Crossplot (film)
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| Crossplot | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alvin Rakoff |
| Produced by | Robert S. Baker |
| Written by | Leigh Vance John Kruse |
| Starring | Roger Moore Claudie Lange Alexis Kanner |
| Music by | Stanley Black |
| Cinematography | Brendan J. Stafford |
| Editing by | Burt Rule |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | 25 November 1969 |
| Running time |  96 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Crossplot was a 1969 film staring Roger Moore. Italian actress Claudia Lange was also featured in her largest English-speaking role.
[edit] Plot
The film is essentially a thriller. Roger Moore is Gary Fenn a London advertising executive, who is trying to select a model for a promotional campaign. A series of events means that only one girl will be good enough for his bosses, a Hungarian Marla Kugasg (Lange). He finds her amongst the anti-war movement in the bohemian depths of swinging London. She is in the company of a young man, Tarquin, who is extremely protective of her and overtly aggressive to Moore.
The young Hungarian, an illegal refugee from her native homeland, accompanies Moore to a photoshoot. However she admits she is in fear of her life, and seems disturbed by the presence of her aunt. When she is nearly killed, the girl drops out of sight and Moore has to go on the run himself, suspected of a separate murder. He locates her to a country house, which turns out to be the home of Tarquin, an aristocrat in spite of his anti-war sentiments.
It is revealed that Marla's aunt is part of a shadowy organisation trying to destabilise the existing world order so they can take over themselves. They will go to any length to try and shut Moore and Marla up, including sending a helicopter after them. Moore and his friend manage to escape to London, where they realise that the shadowy movement are planning to assassinate a visiting African head of state in Hyde Park. They manage to foil the plot.
[edit] Reception
The film is not particularly well regarded by critics. One suggested that the claim quickly became "tedious" in spite of the numerous action sequences, and the plot was far too "convoluted" and "confusing". [1] Another critic called it "dull", "unsuccessfully trying to emulate the feel of a Bond film"[2] and it was also compared to feeling like an extended episode of The Saint.[3] It is now seen largely as a dry-run for the Bond role Roger Moore would take on four years later.
It currently has a 4.5 rating on IMDB.[4]
