The Executioner

Espionage dramas which depend on bureaucratic characters engaged in prolonged conversations rarely make good movies and this is no exception. It's competent but never sparks any real interest and the plot seems a bit muddled.

There are a number of good names in the cast and they do the best they can with pedestrian material. Top billing goes to George Peppard who plays an Englishman but his American accent is explained by saying that he grew up in the United States. He's involved, in a vaguely romantic way, with two different women -- Joan Collins and Judy Geeson -- but not much comes of this. The ads hint at some hot bedroom action between Peppard and Collins but most of these scenes must have been left on the cutting room floor.

Location work in Greece and Istanbul is, like the rest of the movie, strictly routine.

I watched this film last night on YouTube and although there was a lot to like...the film also seemed choppy...especially at the beginning. As a result, the context for what was happening felt missing for some time as things were not clearly spelled out by the script.

George Peppard is VERY oddly cast as a British secret service agent. The film says he was British but was raised in America in order to explain his lack of a British accent...which he never even approximated. I don't know why they did this...perhaps they were thinking adding an American would make the film more marketable...but also confusing.

The story begins with the communists capturing a bunch of British agents. Obviously someone was a traitor but when John Shay (Peppard) wants to investigate this, his superiors are strangely antagonistic towards him. So, he decides on his own to investigate...and this ends up meaning killing the man he suspects of being the turncoat. What else? See the movie.

Peppard's character is easy to like or hate. On the negative side, he's extremely terse and you learn very little about him. But, on the positive, you might assume an agent would be exactly that way...in order to prevent them from saying the wrong thing.

So is it any good? Well, I liked the story but just felt that Peppard was a bit too flat. Not a terrible film by any stretch...but I couldn't help but think it could have been better.

Deep in plot factors and to some perhaps slow in development (but layered spy films need to "develop" to set the story in play). But steeped in cold war motivations and sensibilities of the time. Peppard is driven to do his job well, with concern for protecting those things and people he values. Twists and turns confront him, but he resolves the factors. But then there is that final and jaw-dropping question which is the final line of the film!

His former controller offers him a position of command within the British espionage structure from which George Peppard has left. Disgusted with the way in which the prior situation was handled (set up by his overseers) Peppard might be presumed to say NO, but my presumption is that the answer would have been YES.

Watch the film and screw your head on tight, no exits to bathroom without pause button pushed, this is not a trivial action film.

I recently watched The Executioner (1970) on YouTube after spotting the movie poster at Alamo Drafthouse. The film follows a British secret service agent assigned to determine whether one of his colleagues is a double agent. Despite being warned not to investigate, he becomes personally invested when he discovers that a former lover is now the suspected agent's wife.

Directed by Sam Wanamaker (Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger), the film stars George Peppard (Breakfast at Tiffany's), Joan Collins (Dynasty), Judy Geeson (The Lords of Salem), and Charles Gray (Diamonds Are Forever).

This is one of those films that follows the Bond formula-espionage, beautiful women, and larger-than-life obstacles for the hero to overcome, all while maintaining a suave and sophisticated demeanor. The cast fits their roles well and is entertaining, though they don't quite command the screen like in a Bond movie. The villain also could have been a bit more imposing. That said, the film's aesthetics-attire, cars, planes, backdrops, and props-fully immerse you in its world. The storyline is fairly straightforward but engaging, and the action sequences are well executed.

Overall, The Executioner is a solid espionage thriller that fans of the genre should check out. I'd give it a 7/10.

Results when British Intelligence Agent John Shay (George Peppard) suspects Adam Booth (Keith Michell), a colleague, of being a double-agent. So the British spy must prove that his former colleague is a double agent. Although Shay's superiors (Nigel Patrick, Charles Gray) warn him against an investigation, he travels to Istambul (Turkey), Athens (Greece) and Corfu (Greece) in order to check out his suspicions. There, Shay becomes involved with the beautiful Sarah (Dame Joan Collins), who was once his lover, and is now Booth's wife. Soon after, Shay realizes that he is being used as a Communist pawn, and has fallen into grave danger. Every day he lives, somebody else dies!

An exciting espionage and spy thriller with action , suspense , intriguing events twits and turns. A passable thriller with explosive international intrigue in which elements of backstabbing, betrayal and espionage abound. George Peppard gives a passable acting as a British Intelligence Agent must track down a fellow spy suspected of being a double agent. In this film, a great British cast stands out, made up of the best performers of that country at the time, just as Joan Collins, Judy Geeson, Charles Gray, Nigel Patrick, Keith Michell, George Baker, Alexander Scourby, Peter Bull, while Peppard is the only North American actor.

It displays a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Denys Coop. Shot in various sightseeing locations in Corfu, Greece Villa Sylva, Kanoni, Corfu, Greece, Athens, Greece, Trafalgar Square, St James's, London. Likewise, a tense and suspenseful musical score by Ron Goddwin. The motion picture was professionally directed by Sam Wanamaker. He was a notorious secondary actor and occassionally director as cinema as TV, such as: Catlow, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The legend of Custer ,The File of the Golden Goose, The killing of Randy Webster, The Champions, Cimarron , Custer Hawk, Columbo . Rating: 5.5/10. Average but acceptable.