Rogue Male (1976) (TV)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Clive Donner

Writers:

Frederic Raphael (written by)
Geoffrey Household (novel)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Early in 1939 Sir Robert Thorndyke takes aim at Adolf Hitler with a high powered rifle, but the shot misses its mark...

Plot Keywords:

Gestapo | Hitler | England | Blindfold | Torture

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Hunter
John Standing	...	Major Quive-Smith
Alastair Sim	...	The Earl
Harold Pinter	...	Saul Abrahams
Michael Byrne	...	Interrogator
Mark McManus	...	Vaner
Ray Smith	...	Fisherman
Hugh Manning	...	Peale
Robert Lang	...	Jessel
Cyd Hayman	...	Rebecca
Ian East	...	Muller
Philip Jackson	...	1st Seaman
Nicholas Ball	...	2nd Seaman
Maureen Lipman	...	Freda
Ray Mort	...	Gerald

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

This film is based on the Geoffrey Household book Rogue Male, published in 1939. The main protagonist and the main antagonist remained unnamed in the novel. However, in 1982, a sequel was published, written by Household. In that novel, the main characters receive the names Raymond Ingelram and Von Lauen. The lawyer is named Saul Harding.

Quotes:

Hunter: Do you keep cash around the office, do you?
Saul Abrahams: When your name is Abrahams, my dear Robert, you may eat with the best people and even sleep with one or two of them when they're in the mood, but you don't trust them - not ever... not completely. It may be peace in your time, but I don't think it's likely to remain peace in mine.
Hunter: Oh, Saul, for God's sake, you're as English as I am.
Saul Abrahams: And you're half-Irish.

Movie Connections:

Version of Man Hunt (1941)

Peter O'Toole at His Best

For those of us who still wonder at how the world could have been hornswaggled so long by Hitler, this movie gives us an insight into the spell he had some of the English under!! O'toole plays the brave nobleman who attempts to assassinate the personable madman at his holiday digs. I could have done without the 'pull his fingernails out' scene, but the point was driven home.

He was tortured and escaped with some help from a wonderful German who considered the Nazi thugs 'trash', as well as English sailors. Knowing O'toole's background in the Royal Navy, his disguise didn't take much acting. The 'by the book' captain who refused to allow a search of his vessel by the intimidating Germans made me wonder if any of my compatriots would stand up to that today.

If you've never seen the Tower Bridge, the significance of O'toole coming up from his cramped hiding place onboard the ship, seeing the underside of the bridge, might escape you. He portrays the joie de vivre of that moment wonderfully. I could just fall into his beautiful blue eyes!!

The interplay between O'toole and his uncle, as the love then hate relationship between Parliament and Hitler progresses, gives great insight into how this horror happened. O'toole, the rogue, is under suspicion and search by, not only the Nazi English agents, but his own people, normal agents of government!!! This only added to my usual cynicism concerning governments. Now to read the book!!!!