The 'Human' Factor (1975)

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Thomas Hunter
Peter Powell

Release Date:

29 April 1977 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Every 24 hours an American family will be killed!...and only the human factor can stop it.

Plot:

After his family is brutally murdered for an unknown reason, a computer engineer sets out to find those responsible. |

Plot Keywords:

Murdered Family | Ski Mask | Revenge | Woman Shot | Standoff

Cast

George Kennedy	...	John Kinsdale
John Mills	...	Mike McAllister
Raf Vallone	...	Dr. Lupo
Barry Sullivan	...	Edmonds
Rita Tushingham	...	Janice
Shane Rimmer	...	Carter, CIA
Thomas Hunter	...	Taylor (as Tom Hunter)
Frank Avianca	...	Kamal
Haydée Politoff	...	Pidgeon
Arthur Franz	...	Gen. Fuller
Fiamma Verges	...	Ann Kinsdale
Danny Huston	...	Mark Kinsdale (as Danny Houston)
Richard Harrison	...	Jeffrey Kinsdale (as Ricky Harrison)
Hillary Lief	...	Linda Kinsdale
Michael Mandeville	...	Phillips
Robert Lowell	...	Eddy Fonseca
Jan Lowell	...	Agnes Fonseca
Ann Ferguson	...	Mrs. Simpson
Lewis Charles	...	Mr. Gerardi
Corinne Dunne	...	Mrs. Gerardi (as Corinne Kleven Dunne)
Sharon Kellogg	...	Alice Gerardi
Eugene Wade	...	Rodney Gerardi
West Buchanan	...	Aldo
Conchita Airoldi	...	Sandra Pallavicini
Jho Jhenkins	...	CIA Man (as Joseph Jenkins)
Vincenzo Crocitti	...	Lupo's Driver

Directed by
Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Thomas Hunter
Peter Powell

Produced by
Frank Avianca	....	producer
Peter R. Inwards	....	associate producer
Terry Lens	....	executive producer
Louis Peraino	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Ousama Rawi

Film Editing by
Alan Strachan

Art Direction by
Peter Mullins

Makeup Department
Paul Rabiger	....	makeup artist
Giovani Tarni	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Roy Parkinson	....	production manager
Mario Pisani	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fernando C. Bozzo Monaco	....	assistant director
Ray Frift	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Ken Barker	....	sound recordist
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Roy Charman	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects
Giovani Didorto	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	process photography

Stunts
Joe Dunne	....	stunt coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anna Maria Feo	....	wardrobe supervisor
Tiny Nicholls	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor

Other crew
George Davis	....	production controller

Production Companies

• Eton

Distributors

• Bryanston Distributing (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Digital Classics (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Fox-Rank (1976) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Dark Sky Films (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Astral Films (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Poletel (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• USA Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Collection International (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Videocast (198?) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Vingador Implacável")
• Vídeo Room (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Screen Time Images  color correction
• Screen Time Images  film transfer

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:X (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Eton

Trivia:

Final film of veteran director Edward Dmytryk.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the final scene when Kinsdale shoots the fleeing terrorist in the back, after his Colt 1911 runs out of ammunition, the slide does lock back, and he continues to pull the trigger with the gun making a clicking sound, as if it is a double action. The 1911 is a single action and will not make that sound.

Dirty George

Edward Dmytryk ended his feature directorial career with this rather routine action film which is a little sluggish. The Human Factor was hardly the kind of film that a celebrated director should have gone out on. After all, Dmytryk has such classics as Murder My Sweet, Crossfire, and The Caine Mutiny to his credit.

George Kennedy is our hero/protagonist who has his wife and three children executed by terrorists who made his the first targeted family of an extortion plan to kill an American family every three days if the USA does not pony up some large coin of the realm.

As Kennedy is a computer programmer working and living in Rome he has access to some real intelligence gathering machinery. Colleagues like John Mills and Rita Tushingham help. Kennedy upsets Italian police inspector Raf Vallone with his pro-active approach and doing his own investigation.

The Human Factor is a slow paced film, but it does have a nice action packed climax where Kennedy takes care of business the way Dirty Harry Callahn would. You'll enjoy if you can wait that long.