Hammerhead (1968)

Director:

David Miller

Writers:

William Bast (screenplay) and
Herbert Baker (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

April 1968 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Nothing ever hit you like 'Hammerhead'.

Plot:

An American agent has tracked down the stronghold of an evil criminal mastermind, determined to take over the world (what, another one ?).

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Vince Edwards	...	Charles Hood
Judy Geeson	...	Sue Trenton
Peter Vaughan	...	Hammerhead
Diana Dors	...	Kit
Michael Bates	...	Andreas / Sir Richard
Beverly Adams	...	Ivory
Patrick Cargill	...	Condor
Patrick Holt	...	Huntzinger
William Mervyn	...	Walter Perrin
Douglas Wilmer	...	Pietro Vendriani
Tracy Reed	...	Miss Hull
Kenneth Cope	...	Motorcyclist
Kathleen Byron	...	Lady Calvert
Jack Woolgar	...	Tookey Tate
Joseph Fürst	...	Count Ortega
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Post Office Guard
David Prowse	...	George
Earl Younger	...	Brian
Romo Gorrara	...	Marcel
Maggie Wright	...	Roselle
Veronica Carlson	...	Ulla
Penny Brahms	...	Frieda
Sarah Hardenburg	...	Kiki
Otto Diamant	...	Joa
Windsor Davies	...	Police Sergeant
Arthur Gomez	...	Cafe Proprietor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amílcar Botica	...	Man (uncredited)
Cristina Cassola	...	(uncredited)
José de Carvalho	...	(uncredited)
Tomás de Macedo	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
David Miller

Writing credits
William Bast		(screenplay) and
Herbert Baker		(screenplay)
Stephen Coulter		(novel) (as James Mayo)
John Briley		(adaptation)

Produced by
Irving Allen	....	producer
Andrew Donally	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Whitaker

Cinematography by
Wilkie Cooper		(director of photography)
Kenneth Talbot		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Geoffrey Foot

Art Direction by
John Howell

Set Decoration by
Pamela Cornell

Costume Design by
Brian Cox

Makeup Department
Anne Box	....	hairdresser
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist

Production Management
L.C. Rudkin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Danischewsky	....	assistant director
John O'Connor	....	assistant director

Art Department
Michael Finlay	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles Crafford	....	sound editor
Hugh Strain	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Pat Moore	....	special effects (as Patrick Moore)

Stunts
Gerry Crampton	....	stunt supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Cecil Cooney	....	camera operator (as C.C. Cooney)
Ray Parslow	....	camera operator

Music Department
David Whitaker	....	conductor

Other crew
Rita Davison	....	continuity
Ralph Tobert	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Irving Allen Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1968) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1968) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Irving Allen Productions

Trivia:

Clive Donner was asked to direct this film.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. (1966)

Soundtrack:

(I'll Be) Your Old Fashoned Girl

Hammerhead is one of the better spy films of the 60's post-Bond explosion.

"Hammerhead" fit very nicely into the 60's/70's explosion of spy flicks which were rushed into theaters following the success of James Bond. It was less humorous and over-the-top than either the Matt Helm or Derek Flint series, but less dark than the Harry Palmer films. It was a solid blend of humor and action and stands as one of the best productions of the era.

Vince Edwards did quite a very respectable job as Charles Hood, handling himself exceptionally well in the action sequences, making a credible two-fisted action hero. Peter Vaughn was excellent as the eccentric title villain and I have a memory of a very well done chase sequence with Edwards and a motorcycle that sticks in my mind. Judy Geeson as Hood's romantic interest, while cute and 60's groovy, was incredibly weak and was the film's major drawback, much like a large number of the Bond Girls of the Roger Moore era.

"Hammerhead" was based on the Charles Hood spy novel by Steven Coulter, writing as James Mayo. Coulter/Mayo was a friend and contemporary of Ian Fleming and even helped Fleming with the background material for CASINO ROYALE. Coulter finished five spy novels in the Hood series. They are actually quite good and it's a shame that Irving Allen only made one Charles Hood film. I recommend the novels as well if you can find any of them in print anymore.

I saw "Hammerhead" in the theater when it was first released and then remember seeing an edited version on TV some time later. Although it's been a very long time since I've seen "Hammerhead", I have very fond memories of it and would love to see a DVD release of it in the future.

I recommend "Hammerhead" as one of the better spy adventures of the 60's.