Kings and Desperate Men (1981)

Director:

Alexis Kanner

Writers:

Edmund Ward (story)
Edmund Ward (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 August 1981 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

No one will ever forget it.

Plot:

A group of terrorists take a radio disk jockey and his wife and child hostage in order to get their manifesto out to the world.

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Cinema Verite | Talk Radio | Radio DJ | Independent Film

Cast

Patrick McGoohan	...	John Kingsley
Alexis Kanner	...	Lucas Miller
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Terrorist
Margaret Trudeau	...	Elizabeth Kingsley
Budd Knapp	...	Judge McManus
Neil Vipond	...	Henry Sutton
Peter MacNeill	...	Kidnapper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marcel Beaulieu	...	Special Squad
Jean-Pierre Brown	...	Chris Kingsley
Kevin Fenlon	...	Laz
Jane Hooper	...	Girl with Radio
Andre Koudsey	...	Special Squad
Bob Lepage	...	Special Squad
Frank Moore	...	Pete Herrera
Kate Nash	...	Mrs.McPhearson
Dave Patrick	...	Grant Gillespie
Normand Roy	...	Special Squad
August Schellenberg	...	Stanley Aldini
Andrew Semple	...	Waiter with Coat
Frederic Smith	...	Bolton
Robin Spry	...	Harry
Andrew Theodoses	...	Special Squad

Also Known As:

Kings and Desperate Men: A Hostage Incident (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Kineversal Productions

Trivia:

The film received a very scattered release (Canada in 1981, England in 1984, the U.S. in 1989). Its most successful run was its 1984 showing in London. It premiered there at the London Film Festival and was heralded by a few London-based critics.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The reflection of two crew members are briefly seen just before Margaret Trudeau enters an elevator towards the beginning of the film.

Quotes:

Lucas Miller: You heard the man. There is no more recourse in the law.
Kidnapper: Law dee dah dee dah.

Movie Connections:

References "Danger Man" (1964)

So-So Drama

Overly long and often aimless hostage story with lots of funky camera angles that try to convey confusion -- though one need not look much farther than the plot for that. Good performances by McGoohan & Kanner (who worked together on McGoohan's THE PRISONER), but overall, the poor plot drags it down.