Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

British action movies!

Got any faves? What would be your shortlist?

For example, I've got a strong liking for things like Michael Caine in 'Get Carter' (original). Downbeat and grim. Caine was badass in those early years of his career.

"You're a big man, but you're out of shape. With me, its a daily thing.."

Bravo to you for reading 'Quiller Memorandum'. Yes there is a film and its extraordinary in many ways; although the film goes to emphasize a certain 'story' which doesn't convey at all just what a hardcore tough-as-nails hero Adam Hall's 'Quiller' character really is.

I *much* admire the movie: because I'm a fan of George Segal and naturally a fan of Alec Guinness as well; there's also Max Von Sydow as a villain (who doesn't dig Max Von Sydow?) and the whole thing is just eerie, evocative, and very atmospheric. There's also the gorgeous, stunning red-haired bombshell, Sente Berger. Vavavoom.

But the movie was written by Harold Pinter, the playwright--and he tilts the whole thing away from action or violence.

If you read more of the 'Quiller' novels by Adam Hall, you will find gobs of violence. They read at freight-train speed. Breakneck speed. Hall is my favorite action writer, he is the LeCarre of action-writing; that's why I say bravo to you.

Let us know how you find these works.

'North Sea Hijack' (very dowdy title, that) was called 'ffolkes' in the stateside release and I can't exactly label it 'fantastic'. Was it the great Andrew McLaglen who directed it? Can't recall. But what's wrong with it is not just the strange (and actually rather refreshing) role for Roger Moore, but just that the flick is filmed in such a workmanlike, utilitarian manner. You can see 'the nuts and the bolts sticking out', as it were. Its also a claustrophobic movie. An Alistair MaClean-type plot but there's almost no accompanying scenery, or sweep. Everything is filmed at night or in a rainstorm. No 'vistas' ever open up. The acting too, is sorta flat from all involved. Its a walk-through. Only Anthony Perkins seems to provide any heat or intensity.

'The Great Train Robbery'--amazing book, one of my all-time faves, I go so far as to call it Crichton's second best work ever penned---but the Connery movie was pallid, I felt. Flubbed. Could have been so much more.

'Harry Potter'...eh, no. Not at all. Sorry ole sport. Can't go along with ya. That woman did more damage with that series..ick

Back to action: how about another shout-out for, 'The Wild Geese'!!!

Caine: he's awesome in any scene where he loses his temper, isn't he? The opening scene of 'Eagle Has Landed' for instance. Or in Len Deighton's 'The Ipcress File'. Or with Nigel Davenport behind Rommel's lines in 'Play Dirty'.

LOL my bad! bwaha ahaha a

'Eagle Has Landed' was Jack Higgin's re-working of the wonderful Brit film from the 40s: 'Went the Day Well?'. Taken together, the two are awesome.

Feliks wrote: "'North Sea Hijack' (very dowdy title, that) was called 'ffolkes' in the stateside release and I can't exactly label it 'fantastic'. Was it the great Andrew McLaglen who directed it? Can't recall. B..."

I can't agree more about "Ffolkes"--it's a very quirky, uneven movie with weak action sequences. It could easily have been a lot better.

Thanks Brian. Yeah ...the premise is okay, but it was just one of those slightly hammy, 'overly-gusto' type flicks which often used to come out with wonderful poster art, but (in contrast with the intention) the resulting film was usually executed in a rather staid, by-the-book fashion.

Nothing majorly wrong with them, but just not potent enough, somehow. It was common in the late 70s, before real action movies started to come along. No one in this flick was badass enough, was maybe the problem. They were all rather genteel.

Other similar flicks (which I consider as bearing the same unfortunate flaws)

'Escape to Athena'
'The Sea Wolves'
'Breakthrough'
'Firepower'
'Brass Target'
whatever James Coburn flick involved hang-gliders
'Gold'
'The Island'
'The Amsterdam Kill'

You could probably name several more yourself. Line up a dozen of 'em between us, and then compare the whole lot of them to the great Walter Hill:

'Hard Times'
or
'The Warriors'
or even
'The Driver'
...and see how pallid they are. No comparison, really.

