Well,
to my surprise I was able to find the one other film adaptation of the over
200 Malko Linge novels by author Gérard de Villiers. The other one
being Eye of the Widow. Like that one, this isn't very good and perhaps two
mediocre films was enough. This one creates a terrific mood of unease with
great location shooting and sets, but it drags along like a drunk after closing
time and the actor who plays Malko does his best work with his shirt off.
That is Miles O'Keeffe who had recently been Tarzan with Bo Derek in which
I assume he was also often shirtless. His emotional range here goes from
A to A. It is a shame that this lands with such a thud because the director
is Raoul Coutard, not much as a director but as a cinematographer he has
some classics to his name - Jules and Jim, Breathless, Contempt, Band of
Outsiders, Alphaville among many. But sometimes there is a reason you are
not a director.
Malko is in his castle worried about the
costs of the upkeep. Perhaps giving fewer parties would help. The CIA comes
calling for his services. As an assassin. In El Salvador a rightwing militant
has murdered Archbishop Oscar Romero. This was a true incident though the
name of his killer is changed to Chacon. He was once a CIA asset but his
death squads have become an embarrassment. Mission. Kill him. Malko must
be the least discreet assassin in the brotherhood. He tells everyone but
the paperboy that he is there to kill Chacon. In between seductions and bare
breasts.
Pretty much nothing happens as Malko hangs
out at the hotel and drives around. The Lady from Shanghai mirror scene at
the end is just idiotic. What is done well is the environment of a country
in total chaos and danger. The army kills anyone, so does Chacon and other
groups are out there. No one can be trusted. No one is safe from a quick
death. But Malko looks great with his shirt off. Nice to see Anton Diffring
this late in his career and Sybil Danning plays Malko's wife.
