The House of the Seven Hawks

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The House of the Seven Hawks
The House of the Seven Hawks - Film Poster.jpg
Theatrical Film Poster
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Screenplay by Jo Eisinger
Based on The House of the Seven Flies
1952 novel
by Victor Canning
Produced by David Rose
Starring Robert Taylor
Nicole Maurey
Linda Christian
Cinematography Ted Scaife
Edited byErnest Walter
Music by Clifton Parker
Production
company
Coronado Productions
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • 29 October 1959 (1959-10-29)
Running time
92 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Budget$535,000 [1]
Box office$1,065,000 [1]

The House of the Seven Hawks is a 1959 British mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Taylor, Nicole Maurey and Linda Christian. [2] [3] It was written by Jo Eisinger based on the 1952 Victor Canning novel The House of the Seven Flies. [4] It was the final film by Robert Taylor under his twenty five-year contract with MGM. [5] The film follows an American captain searching for sunken treasure who becomes entangled with criminals and is arrested by the Dutch police.

Contents

Plot

American skipper John Nordley becomes entangled with the Dutch police and international crooks over sunken Nazi treasure but survives and finds romance.

Cast

Reception

Critical

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The plot is over-complicated to the point of confusion, and much time is wasted as the characters try to explain it to each other. In all other respects, despite the Dutch setting and a prolonged night sequence on tinted stock a little hard to look at, this is the usual thriller about an American adventurer's skirmishes with dishonest Europeans, briefly enlivened by David Kossoff's performance as a fussy, timid little crook." [6]

Picturegoer wrote: "It's the kind of unpretentious, fast, unfussy modern swashbuckling that is wholly entertaining. And is due to a workable, if corny, plot served up with an acid twist of humour. Heading a first-rate supporting staff is David Kosoff, as an efieminate thug, and Philo Hauser, as a spiv Dutch dealer. Nicole Maurey and Linda Christian amply serve the glamour department. But it's Taylor's comeback as an animated actor that makes this jaunt across the North Sea a joy." [7]

The New York Times called the film "an unpretentious but satisfying entertainment." [8]

In The Radio Times Guide to Films Adrian Turner gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Workhorse director Richard Thorpe had just completed some uncredited second unit work on MGM epic Ben-Hur when he was sent by the studio to Britain and Holland to direct this bland 'B' movie." [9]

Box office

According to MGM records, the film earned $415,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $650,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $20,000. [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks (1959)". Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  4. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks (1959) - Articles - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  5. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks (1959) - Notes - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  6. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 27 (312): 8. 1 January 1960. ProQuest   1305822599.
  7. ↑ "The House of the Seven Hawks". Picturegoer . 38: 11. 7 December 1959. ProQuest   1771210154.
  8. ↑ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 7 October 2021.
  9. ↑ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 1. ISBN   9780992936440.
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