The Black Windmill (1974)
Release Date: Jun 1, 1974 Wide
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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 165
Movie Info
Michael Caine stars as an espionage agent whose young son is kidnapped. Complicating matters is the fact that the kidnappers (John Vernon and Delphine Seyrig) are Caine's own colleagues. They want to secure Caine's aid in rounding up a diamond smuggling ring, and they don't care who they have to hurt to do so. He agrees to go along, all the while searching for his missing son. Janet Suzman co-stars as Caine's estranged wife, who is compelled to join him in his search. Helmed by veteran filmmaker
Jun 1, 1974 Wide
MCA Universal Home Video
Cast
-
Michael Caine
Maj. John Tarrant -
Donald Pleasence
Cedric Harper -
Delphine Seyrig
Ceil Burrows -
Clive Revill
Alf Chestermann -
John Vernon
McKee -
Joss Ackland
Chief Superintendent Wr... -
Hermione Baddeley
Hetty -
Patrick Barr
Gen. St. John -
Murray Brown
Doctor -
Joyce Carey
Harper's Secretary -
Brenda Cowling
Pleasant Secretary -
David Daker
Thickset M.I. 5 Man -
John Rhys-Davies
Special Policeman -
Edward Hardwicke
Mike McCarthy -
John Harvey
Heppenstal -
Preston Lockwood
Ilkeston -
Russell Napier
Adm. Ballentyne -
Derek Newark
Monitoring Policeman -
Joseph O'Conor
Sir Edward Julyan -
Maureen Pryor
Jane Harper -
Denis Quilley
Bateson -
Catherine Schell
Lady Julyan -
Janet Suzman
Alex Tarrant -
Molly Urquhart
Margaret -
George A. Cooper
Pincus -
Paul Humpoletz
Tomkins -
Frank Henson
S.P. Driver -
Hilary Sesta
Ilkeston's Secretary -
Derek Lord
Sollars -
Michael Segal
Postman
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All Critics (1) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (0)
Terrific spy thriller that however is not without its flaws.
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Movie: ID: 770739715 Title: The Black Windmill Release Date: 1974-06-01 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 2 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Contre une poignée de diamants (FR)
- El molino negro (ES)
The script & direction are average and on the level of a back-to-back episode of Mission: Impossible or Get Smart, I would even dare say, probably not even as good as that. The script jumps right into the blood involving your run-of-the-milll ingredients for a spy thriller, stolen diamonds, kindapping, intrigue, MI5 and of course nudity and some random violence, without ever taking off. As I said before, the direction is unimaginative and very dull, expect nothing but camera totals and no changes in editing or pace or anything else that would turn up the tension.
Unless you are a huge fan of Michael Caine, who was the reason why I picked this up, you should give this one a definite pass. And even Caine's performance ability has seen better days.
Henrik