TO CATCH A KING

US, 1984, 115 minutes, Colour.
Robert Wagner, Teri Garr, Horst Janson, John Standing, Barbara Parkins, Marcel Bozzuffi, Jane Lapotaire, Barry Foster, Peter Egan, Constantine Gregory.
Directed by Clive Donner.

The advantage of To Catch a King is that it is based on a novel by Jack Higgins. Higgins was familiar with historical World War Two films with speculation and conspiracy theories, most especially The Eagle Has Landed with the double of Winston Churchill and his capture by the Nazis.

This film concerns the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (John Standing and Barbara Parkins) and a plan for the SS to kidnap them. However, an American singer (Teri Garr) becomes aware of the plot and joins with an American (Robert Wagner) to thwart the plot.

The film has a strong supporting cast of character actors from England and the Continent. It was directed by Clive Donner, a television director who made interesting dramas in England in the 1960s including The Caretaker, Nothing But The Best as well as What’s New Pussycat and Alfred the Great. In the 80s he made a lot of television films including Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol.

1. An entertaining television film? Espionage? Conspiracy theories? Speculation? World War Two?

2. The settings, Europe in 1940, Portugal? The atmosphere of the war? The stunts and action sequences? The score?

3. The plausibility of the plot, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, their history in England with the abdication, their living outside England? The Duke of Windsor and his leanings towards Nazi Germany? The situation, France and Portugal? Nazi occupation? The Nazi hopes, the plea and the kidnapping?

4. The setting in Portugal, the Windsors in themselves, their characters, their history, their life, the British background, the ambassador? The deaths, Nassau? The general and the kidnap? How plausible the characters and the plot?

5. The world of World War Two espionage, in Portugal and other countries? The spies themselves, assassinations, security? The Nazis and their plans? The documents? Max and Hannah? The general, the henchmen? The attempts at the kidnapping? The finale? The point of view of the Nazis and their propaganda attempts for the war?

6. Hannah, the American singer, her career, relationship with Max? Involvement with the general? The deaths, the escape, on the train, fleeing? Her meeting with Joe, collaborating with him? The duke? The plot and the thwarting?

7. Joe, the American adventurer, the Casablanca-like background? His past career, personality? The police and the contacts? His saving the duke?

8. The picture of the local police, the investigations?

9. The general, his mission? The encounter with Hannah? How sympathetic? His assistant, the contacts, the defeat?

10. Audience interest in this kind of speculation, World War Two plots? The issues of the war? The what if…? factor?