TIGERS DON'T CRY
UK, 1976, 105 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Quinn, John Philip Law, Marius Weyers.
Directed by Peter Collinson.
Tigers Don't Cry is an average adventure thriller with a South African setting. It shows, from the vantage point of the mid-70s, an African black leader coming to South Africa and being kidnapped by a hospital orderly, someone who has wanted to make something of his life but, with a terminal illness, decided to take a stand in order to get money for his daughter. There is an assassination plot against the President as well as the South African security trying to protect him. The film uses excellent South African locations, especially for its mountain climax.
The film was directed by Peter Collinson, a director of a range of thrillers and comedies, often with special and exotic settings: And Then There Were None (Iran) The Italian Job (Milan), The Earthling (Australia). Anthony Quinn is more subdued than usual as the hospital orderly. John Philip Law is the sullen assassin. There are the expected action sequences, some twists with the relationship between the President and his kidnapper.
1. Interesting and exciting adventure? South African settings, politics?
2. African locations, the cities, the parks and open spaces, the mountains? The use of locations for atmosphere? Editing and pace? Musical score? The international stars?
3. The title, the reference to the president, two assassination attempts to death? Slade and his relationship with the president?
4. The focus on the president, his entourage (and later finding that they were planning to kill him)? The situation of African heads of state in the 70s? The South African government? The arrival, the entourage, the assassination attempt, the president in hospital, treatment by the staff, prejudice? Slade and his relationship, his looking after the president? The injection, his being abducted, waking up in the factory, the attack on Slade? Together, the plan? the fire and Slade rescuing the president? His gratitude? On side with Slade? HIs own pride on how he should be abducted and released? Ginny and her arrival, apologies? The truck, the chase, through the barriers? The president taking charge, Slade's illness? Going on the chairlift? The dangers, leaping from the roof? The plan, the conditions? Coming down? The stranded chairlift? The shots? Slade's death? The president emerging safe?
5. Slade, Anthony Quinn's style? Work in the hospital, brooding, looking after the president, rough with him? His love for his daughter? The clash with Jane and the breaking of the affair? His daughter's admiration for him? His weeping? His own illness? Buying the truck, buying the goods, the injections, the plan and taking the president, alluding the assassin? Holding him, his illness, the plan, his shrewdness in getting the money, setting the fire?
6. The truck, Ginny's coming, her apologies? Breaking the barrier, going to the top of the mountain, leaping from the cable car, the money? The conditions, the bond between the two men? Going down, his death, Tiger's Don't Cry? Plausible character, behaviour
7. The glimpse of the killer, the assassination attempt, his failure, the attempted suicide and getting himself into the hospital, covering the president, the other attempts? Discharge, the plan, going to the mountains, shooting at the cable car, the helicopter causing his death?
8. The security guard, plans to save the president, difficulties, his cold? The interviews? The barriers, keeping in touch? The confrontation at the end? The president saved? The picture of South African government officials, the minister and his severity?
9. Ginny, Her relationship with her father, believing him, his making up stories? Her grief, apologies to the president? Being saved?
10. Jane, the relationship with Slade? The breaking off, her not realizing what Slade had done? Collaboration with the security guards?
11. Popular ingredients for a thriller? Politics? The individual wanting to make something of himself? Black African? The background of South Africa and African nations in the 70s?
