TIGER BY THE TAIL

US, 1970, 99 minutes, Colour.
Christopher George, Tippi Hedren,Lloyd Bochner, Dean Jagger, Glenda Farrell, John Dehner, R.G. Armstrong, Charo, Skip Homeier, Alan Hale Jr.
Directed by R.G. Springsteen.

An entertaining routine thrilIer. Christopher George, a perennial star of telemovies, is the hero and performs in a sullen manner
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A group of veteran stars fills in the supporting roles with great interest. They include Tippi Hedren from the Hitchcock films, Dean Jagger and Glenda Farrell from the thirties. The film has the usual complications and a good finale with a performance by John Dehner which is essential to the core of the film and is well done. Direction is by R. G. Springsteen, director of B grade effective westerns and other thrillers.

1. The popularity of the American thriller?. The traditions on the screen, on television? The basic appeal of characters, action and mystery?

2. The New Mexico backgrounds, wealth, the law, corruption? How credible an atmosphere?

3. Steve Michaelis as hero? His background in the town, relationship with his brother and his reflections on their rivalry and their loneIiness? His service in Vietnam? His return, the story of the brawl, the encounter with his brother? The meeting again with Rita and their clash? His aggressive tone, being suspectecl of the murder, his determination to solve the mystery?

4. The build-up of the crime , the audience seeing it, the callous killing, the involvement of Ware - his subsequent behaviour at the meeting, his indication that he had a higher superior, his being the individual to go to the racecourse at midnight, the suddenness of his death?

5. The presentation of the suspects and the clues given – Whitehorn and his joviality, his plane? Poke and the bank and his power, Rita and her buying the device? Who was the most plausible?

6. Ben as the genial policeman, Sarah and her information about guns? The Mexican girl and her dancing and singing, her making the crucial phone calIs?

7. The picture of the sheriff - his explanation of his background, his official duties, his gambling house, his logic and his strong presentation of arguments? The confrontation in Steve’s home about the missing gun? His agreeing that he go free? The various tactics used and the final confrontation? Did the audience suspect him? His behaviour seen in retrospect of his guilt? His assistant and the responsibility for the deaths? His motives, greed? Ben's suspicions as a clue?

8. How satisfying the building up of clues, the time limit for Steve to find the money?

9. The final confrontation and its melodramatics?

10. The basic ingredients and stances of the American thriller - right and wrong, justice -the individual hero, romance and the happy ending?