?
The premise of The Professional without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
French secret service operative Josselin Beaumont is sent to eliminate African warlord N’Jala, but his mission is canceled and his government hands him over to local authorities. After a sham trial condemns him to twenty years of hard labor, Beaumont escapes, vowing revenge on his betrayers and to complete his original assignment.
The Professional Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- female nudity
- lesbian
- female full frontal nudity
- female rear nudity
- attempted lesbian rape
- escape
- spy
- sniper
- prostitute
- hotel
- police
- bar fight
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- assassination attempt
- french agent
- firearm
- homeless person
- homeless man
- france
- weapon
- shot to death
- car
- driving
- fiat 131
- peugeot 504
- renault 18
- female police officer
- wiretapping
- investigation
- eurospy
- italian car
- french car
- man driving a car
- driving a car
- hand to hand combat
- disarming someone
- kiss
- kissing while having sex
- death of hero
- shootout
- martial arts
- love interest
- gone rogue
- ends with death of protagonist
- revenge thriller
- framing someone for attempted murder
- faked death
- betrayal by best friend
- torture victim
- wrongfully convicted
- final showdown
The Professional Cast & Characters
Jean-Claude Bouillaud leads the cast as Agent service secret 2, with Yves Pignot as Agent service secret 4 and Bernard Marcellin as Agent service secret 1. Directed by Georges Lautner; 26 actors are credited in all.
- Director Georges Lautner
- Jean-Claude Bouillaud as Agent service secret 2
- Yves Pignot as Agent service secret 4
- Bernard Marcellin as Agent service secret 1
- Claude-Bernard Perot as Agent service secret 3
Also Starring in The Professional
· 22 more- Jean-Paul Belmondo Joss Beaumont
- Pascal N'Zonzi Arthur, le secrétaire de Njala
- Pierre Saintons le président Njala
- Jean-Louis Richard Colonel Martin
- Elisabeth Margoni Jeanne Baumont
- Cyrielle Clair Alice Ancelin
- Robert Hossein Commissaire Rosen
- Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu L'inspecteur Farges
- Jean Desailly Ministre
- Pierre Vernier Salvatore Volfoni
- Michel Beaune Capitaine Valeras
- Gérard Darrieu L'instructeur Picard
- André Weber Le clochard 'associé'
- Cheik Doukouré Le docteur de l'infirmerie
- Jacques Canselier Le petit homme aux fleurs
- Serge Nubret L'infirmier au procès
Show all 26 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Sidiki Bakaba Le prisonnier évadé
- Marc Lamole Le serveur d'hôtel
- Marie-Christine Descouard Doris Frederiksen
- Baaron Le président du tribunal
- Dany Kogan Sergent Gruber
- Guillaume Corea Le procureur
More from Georges Lautner
More films directed by Georges Lautner: Stranger in the House, The Murdered House, The Debauched Life of Gerard Floque and La Cage aux Folles 3.
The Professional Plot Summary
What happens in The Professional from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Jean-Paul Belmondo as Joss Beaumont, an SDCE agent known as Joss, is dispatched to Malagawi, a fictional African country that stands in for the dawn of the 1980s, with a mission to kill President-for-life Colonel Njala, a dictator hostile to French interests. But the political winds shift: rather than a straightforward hit, the Élysée orders that he be denounced rather than recalled, complicating his fate from the start.
Full summary
The whole story of The Professional, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Professional?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the French secret service agent played by Jean‑Paul Belmondo?
The Professional Also Known As
22 alternative titles, including “De Beroeps” and “阴谋的代价”.
- Also known as
-
- De Beroeps
- 阴谋的代价
- Der Profi
- A profi
- Профессионал
- Joss il professionista
- Profesionál
- El profesional
- Ο Επαγγελματίας
- המקצוען
- Професионалистът
- Profesionalas
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- 危情谍影
- Професіонал
- Zawodowiec
- حرفه ای
- プロフェッショナル, პროფესიონალი
- O Profissional
- Professionel dræber
- Profesyonel
- Hämnd till varje pris
- 프로페셔널
Seen The Professional?
Movies Like The Professional
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Secret Agents, The Female Executioner and The Virtuoso.
The Professional FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Professional, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Professional?
The Professional runs 1 hour 48 minutes (108 minutes).
When was The Professional released?
The Professional was released on October 21, 1981.
Who directed The Professional?
The Professional was directed by Georges Lautner.
More films by Georges Lautner Who is in the cast of The Professional?
The Professional stars Jean-Claude Bouillaud as Agent service secret 2, Yves Pignot as Agent service secret 4 and Bernard Marcellin as Agent service secret 1, among 26 credited actors.
Does The Professional have a post-credit scene?
No. The Professional has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is The Professional in?
The original language of The Professional is French.
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