Roy Budd did the music for both 'Get Carter' and 'Wild Geese'

David Shire (husband of Talia Shire) did the music for 'Pelham 123'

Few people realize that one of the 'Doctor Who' Doctors, was one of Brit cinema's most badass crime movie actors in the 1930s

The Long Good Friday for me is the high point of the classic British crime film. A fine story of a man going to hell, and the futility of his attempts to fight fate which only speed up his destruction.

And lets not forget 1973's "The Day Of The Jackal".
Before The Robert Ludlum Bourne Trilogy, that was the gold standard for making a "pragmatic adaption" of the source material. Not to mention Edward Fox doing a bang up job of bring to life the most iconic contract killer in thriller writing to life.

I agree. Michael Lonsdale was a polished, refined talent. Superb. Fans of the 'Moonraker' movie are always quoting his lines from that flick, to this day. Lonsdale was a consummate professional, on-point in anything he starred in.

You can also see him squaring off vs Alec Guinness in the BBC's 'Smiley's People'. That series also features (briefly) Patrick Stewart as 'Karla' (although I don't think he speaks a single line of dialog, he is just there for 'presence').

I do myself think 'Jackal' is more of a French story than a Brit story, but always glad to see it mentioned. As far as I'm concerned it is STILL the gold standard. I don't know (or much care) what johnny-come-latelies have directed the shaky-cam Bourne movies, but let's remember that 'Jackal' was done by Fred Zinneman, a man who knew a little about directing, I should say.

Know who else is very fine in Jackal? Brit actor Alan Badel. He's got a good filmography and Shakespearian roots. But the phrasing of his lines is really choice in 'Jackal'. He's the one character absolutely freaking out, whereas the other actors are all quite reserved.

Oh and young Derek Jacobi (now Sir Derek) is also in 'Jackal'. Edward Hardwicke, later 'Watson' to Jeremy Brett's Holmes. What a cast.

Damn, I almost forgot the spy who came in from the cold movie!
I suppose it ties or even surpasses the day of the jackal in regards to what a good pragmatic adaption of the source material should be.
Highlight was the epic rant by Alec Lemas regarding the reality of intelligence gathering. Should be required reading for those who think espionage is solely dominated by the paramilitary side of the business.

There's no forgetting that flick as far as I'm concerned. The people behind that production clobbered the bar set for them in every area. That flick is sublime; a clinic on how to stay faithful to source material. Almost never happens. How it happened here, I can't imagine. Think about how daunting it must have been to try adapting that novel; with its layers of politics, romance, character-study, and mystery. It's outrageous; its unthinkable that they pulled it off so well. We had no right to expect it.

Arguably the best spy novel ever written paired with a flawless movie cut from the same bolt of cloth. What more can you ask for?

Feliks wrote: "I agree. Michael Lonsdale was a polished, refined talent. Superb. Fans of the 'Moonraker' movie are always quoting his lines from that flick, to this day. Lonsdale was a consummate professional, on..."

Wasn't ML in 'Ronin' and 'The HolCroft Covenant'???

Danny wrote: "I was going to say Day of the Jackal - one of my favourites - but thought it was a bit French to be a Brit Flick. After all, we did deny any insinuation that the Jackal was British, at the end :)

..."

Daniel Craig reboot????

Cringe!!!!

Graeme wrote: "Danny wrote: "I was going to say Day of the Jackal - one of my favourites - but thought it was a bit French to be a Brit Flick. After all, we did deny any insinuation that the Jackal was British, a..."

Nobody would dare touch the idea. The concept was made toxic after the one with Bruce Willis.

I'm with everyone who loves Harry Palmer! He was the perfect alternative in the sixties to the glitz of James Bond, who I never liked.
I know this thread is about British films, but I'd like to mention the tv show Callan, it was similar to Palmer's adventures. There was a film, but it just retold one of the tv shows stories, and not as well.

Brian wrote: "Feliks wrote: "'North Sea Hijack' (very dowdy title, that) was called 'ffolkes' in the stateside release and I can't exactly label it 'fantastic'. Was it the great Andrew McLaglen who directed it? ..."

I loved Ffolkes! Haven't seen it in years. There's also a film called "Gold" that's quite good.