Subterfuge (1968 film)

Last updated

Subterfuge
"Subterfuge" (1968).jpg
Directed by Peter Graham Scott
Written by David Whitaker
Produced by Peter Snell
Trevor Wallace
Starring Gene Barry
Joan Collins
Richard Todd
CinematographyRoy Garner
Edited by Bill Lewthwaite
Music by Cyril Ornadel
Production
companies
Distributed by Rank Film Distributors (UK)
Release date
  • December 1968 (1968-12)(UK)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Subterfuge is a 1968 British Eurospy espionage film directed by Peter Graham Scott and starring Gene Barry, Joan Collins and Richard Todd. [1] It was written by David Whitaker.

Contents

Synopsis

A young wife is becoming very distraught over the fact that her husband, a secret service "spy" for Britain, has changed his mind about transferring away so that he can spend more time with her and their young son. He has grown cold and distant towards her; she thinks it's because of the secretiveness of his work. Meanwhile, a U.S spy comes to Britain and is induced to help the British "team" with an undercover spy ring.

Cast

Production

Richard Todd made the film while appearing on stage in Dear Octopus. [2] Gene Barry had previously made Maroc 7 for Rank. [3] It was part of Rank's "Eurospy" cycle. [4]

Filming began 16 January 1968. [5]

Critical reception

In The Monthly Film Bulletin Brenda Davies wrote: "This confused tale of cross and double-cross was made three years ago, presumably for American television, which at least explains why it bothers to employ a kind of Cook's tour of the London tourist spots as the background to its standard quota of bloodshed. The plot seems to have been manufactured by a computer fed on earlier spy thrillers (the meeting with Goldsmith in the empty stadium is straight out of The Quiller Memorandum ) and its complications are so ludicrous that it is often difficult to remember who is chasing whom. Altogether, a sad waste of several very capable players." [6]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Quite a good adventure-mystery yarn, with plenty of rough action, this should be acceptable in most situations. Reliable double-programmer. The film starts with a satisfying bit of mysterious violence and carries on in the vein, slowing only once for some conventional romantic scenes between Donovan and Anne. Mainly, however, the action jogs along satisfactorily from one bit of violence to another and the identity of the double-agent is fairly well concealed with the aid of the usual kind of red herring. Gene Barry (well known to TV addicts) is tough if not very clever as extra-special agent Donovan and Joan Collins is adequate and decorative as Anne. Richard Todd is required to do very little acting as the British Intelligence chief and even less is required of Michael Rennie as a high-up U.S. agent; whilst Marius Goring is sinister as the top foreign agent." [7]

In the Radio Times , David McGillivray wrote, "despite endless double-crossing and a kidnapping, this is low on excitement and lacks a strong villain. With most of London's landmarks included along the way, it might appeal to the odd tourist. The presence of Joan Collins, dressed up to the nines, adds a bit of glamour." [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Subterfuge". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Todd, Richard (1989). In camera : an autobiography continued. Hutchinson. p. 279.
  3. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (11 August 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1965 to 1967". Filmink. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  4. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (22 August 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation 1968-1977". Filmink. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Movie call sheet". The Los Angeles Times Part 4. 15 January 1968. p. 20.
  6. ↑ "Subterfuge". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 38 (444): 82. 1 January 1971. ProQuest   1305828756.
  7. ↑ "Subterfuge". Kine Weekly . 644 (3307): 8. 27 February 1971. ProQuest   2600952130.
  8. ↑ David McGillivray. "Subterfuge". RadioTimes.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.