Puppet on a Chain (1971)

Director:

Geoffrey Reeve

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel)
Alistair MacLean (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

31 January 1972 (Sweden)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

It will keep you hanging on the edge of your seat!

Plot:

Following a triple professional hit a U.S. agent arrives in Amsterdam to investigate a heroin smuggling ring...

Plot Keywords:

Heroin | Police | Netherlands | Woman Shot In The Forehead | Policeman

Cast

Sven-Bertil Taube	...	Paul Sherman
Barbara Parkins	...	Maggie
Alexander Knox	...	Col. De Graaf
Patrick Allen	...	Insp. Van Gelder
Vladek Sheybal	...	Meegeren
Ania Marson	...	Astrid Lemay
Penny Casdagli	...	Trudi
Peter Hutchins	...	The Assassin
Drewe Henley	...	Jimmy Duclos
Henny Orri	...	Herta (as Henni Orri)
Stewart Lane	...	George Lemay
Mark Malicz	...	Morgenstern
Michael Mellinger	...	Hotel Manager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arnold Diamond	...	Coroner (uncredited)
Wil Sibbelee	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Geoffrey Reeve

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alistair MacLean		novel
Alistair MacLean		screenplay
Don Sharp		additional material
Paul Wheeler		additional material

Produced by
Kurt Unger	....	producer

Original Music by
Piero Piccioni

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard

Film Editing by
Bill Lenny

Casting by
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Peter Mullins

Art Direction by
Geoffrey Tozer

Costume Design by
Yvonne Blake

Makeup Department
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist (as Bob Lawrence)
Ton Van Den Heurel	....	hair stylist (as Tom Van De Heuvel)

Production Management
Frank Ernst	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence Churcher	....	assistant director (as Terry Churcher)
Mike Higgins	....	second assistant director
Barry Langley	....	assistant director
Don Sharp	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Buster Ambler	....	sound recordist
David Hildyard	....	sound recordist (as Dave Hildyard)

Stunts
Joe Dunne	....	stunt coordinator
John Terhaak	....	boat stunts arranger
Wim Wagenaar	....	boat stunts arranger
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Skeets Kelly	....	camera operator: second unit
David Pearce	....	second unit
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator
Fred Tammes	....	camera operator
Ray Evans	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Austin Cooper	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Harry Rabinowitz	....	conductor

Other crew
Charles Athey	....	production accountant
Willy Breebaart	....	continuity (as Willie Breebaert)
Joy Mercer	....	continuity
Robin Winbow	....	choreographer: hay dance
Don Sharp	....	director: boat chase and additional scenes (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Big City (as Big City Productions)

Distributors

• Scotia-Barber (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1972) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox-Stockholm Film Distribution (1972) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Odyssey Video (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Scorpion Releasing (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Film Flight Ltd.  aviation facilities (as Film Flights Ltd.)
• G.S.E.  titles
• Lee Lighting  lighting (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | UK:15 (1999) | UK:AA (1970) (cut) | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Big City

Trivia:

This movie was made and released about two years after its source novel of the same name by Alistair MacLean was first published in 1969. 'Puppet on a Chain' was MacLean's fourteenth novel and this movie was the seventh film adaptation of one of MacLean's stories.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In a stunt shot during a fight on a dockside, as one crook is thrown into the water, one of the recovery diver's bright yellow air tanks is visible just below the water surface.

Waste of a great Alistair MacLean book.

Soulless, silly international co-production boasts picture postcard cinematography in Amsterdam and other locales but is too generic and clichéd otherwise to drum up much excitement. The nominal hero is as stiff and expressionless as a Ken doll, and the vaunted boat chase -- staple of the trailer and TV commercials of the time -- is technically well-executed but out of place in what was supposed to be an adaptation of MacLean's dark, complex tale of drug smuggling, murder and espionage.

This is one of those many cases where producers obtained rights to a valuable property and then jettisoned 90% of what made it memorable or effective; particularly inexplicable in this case, as MacLean is listed as one of the screenwriters! A good (or bad) example of those infamous multi-national 'tax shelter' film productions of the 60's/early 70's.

For better MacLean, look to THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, BREAKHEART PASS or WHERE EAGLES DARE.