| The Executioner | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Sam Wanamaker |
| Written by | Jack Pulman |
| Story by | Gordon McDonell |
| Produced by | Charles H. Schneer |
| Starring | George Peppard |
| Cinematography | Denys N. Coop (as Denys Coop) |
| Edited by | R. Watts |
| Music by | Ron Goodwin |
| Color process | Eastmancolor |
Production company | Ameran Films |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Executioner is a 1970 BritishCold Warneo noirspy thriller film directed bySam Wanamaker inPanavision and starringGeorge Peppard as secret agent John Shay who suspects his colleague Adam Booth, played byKeith Michell, is adouble agent. It was produced byCharles H. Schneer forColumbia Pictures and filmed inPanavision andEastmancolor.[1][2]
John Shay, a BritishMI5 agent, had grown up in theUnited States,[3] and was nearly killed while on assignment abroad. Convinced that he was framed, he returns to London to uncover the mole responsible for the set-up. Shay suspects that his colleague Adam Booth is a Russian spy.[4] The action takes place inLondon,Athens,Istanbul andCorfu, where Shay goes in his investigation trying to gather evidence that Booth is a double agent. When Shay's superiors are not convinced, and even after a hearing clears Booth of wrongdoing, he takes matters into his own hands and kills Booth.[2][5][4][6][7]
Shay assumes the identity of Booth,[2][4] and, with the assistance of Booth's widow Sarah and his own girlfriend Polly, he launches into an investigation to uncover Booth's connections. Shay maintains a romantic relationship with both women.[4] Booth's wife is the romantic interest of Shay and British scientist Philip Crawford, who provided information to Shay about Booth being a double agent. Shay's superiors are Col. Scott and Vaughan Jones. Polly assists him in his investigations by providing him with information apparently confirming his suspicions.[2][3][8]
Shay finds a plane ticket in Booth's pocket which he then uses to fly to Athens along with Booth's widow, who is unaware that her husband has been murdered by Shay. Upon arrival in Athens, Shay assumes Booth's identity and subsequently goes to Corfu, where he is captured along with Sarah by Soviet agents who want Crawford in return for the freedom of their captives. A CIA agent under the name of Professor Parker manages to free them both. Colonel Scott (Shay's superior) reveals that Booth was indeed a double agent who was used by MI5 to supply the Soviets with false information.[2][6]
It was one of a series of medium budgeted genre pictures Peppard made around this time.[9]
Film and Television Daily writes that the film recreates in an exciting way the "recurring themes" of espionage and counter-espionage, that "embrace the fantastic and implausible".[10]
Variety criticises the redundancy in the film and calls it a "triple-cross suspenser" where "interest fades fast".[3]
Paul Mavis writes that the film has a "twisty plot" and a good cast and praises the direction of Wanamaker but criticises the complexity of the plot which, according to Mavis, clashes with the action parts. Mavis also calls for "tighter editing".[4]
The bookFilm Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973 calls Peppard's acting "easygoing" and criticises Wanamaker's direction as making the film feel slower-paced than it actually is.[11]
Films and Filming writes that Peppard plays his role in such wooden fashion as to make a believable spy but sometimes "he overemphasises his inflexibility"; however, director Wanamaker keeps the pace tight enough that Peppard's inflexibility does not really affect the film to any great extent.[7]
With conclusive information from British scientist Philip Crawford, who is also involved with Sarah, Shay then murders Booth and finds a plane ticket to Athens in his pocket. [...] In Athens, where Shay impersonates Booth,...
Peppard assumes the identity of Collins' husband, a fellow agent he has killed.
When this fellow is cleared in a special hearing, Peppard sets himself up as executioner and shoots him dead only to discover later that his victim had been a double agent tricking the Communists instead of aiding them. Sam Wanamaker directed briskly, if conventionally, in such locations as in and around London, in Athens and on Corfu.
...who clear Booth at an inquiry, he is forced to take the law into his own hands and become Booth's summary executioner.
His bureau secretary girlfriend Polly Bendel (Geeson) removes pertinent files which verify Peppard's assumption and throws suspicion on agent Adam Booth (Michell), with whose wife (Collins) Peppard is having an affair.[...] He then assumes the dead man's identity and with Collins in tow, keeps the late agent's rendezvous in Athens.
GEORGE PEPPARD (center), in a scene from "The Executioner" ... The recurring cold war game of espionage and counter-espionage that embraces the fantastic and implausible is excitingly created in Columbia Pictures' "The Executioner.