GOLDEN RENDEZVOUS
UK, 1977, 109 minutes, Colour.
Richard Harris, Ann Turkel, Gordon Jackson, John Vernon, David Janssen, Burgess Meredith, Leigh Lawson, Keith Baxter, Dorothy Malone, John Carradine.
Directed by Ashley Lazarus.
Golden Rendezvous is one of a number films based on Alistair Mac Lean’s stories which were very popular in the 1970s. With Where Eagles Dare in the late 60s, audiences developed a taste for Mac Lean’s action adventure, especially in war settings. During the 1970s there were various versions of stories including Fear is the Key, Caravan to Vaccares, Puppet on a Chain.
Richard Harris is the hero of this film along with his wife Anne Turkel. It is set on a ship and there is quite a range of characters and villains. There is the predicted action – but it is satisfying for those who enjoy the rather rollicking and sometimes mysterious action adventures that Mac Lean produced.
1. Audience enjoyment of Alastair Mac Lean adventures? The expectations of his novels and their adaptations - adventure, mystery, suspense and climax?
2. The quality of response to the conventions of this film: the adventure ingredients, the heroics, gambling, bombs and hijacking, gold bullion, last minute heroics and split second explosions? How credible? Is this important for this kind of film?
3. The production values of the film - locations, the many stars, musical score?
4. The quality of the dialogue and the use of conventions, even cliche for communication, setting characters, situations? Did this attract from the impact of the adventure?
5. How plausible was the plot? The initial kidnapping of the scientist and the basis of the robbery on technology? The American Navy carrying so much gold? Such extensive greed as motivation for so much split second planning, gambling, hijacking, massacres?
6. The impact of the prologue and the introduction of so many deaths? The kidnapping of Taubman? The magnitude of the crime giving leave for the magnitude of so many deaths?
7. The portrait of the Caribbean Star as a tourist ship for millionaires, the introduction to the passengers and the background of the disaster genre? The atmosphere of the ship? The wealth of the passengers, their walking around, gambling, meals, dancing? The presentation of the crow - especially with suspicions on Preston? How well delineated were the individuals? The focus on Conway and Susan - and the suggestions of a sexual relationship and the irony of the late revelation of father and daughter? The irony of Taubman's wife being on board? Fairweather and van Heurden and their continual gambling? Cordan and his supposedly paralysed father and the attendants? The presentation of the passengers and their conversations? Sufficient background for the adventure?
8. The atmosphere of mystery, the identity of Carreras as villain but suspicions as to the mastermind? The various clues given, the veering of suspicions on to Preston etc? Were sufficient clues given? Were the explanations sufficient at the end?
9. Richard Harris's heroics as Carter? His place on the ship, loyalty to the captain, taking over after the captain's death, his pretending about his log? How credible was his moving all over the ship without detection? Swinging from the rope outside the cabin window? Being in the hold and discovering the bomb? The transferring of the bomb? In the meantime the romantic link with Susan and her helping him? Comic strip style adventure and heroics?
10. Ann Turkel's style an Susan? The liaison with Conway? With Tony Cordan? Style, heroics and helping of Carter? Hostility and then help? The revelation of the truth and the happy romantic ending? The enigmatic presence of Conway during the film - and auspicious about his part in the hijack and the irony of his owning the ship?
11. Gordon Jackson's amiable style as Dr Marston? His continued help especially with Carter's deception? His final decision for heroic action and his death?
12. The presentation of the gamblers and audience suspicion of them? Van Heurdon and his theories about wealth? Fairweather and his computer? Mrs Skinner and the irony that she was Taubman's wife? Her death?
13. Carreras and his presence on the ship, the brutality of his takeover, his shrewd placement of his men? The massacre of the guests? Cordan as his assistant - and the irony of his death in the hold after revealing the truth? Carreras and his master-minding the bomb and its placing, the taking of the American ship? The build-up to the final fight with Carter?
14. The timing of the plan, the emphasis on time, and stop-watch, the plans going awry, van Heurden having the key, Carter's bargaining with him, the split second saving of the bomb with Taubman?
