MovieChat Forums > The Mechanic (1972) Discussion > McKenna - did he pick his own mark?

McKenna - did he pick his own mark?

posted 18 years ago by ciphoid_9
3 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS.

At the end of the movie, Steve McKenna sneers at Bishop, saying that Bishop always needed the organisation's license to kill, whereas Steve would pick his own marks, hit whenever and whoever he wanted. "Standing outside."

Now my question is, did Steve kill Bishop by order of the organisation or did he kill him on his own initiative? I've always figured that the organisation hired Steve to kill Bishop because of the file Bishop discovered in McKenna's desk (which looked like all the other files they received by mail), but on the other hand Bishop said to Steve: "Was it because of your father?" This would suggest that Bishop thought that Steve did not act on behalf of the organisation, but took personal revenge. But since Bishop had found the medical reports in Steve's drawer, shouldn't he know (or think) that this hit was ordered by the organisation?

[–] tricksofthetrade 18 years ago

Interesting question.

If I were the head of a crime organisation I would not hire the son of a person that I had killed. The organisation killed Steves father. The possiblility that he would than use these aquired skills to seek revenge on the person that ordered the hit on his father would be too great.

There is the possiblity that the orgainisation did hire McKenna as a 'short timer' to kill Bishop and then have McKenna killed in Italy but I find that unlikley.

"You sent us to guard the wrong man Mr. Chalmers."

[–] brettweir3 14 years ago

But it seems like "the man" gave Arthur the OK to take steve along with him. Remember he says "you'll take full respondibilty?" then he says " a good quick clean kill will go along way to restoring their faith..or something"

I think steve marked arthur to prove his point about jelly spots..license to kill...blah blah.

[–] Devans00 10 years ago

I'm thinking Steve did the hit on Aurthur on his own, outside of the Organization.

Out of all of his dad's, Big Harry McKenna, associates, he probably figured Aurthur was the biggest badass. What better way to set your underground reputation than to take out one of the most known and respected assassins.

Steve just didn't count on any blowback.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.