The Black Windmill (1974)

A British agent's son is kidnapped and held for a ransom of diamonds. The agent finds out that he can't even count on the people he thought were on his side to help him, so he decides to track down the kidnappers himself.

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Leigh Vance (screenplay), Clive Egleton (novel)

Stars:

Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Delphine Seyrig

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	Maj. John Tarrant
Donald Pleasence	...	Cedric Harper
Delphine Seyrig	...	Ceil Burrows
Clive Revill	...	Alf Chestermann
John Vernon	...	McKee
Joss Ackland	...	Chief Supt. Wray
Janet Suzman	...	Alex Tarrant
Catherine Schell	...	Lady Melissa Julyan
Joseph O'Conor	...	Sir Edward Julyan
Denis Quilley	...	Bateson
Derek Newark	...	Monitoring Policeman
Edward Hardwicke	...	Mike McCarthy
Maureen Pryor	...	Jane Harper
Joyce Carey	...	Miss Monley
Preston Lockwood	...	Ilkeston

Storyline

A British agent's son is kidnapped and held for a ransom of diamonds. The agent finds out that he can't even count on the people he thought were on his side to help him, so he decides to track down the kidnappers himself.

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Plot Keywords:

agent | diamond | ransom | safe deposit box | london underground | 

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Taglines:

The ultimate exercise in controlled terror.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1974 (UK)

Also Known As:

Drabble

Filming Locations:

Ramsgate Hoverport, Pegwell Bay, Ramsgate, Kent, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lew Wasserman, Don Siegel's boss, wanted Edward Fox for the role of John Tarrant.

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Goofs

At the start of the film where the van is blown up on the motorway, it becomes clear that the scene is filmed on an incomplete stretch of motorway (possibly the M3, which was completed in 1974) as lane markings are missing from one carriageway.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are formed from images of children's alphabet blocks.

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Connections

References The Sound of Music (1965)

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Soundtracks

"Underneath the Spreading Chestnut Tree"
(uncredited)
(trad.)

User Reviews

Middle-ground.

Every now and again you come across a film that's somewhat a letdown, even when those expectations are kept at bay. Don Siegel's mid-70s espionage-thriller 'The Black Windmill' that starred Michael Caine falls in that category. If anything it was that title (which the story is adapted off Clive Egleton's novel "Seven Days to a Killing") which caught my eye. Siegel's adapt, controlled workhorse direction tackles the subdued material with little suspense, but constructing something tight, sullen and dry with the main focus on building something out of its elaborately knotty (but dubious) premise. It's a true pot-boiler entangled with twists. While the material is stimulating (with some good work by the solid support performances and an occasionally witty line) and the sturdy set-pieces are competently crafted, however the pacing is too blotchy and in the end it builds to really nothing. It loses some weight due to the lack of suspense and urgency with a crackerjack climax that's just too quick. Michael Caine's composed performance is strongly delivered, and John Vernon makes for an ideally icy and conniving villain. Donald Pleasance is delightfully squirmy (which his character likes to really fiddle with that moustache) and Janet Suzman provides some fire. Delphine Seyrig and Clive Revill offer able support too. Roy Budd's sizzling, but low-key music score works well and Ousama Rawi lenses it with a great illustrative eye. Siegel's touch is evident in both of those devices. An unexceptional feature, but still its well organised and performed.