The House of the Seven Hawks (1959)

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Victor Canning (novel)
Jo Eisinger (writer)

Release Date:

29 April 1960 (West Germany)

Genre:

Mystery

Tagline:

SUSPENSE...THAT EXPLODES INTO THRILLING ACTION! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Robert Taylor	...	John Nordley
Nicole Maurey	...	Constanta Sluiter
Linda Christian	...	Elsa
Donald Wolfit	...	Inspector Van Der Stoor
David Kossoff	...	Wilhelm Dekker
Eric Pohlmann	...	Captain Rohner
Philo Hauser	...	Charlie Ponz
Gerard Heinz	...	Inspector Sluiter
Paul Hardtmuth	...	Beukleman
Lily Kann	...	Gerta
Richard Shaw	...	Police Sgt. Straatman
Andre Van Gyseghem	...	Hotel Clerk
Leslie Weston	...	Tulper
Guy Deghy	...	Desk Lieutenant
Peter Welch	...	Gannett

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-8 | UK:U

Company:

Coronado Productions

Really not the best genre movie around.

This movie just doesn't have the most exciting or best mystery-elements around. It's a rather dull movie that lacks most of the required genre elements. Although it tries in parts- this is no film-noir but even for a 'standard' thriller type of movie this one just isn't good enough.

The story isn't the most interesting one around but it's even worse how the story is told. Some of the sequences go on for far too long, without anything interesting happening in it. Problem is that the story felt the need to put in way too much (redundant) dialog. Guess that they just desperately tried to make the movie longer, since it's a quite short one (92 minutes). The movie really isn't build up well and in the beginning it's too unclear were the movie is trying to head to.

The movie picks some weird and unbelievable plot-lines. Besides that, the movie also doesn't offer any real surprises. It's pretty clear from the beginning on who are going to be the good and bad guys and gals of the movie.

It's true that the movie gets better toward the end but it's all too late to still fully save the movie. In its build up the movie simply lacks all the things needed to make a good and tense genre movie with. For a thriller this movie is just too dull and totally not interesting enough to follow. The characters all remain too flat and the only established actor in this movie is Robert Taylor, who does his very best but just can't carry this movie on his own. I mean this movie is not even good or really interesting to watch for the most hardened Robert Taylor fans.

For me it was a big plus that the movie is set and actually filmed- and almost entirely set in The Netherlands. It was all very recognizable. It's locations and atmosphere works well for the movie, although it's too bad that they didn't made the trouble to cast Dutch actors in the roles of Dutch, not even for the bit parts, which was a bit distracting but obviously only should be so when you're Dutch yourself.

By no means the worst genre movie I've ever seen but just not among one of the best or most refreshingly original ones either. Somewhat watchable but not really recommendable to anyone.

5/10