The Liquidator (1965)

Director:

Jack Cardiff

Writers:

John Gardner (novel)
Peter Yeldham (written by)

Release Date:

28 October 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Right between the eyes is where it hits you . . . Boysie Oakes is DEADLIER than the most dangerous spy !

Plot:

Colonel Mostyn is the chief of a section of the British Security Services when they are embarrassed by the number of spies and defections...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Agent | Aviation | Assassination | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Rod Taylor	...	Boysie Oakes
Trevor Howard	...	Mostyn
Jill St. John	...	Iris
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Chief (as Wilfrid Hyde White)
David Tomlinson	...	Quadrant
Akim Tamiroff	...	Sheriek
Eric Sykes	...	Griffen
Gabriella Licudi	...	Corale
John Le Mesurier	...	Chekhov
Derek Nimmo	...	Fly
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Young Man
Jennifer Jayne	...	Janice Benedict
Heller Toren	...	Assistant
Betty McDowall	...	Frances Anne
Jo Rowbottom	...	Betty
Colin Gordon	...	Vicar
Louise Dunn	...	Jessie
Henri Cogan	...	Yakov
Daniel Emilfork	...	Gregory
Scott Finch	...	Operations Officer (as Scot Finch)
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	Mac
Richard Wattis	...	Flying Instructor
David Langton	...	Station Commander
Tony Wright	...	Flying Control
Suzy Kendall	...	Judith
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexandra Bastedo	...	Radio Operator (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Cardiff

Writing credits
John Gardner		(novel "The Liquidator")
Peter Yeldham		(written by)

Produced by
Leslie Elliot	....	executive producer
Harry Fine	....	associate producer
Jon Penington	....	producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Edward Scaife		(director of photography) (as Ted Scaife)

Film Editing by
Ernest Walter

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
John Blezard

Costume Design by
Joan Bridge
Elizabeth Haffenden

Production Management
Basil Rayburn	....	unit manager
Tom Sachs	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Tomblin	....	assistant director
Brian W. Cook	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Gill	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Terry Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Ted Clements	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
John Graysmark	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Allan Sones	....	sound editor
Cyril Swern	....	sound recordist
A.W. Watkins	....	recording supervisor

Visual Effects by
Tom Howard	....	special processes (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan McCabe	....	camera operator
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Lalo Schifrin	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	transportation chief (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty Harley	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1965) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (USA)

Other Companies

• Richard Williams Films  titles
• Uniflex  furniture designing

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:105 min | Argentina:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Norway:16 (1966) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Bank, London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Director Jack Cardiff has said that censors mandated deletion of Rod Taylor's line that said "... it smells like a Turkish wrestler's jockstrap".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Boysie and Iris leave the Colonel's empty office she turns off the lights, but as we see them exit from the other side the room is not dark.

Quotes:

'Boysie' Oakes:Flesh and blood can only stand so much!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010)

Soundtrack:

RAF March Past

Where Are All the Good Assassins When You Need Them?

MASTER PLAN: Assassinations. More assassinations. There was only one Liquidator film, unlike the duo of 'Flint' films and the Matt Helm film series, but it preceded both of them in jumping on the super spy spoof trend of the sixties - a trend instigated by none other than James Bond. This one even has the familiar teaser, a quirky origin skit for the hero, followed by a bombastic song over the titles which is quite evocative of the standard Bond style - and well it should be, for the song is belted out by Shirley Bassey, she who did sing the famous "Goldfinger" song. The plot sort of re-imagines the way Bond might have started in the spy/license-to-kill business: the title character (Taylor) sort of stumbles into the killing trade at the end of the war (the Big One, in Paris), making a long-lasting impression on his future boss (Howard). Despite this supervisor's long experience in espionage, reading people and so on, his assessment of the soldier, womanizing Boysie, is completely off-base. He's convinced that the man is a killing machine when, in fact, the soon-to-be code-named L hates even the thought of killing anyone. The whole thing's a more direct satirical jab at the secret agent genre than the later spoofs because the central 'hero' is a total fraud, unlike, say, Matt Helm, who may indulge in too much booze, but can still kill effectively and even effortlessly. Unfortunately for the relatively harmless Boysie/soon-to-be-known-as-L, the head of British Intelligence, years later, abruptly decides on a new policy: dispense with the standard bureaucracy and simply eliminate enemies of the state (Queen & Country) behind-the-scenes, without the usual rules. Such a new radical procedure needs the skills of a particular individual, someone in the blunt instrument/James Bond-mold. They couldn't have selected a more inappropriate fellow.

Now, the actor Rod Taylor is actually better suited for straight action roles; he comes across as genuinely rough-&-tumble and I remember him from quite a few effective tough-guy roles in the sixties. Even here, though he's a nice, inoffensive guy, he can still beat up bad guys if he has to. But, he also projects a likable if slightly-dopey persona and you find yourself buying into this clumsy, somewhat goofy character he creates here. After the groundwork is laid out, as far the hero's new digs and requisite, if brief, training, the story really diverts into outrageous territory when the supposedly lethal L gets the idea to subcontract his assignments to a real assassin (who doesn't look nearly as heroic). Though this may be a sly commentary on the overly-involved nature of shadow operations in government, the story also slows down to a crawl, with much of the focus on L's attempts to make time with his boss's secretary (Jill St.John). Things pick up when the new couple go away to Monte Carlo for R&R and still get involved in spy intrigue. There's an amusing sequence after L is captured & locked up, and then the villains are forced to let him escape, but one of the henchmen isn't in on this change of plan. The comedy is also gallows in nature, pretty dark, since intense espionage usually involves death. The climactic action also features a revelation about who a criminal mastermind really is, though the finale also lacks any grand set-pieces, further diverting from the expected over-the-top fantastic endings of such thrillers. I admit I was disappointed when I saw this many years ago, probably because it was such a sharp deviation from an expected formula, but this film has grown on me and I thoroughly enjoy much of it now, mostly Taylor's and Howard's performances, as well as Tomlinson as a sneaky villain. Hero:8 Villain:7 Femme Fatales:6 Henchmen:7 Fights:6 Stunts/Chases:6 Gadgets:4 Auto:6 Locations:6 Pace:6 overall:6+