North Sea Hijack
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| North Sea Hijack | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Andrew V. McLaglen |
| Produced by | Elliott Kastner |
| Written by | Jack Davies |
| Starring | Roger Moore, James Mason, Anthony Perkins, Michael Parks |
| Distributed by | Universal |
| Release date(s) | 1 March 1980 (USA) |
| Running time | 99 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
North Sea Hijack, also released under the alternate titles ffolkes and Assault Force, is a 1980 action film starring Roger Moore, James Mason, Anthony Perkins and Michael Parks. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted by Jack Davies from his novel Esther, Ruth and Jennifer. This film was a vehicle for both Moore and Perkins to try to escape typecasting.
Previously Moore had been practically typecast as a womanising, happy-go-lucky playboy in such series as The Saint, The Persuaders! and James Bond. In contrast to those parts, he is shown here as a bearded, eccentric, arrogant cat-loving misogynist. Yet he does show heroic qualities and is a master strategist. Moore once said in an interview that he preferred this film to all the James Bond movies he had starred in.
[edit] Story outline
Misogynist freelance marine counter-terrorism consultant Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (Roger Moore) is asked by Lloyd's of London to develop a contingency plan should any of the North Sea oil installations they insure be threatened.
Months later, "Esther", a North Sea supply ship, takes on board a group of men posing as reporters who are visiting the oil production platform "Jennifer". The leader of this group, Lou Kramer (Anthony Perkins), along with his second-in-command (and possible lover), Harold Schulman (Michael Parks), hijack the ship and two scuba diving henchmen attach limpet mines to the legs of "Jennifer" and an oil drilling rig, "Ruth". From the bridge of "Esther", Kramer issues a ransom demand for $25 million or he will blow up "Ruth". Then, if the ransom is still not paid, he will destroy "Jennifer". For good measure, he rigs "Esther" with explosives and has all the charges wired to a control panel that never leaves his side.
Lord Privy Seal Dennis Tipping (Jeremy Clyde) informs the British Prime Minister (Faith Brook) of the situation. The British government is opposed to conceding to terrorist blackmail, but Tipping suggests that, as a compromise, Lloyd's could pay the ransom. The Prime Minister is shown a video of ffolkes practising a rescue mission aboard a mock-up ship. He anticipated terrorists might hijack a supply ship and has worked out a plan.
Flying out to "Jennifer", ffolkes first proposes that, to buy time, a large explosion lights up the night sky, fooling Kramer into thinking "Ruth" has exploded by accident so he won't push the button at the deadline. ffolkes and Admiral Sir Francis Brindsen (James Mason) are to meet with Kramer onboard "Esther". ffolkes makes Brindsen practice accidentally dropping cigarettes on the floor, the idea being that the admiral distracts Kramer, giving ffolkes the opportunity to kill him before he sets off the bombs.
There is a sub-plot involving the imprisoned crew who try to poison their captors using the ship's medicine. A reporter who came with Kramer's men offered to do this, but they suspect him of being one them so they tie him up. Unfortunately, Kramer had been spying on them. "Hold on Harold. Why don't they have a drink with us? Well, what's the matter? Drink it." They naturally looked rather reluctant. "DRINK IT!" he screamed. When it was knocked on the floor, Schulman started poring them more cups as Kramer pored the hot drink down the poisoner's throat, screaming at him. The reporter who had got them onto the ship wanted to leave so Kramer agreed to exchange him when the Royal Navy helicopter arrived to deliver the negotation crew. At the last moment, Kramer shoots him in the back as he is being winched aboard.
Kramer doesn't trust ffolkes when he meets him and orders him to leave the ship. "He didn't like my face!" he said. With time running out, the Prime Minister considers paying the ransom, but ffolkes replies angrily that that would send a message that "anyone with a rowing boat and a stick of dynamite could hold this country to ransom." ffolkes still thinks he can rescue the hostages. However, to save the lives of the 1,200 men and women aboard "Jennifer", ffolkes urges to obliterate "Esther" with a bomb if his team cannot rescue the hostages in time.
In the midst of ongoing negotiations and strategic plans, ffolkes works on an embroidery project and makes his will, leaving his entire estate to his cats. He asks Jennifer's manager to witness it, acknowledging that ffolkes is of sound mind. When the manager hesitates, ffolkes adamantly demands, "well, go on!"
ffolkes' men storm "Esther". ffolkes joins them wearing a borrowed vermilion scuba suit but is forced to throw his second-in-command overboard after having been mistaken by him for a terrorist. ffolkes races for the bridge. Brindsen and Kramer can hear the helicopter bringing the ransom. At the allotted time, Brindsen offers a cigarette to Kramer, drops them on the floor and bends down to pick them up. ffolkes appears at the window and shoots the distracted Kramer with a spear gun, pinning him to his seat. Seeing armed men running by, Schulman races for the detonator switch, but he gets impaled at the controls with a spear in each side. The Royal Navy helicopter drops the bomb down its rear loading ramp. ffolkes fires his signal flare into the sky and the helicopter pilot pulls away just in time so that the bomb falls down away from "Esther". ffolkes' reports to the Prime Minister that the operation succeeded "as planned... naturally." When Brindsen glares at him, he simply adds "Well, it could have been worse."
But Kramer isn't quite dead and slowly reaches for the detonator. ffolkes pulls the wires out and watches Kramer die. "I ... still ... don't ... like ... your ... face" are his last words.
A service is held at ffolkes' castle to celebrate the end of the hijack. Among those present are the former hostages, the oil rig staff and the commandoes. It is not revealed how the misogynist ffolkes reacted to the presence of at least three women on his property. ffolkes has expressed his disdain for medals, so the Prime Minister presents the cat-loving eccentric with a new litter of kittens, named Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer. For once moved, and a little lost for words, ffolkes leaves amidst a round of applause to give them a saucer of milk.
