Danger Man (TV Series) The Sanctuary (1960) User Reviews

May I draw your attention here and here...

[CoastalCruiser · 6/10 · 21 March 2015]

This is a decent episode. The acting by all the players is superb. In particular I would draw your attention to the luncheon conversation between John Drake and his adversary Robert Crawford. I loved the way the tension builds as Drake confesses to Crawford's wife that her husband is trying to kill him. Drake is trying to enroll her help in escaping a dicey situation, and her husband is sitting right there witnessing this and is unable to act because he doesn't want his wife to know he's a killer. It's a bold, unusually played scene, and you really don't know how it's going to play out. Crawford is without his gun for a moment, and normally that would have been Drake's cue to rush him. But they took a more creative route here, and I liked the twist.

Secondly, take a good look at Crawford's wife, played by actress Wendy Williams. Her acting is great, but she has the face of an angel to boot. You can just see an 'old soul' living under that skin. She has a gentle Audrey Hepburn look and feel, although Wendy never achieved Audrey's fame.

A good early episode!

[NellsFlickers · 8/10 · 24 March 2020]

In this episode Drake infiltrates an Irish terrorist group by assuming another man's identity. It is one of the stories where Drake's cover is blown, and almost looses. But he handles it in such a way that one can chuckle despite the danger he is in. We see some humor and smarts, and, of course, he does indeed win in the end.

McGoohan fans will no doubt be interested in the Irish connection. He does a good job of loosing his "hot Irish temper" for show! And of course his accent gets even more befuddling... an Irishman born in NY, raised in Ireland and England, playing an American trying to pass off as an Irishman...

One of the better early episodes.

Once again, a bit rushed.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 12 November 2013]

A bit fake looking train scene The idea for "Danger Man" was great--he's a secret agent working for NATO who can be called anywhere in the world to do just about anything in order to keep the help these allied nations. Patrick McGoohan was quite good in the lead and the episodes were generally pretty exciting. There was one serious problem, though. The show was only half an hour long--far too short for stories like these. "The Sanctuary" is yet another episode that was exciting but rushed. It's actually amazing how much they crammed into this one!

The show begins with an Irish terrorist being released from prison. John Drake (McGoohan) approaches him. Why? Because the man who has just offered the ex-con a job apparently is also a suspected source of funding for the terrorists. Fortunatley, the ex-con is tired of the violence and just wants to live out his life, so he agrees to let Drake go in his place and determine if the rumors are true.

At first, things go well. The employer believes he is who he says he is and he begins to tell Drake all about this terrorism network. However, when someone arrives who knows the ex-con, Drake is forced to try to escape to save his life.

All in all, exciting and worth seeing. There is enough material in this one for a movie, actually, and despite this it works pretty well.

Not as good as most of the other episodes

[bensonmum2 · 6/10 · 24 September 2014]

John Drake's Mission: Drake takes the place of an Irish rebel upon release from prison whom the government feels is being recruited by a terrorist organization.

The Sanctuary is just good, not great. The problem I had with it was the lack of believability in the finale. As is often the case, Drake gets himself into a jam. Are we supposed to go along with the notion that a woman whom Drake has just met decides to help him out of his predicament rather than siding with her husband? I didn't buy it. It felt a bit too contrived and convenient for my liking.

Despite this issue I have with The Sanctuary, fans will certainly find something to enjoy. One particularly good moment filled with tension involves Drake's meeting an old friend of the rebel he's impersonating. Drake's handling of the situation and plan to get out of it are very entertaining.

I'll give this one a 6/10.

Terrific, suspenseful script

[lor_ · 22 March 2024]

With Kieron Moore guest starring as an Irish terrorist this episode directed by Charles Frend benefits from fine locations, a wonderfully twisty script and a solid leading lady, little-known Wendy Williams (that common name, not her troubled American TV counterpart).

Pat is undercover in Scotland, in grave danger of his cover being blown, when Moore's wife, a rich young woman he's been sponging off, proves to be far more honorable than him. The psychology here is fascinating and subtle, while of course the Irish terrorists are bad guys in a British production, even though the leading men are of Irish descent.