“Never leave vengeance to amateurs.”
Josselin Beaumont, a French secret agent, is tasked with assassinating Njala, the president for life of Malawi in Africa. A shift in French policy means that assassinating Njala is no longer an option. But instead of recalling their agent, high-ranking officials deliberately sacrifice Beaumont by handing him over to the Malawian authorities. Arrested, tried, and imprisoned, he nevertheless manages to escape. Back in Paris after a two-year absence, he informs his superiors through Colonel Martin that he will fulfill his contract during Njala’s upcoming official visit to Paris between the 12th and 15th of this month, and that he has a few scores to settle with the D.G.S.E. The question is, should Beaumont be stopped or not?
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Cast
26 people
Jean-Paul Belmondo
Commandant Joss Beaumont
Known for
Breathless
Pierrot le Fou
Robert Hossein
Commissaire Rosen
Known for
Angelique
Rififi
Elisabeth Margoni
Jeanne Baumont, épouse de Joss
Known for
The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time
Welcome Aboard
Jean-Louis Richard
Colonel Martin
Known for
Les Misérables
The Last Metro
Jean Desailly
Ministre
Known for
The Soft Skin
Le Doulos
Michel Beaune
Capitaine Édouard Valeras
Known for
The Loner
Cop or Hood
Cyrielle Clair
Alice Ancelin
Known for
Frantz
Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Pierre Vernier
Salvatore Volfoni
Known for
The Outsider
Le Chef
Marie-Christine Descouard
Doris Frederiksen, pute présidentielle de Mme Claude
Known for
Happy Easter
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
L'inspecteur Farges
Known for
The Vanishing
The Return of Martin Guerre
Pierre Saintons
Le président Njala
Known for
Lacombe, Lucien
Gérard Darrieu
L'instructeur Picard
Known for
Elevator to the Gallows
My American Uncle
Georges Lautner Director · Michel Audiard Screenplay Jacques Audiard Writer
Worldwide gross $63M · Budget $3.5M · United States release October 21, 1981
Box office
Budget
$3,500,000
Worldwide gross
$63,400,000
Gross vs. budget
18.1×
Production
Cerito Films
Production
Les Films Ariane
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Le Professionnel
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · October 21, 1981
Theatrical
United States · October 21, 1981
Theatrical
Argentina
June 17, 1982
Denmark
July 12, 1982
France
February 10, 2026 · TV · Paris Première
June 9, 2026 · TV · RMC Story
Germany
January 7, 1982 · Theatrical
Greece
December 10, 1981 · Theatrical
Hungary
May 19, 1982
Japan
October 30, 1994 · TV Premiere
Netherlands
April 29, 1982 · Theatrical
April 2, 2010 · Physical · DVD
Norway
May 7, 1982
Portugal
February 18, 1982
Spain
January 25, 1982
Türkiye
October 10, 1983 · Theatrical
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