The Chairman (1969)

During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the US government sends a scientist to China to steal the formula for a new agricultural enzyme developed by the Chinese.

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Jay Richard Kennedy (novel), Ben Maddow (screenplay)

Stars:

Gregory Peck, Anne Heywood, Arthur Hill

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gregory Peck	...	John Hathaway
Anne Heywood	...	Kay Hanna
Arthur Hill	...	Shelby
Alan Dobie	...	Benson
Conrad Yama	...	The Chairman
Zienia Merton	...	Ting Ling
Ori Levy	...	Shertov
Ric Young	...	Yin (as Eric Young)
Burt Kwouk	...	Chang Shou
Alan White	...	Gardner
Keye Luke	...	Professor Soong Li
Francesca Tu	...	Soong Chu (as Francisca Tu)
Mai Ling	...	Stewardess
Gordon Sterne	...	U.S. Airforce Sergeant
Robert Lee	...	Hotel Night Manager

Storyline

An American scientist is sent to Red China to steal the formula for a newly developed agricultural enzyme. What he is not told by his bosses is that a micro-sized bomb has been planted in his brain so that should the mission ever look likely to fail, he can be eliminated at the push of a button!

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Plot Keywords:

explosion | exploding car | exploding truck | fire | shootout | 

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Taglines:

U.S.-British-Russian Intelligence can't keep him alive much longer!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

M/PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Location shooting in Hong Kong was refused by the country's government on the grounds of possible breach of the peace following demonstrations and propaganda campaigns mounted by Hong Kong communists claiming the film was anti Mao and anti Chinese consequently filming was transferred to Taiwan (Kine Weekly 7/12/68)

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Goofs

As John Hathaway is making his escape from China, he's seen driving a British army scout car.

User Reviews

entertaining tense film

I confess to not having seen this in 30 years,but politics and aging aside,I still remember it as a film that took on a different/ not usual subject(Red China) and had Gregory Peck giving an all out performance as a "layman" spy . It had a somewhat novel gadget factor with the monitoring listening device and the introduction of Mao's country as another "Player" in the big game of world control.The chase for the border was tense and very memorable (the U.S. actually working with the Soviets...who woulda thunk it?)It also boast top-notch production qualities(Score, direction and a fine supporting cast.)There's a funny part that I still remember ... Military guy Arthur Hill is taking the trigger-detonator of Peck's "brain-bomb" from a safe and noticing there's a "skull and crossbones" on it. Hill-"Whose the joker who did this?".........

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1969 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Chairman

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$4,915,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

APJAC Productions, Twentieth Century-Fox Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1