Permission to Kill (1975)

Director:

Cyril Frankel

Writer:

Robin Estridge (writer)

Release Date:

17 October 1975 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

This is Mr. Curtis. He has permission to bloody you, compromise you, blackmail you and if all else fails...

Plot:

When the exiled leader of a free party decides to return to his own country and attempt to remove the dictator currently in place there...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Dirk Bogarde	...	Alan Curtis
Ava Gardner	...	Katina Petersen
Bekim Fehmiu	...	Alexander Diakim
Timothy Dalton	...	Charles Lord
Nicole Calfan	...	Melissa Lascade
Frederic Forrest	...	Scott Allison
Alf Joint	...	MacNeil
Peggy Sinclair	...	Lily
Anthony Dutton	...	Jennings
Klaus Wildbolz	...	Muller
John Levene	...	Adams
Dennis Blanch	...	Brewer
Vladimir Popovic	...	Kostas
Ratislav Plamenac	...	Pavlos
Peter Garell	...	Carlo

Also Known As:

The Executioner (USA)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | Austria | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Gmunden, Upper Austria, Austria

Company:

Sascha-Verleih

One of the best spy movies I've seen

Permission to Kill, filmed entirely in Austria, is actually one of the best spy films I have ever seen. That's because its plot isn't unbelieveable like in many such films but very realistic. Bekim Fehmiu, leader of the "National Freedom Party", is due to return to his dictator-controlled country but Dirk Bogarde, chief of "Western Intelligence Liaison", wants to stop him. In order to do that, he gathers all the old friends of Fehmiu, including Ava Gardner and Timothy Dalton... The point of the film is to show spying as a very dirty and dubious business, whose victims are especially people who have high ideas. I'm positive it's one of the most interesting Cyril Frankel films. Despite it's not an action movie there's one fantastic action scene - the escape of Timothy Dalton. He jumps out of the fast riding car and runs through the woods. Believe me it's very engaging. Speaking of Timothy Dalton I must say that he gives a marvellous performance, probably the best of all actors involved in the film. His acting is very enthusiastic but still very natural and convincing. I presume it's thanks to his long-lasting theatre experience, but of course You be the judge. Generally the film is a definite 'must see'. Grade 10/10.