A rogue smuggler enters the world of intrigue and deception, when he finds that his wife has been kidnapped his world changes.A rogue smuggler enters the world of intrigue and deception, when he finds that his wife has been kidnapped his world changes.A rogue smuggler enters the world of intrigue and deception, when he finds that his wife has been kidnapped his world changes.
- Doris Squire
- (as Shirley Deane)
- Birdwatcher
- (scenes deleted)
- Director
- Writers
- Michael Cronin(uncredited)
- Maclean Rogers(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFirst movie of British model Shirley Deane.
- Quotes
Bob Westlake: And in one of the two cases are these 'Prophecies of Achmed'?
Dr. Burger: We believe so. And possibly Mr Mordaunt was not even aware of the fact. But I can assure you they are highly dangerous
Bob Westlake: What are they exactly?
Dr. Burger: Achmed the Elder was a great eastern seer and prophet in the early part of the fourteenth century. There is a belief that in his work, he foretold the fate of the entire Arab world and its eventual triumph over the infidel
Bob Westlake: I see
Dr. Burger: In recent years, a new Achmed cult has appeared. Their leader, Hejez Delal, is a skilled agitator and with the aid of those original works he could well set the whole of the Middle East aflame - Egypt, Syria, the Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iraq
Bob Westlake: Sort of holy war?
Dr. Burger: A Jihad - exactly. And on a vast scale. There is still widespread superstition amongst the desert tribes - and, as you know, there is already trouble enough in Morocco and elsewhere
Bob Westlake: And this is the mob that's kidnapped my wife...
This plays like an early version of an episode of one of those crime/adventure/espionage series that flourished on British television in the sixties and early seventies. The plot could form the basis of an Avengers adventure with Cathy Gale, but here Honor Blackman is given little to do apart from looking as glorious and delectable as ever, not least on the occasion when she emerges from a swimming pool. She's later taken hostage by some of the motley gang of villains, and though threatening to kick leading thug Ferdy Mayne "in the teeth", while apologising for the "unladylike expression", that's about all her character is allowed to do in the situation. The striking Jane Hylton does what she can in the under-written part of the scheming Rosemary, and it's left unexplained how she knew more about the nature of some of the books than her wealthy lover did himself. Hugh McDermott is fine as the lead.
There are one or two examples of unusual casting. Basil Dignam, who almost always played army officers and other professional men is self-effacing chauffeur Currie, and Hugh Moxey struggles to conceal his plummy tones as the street wise Tom Cookson, the somewhat unlikely "uncrowned king of the Soho underworld". All good entertainment though.
For a film with a 'MacGuffin' about Middle-eastern unrest it seems slightly ironic when a headline on McDermott's newspaper inadvertently reveals that it was shot in the aftermath of the Suez crisis.
- wilvram
- May 19, 2011
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK(studio: produced at Nettlefold Studios)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 8 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1