Circus of Fear

Circus of Fear

Directed by	John Llewellyn Moxey
Produced by	Harry Alan Towers
Written by	Harry Alan Towers Edgar Wallace
Starring	Christopher Lee
Music by	Johnny Douglas
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Edited by	John Trumper
Production company	Circus Films, Proudweeks
Distributed by	Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK) American International Pictures (US)
Release dates	29 April 1966 (W. Germany) November 1967 (UK)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Circus of Fear (German: Das Rätsel des silbernen Dreieck, or Circus of Terror) is a 1966 Anglo-German international co-production thriller film starring Christopher Lee, Suzy Kendall, Cecil Parker and Victor Maddern.^[1] The U.S. title was Psycho-Circus. It was based on the novel The Three Just Men by Edgar Wallace (1926).^[2]^[3]^[4]

The film was partially shot at Billy Smart's Circus.^[5]

Plot

When an armoured car is robbed, in a daring daylight raid on London’s Tower Bridge, one of the gang hides the money in Barberini's Circus. The police begin investigating when people are found murdered by throwing knives. Gregor (Christopher Lee), is a facially scarred lion tamer, one of the many suspects in a case investigated by Scotland Yard's detective Elliot (Leo Genn). His examination of all the clues leads to a final denouement in front of the assembled suspects during a knife-throwing act.

Cast

Christopher Lee - Gregor
Leo Genn - Elliott
Anthony Newlands - Barberini
Heinz Drache - Carl
Eddi Arent - Eddie
Klaus Kinski - Manfred Hart
Margaret Lee - Gina
Suzy Kendall - Natasha
Cecil Parker - Sir John
Victor Maddern - Mason
Maurice Kaufmann - Mario
Lawrence James - Manley
Tom Bowman - Jackson
Skip Martin - Mr. Big
Nosher Powell - Red (as Fred Powell)
Gordon Petrie - Man
Henry B. Longhurst - Hotel porter
Dennis Blakely - Armoured van guard
George Fisher - Fourth man
Peter Brace - Speedboat man
Roy Scammell - Speedboat man
Geoff Silk - Security man
Keith Peacock - Security man
John Carradine - Narrator (uncredited)

Critical reception

The Radio Times wrote, "Christopher Lee wears a black woolly hood for nearly all of his scenes in this lame whodunnit, with minor horrific overtones...but the stalwart efforts of the cast including Klaus Kinski and Suzy Kendall act as a welcome safety net for the shaky plot" ;^[6] while Britmovie called it "fairly suspenseful." ^[7]

References

↑ "New York Times: Circus of Fear". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
↑ "Circus of Fear". BFI.
↑ "Network ON AIR > Edgar Wallace Presents: Circus of Fear". networkonair.com.
↑ "Circus of Fear". rottentomatoes.com. 1 January 1966.
↑ "Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks". google.co.uk.
↑ Alan Jones. "Circus of Fear". RadioTimes.
↑ "Circus of Fear". britmovie.co.uk.

External links

Circus of Fear at the Internet Movie Database

Films directed by John Llewellyn Moxey

The City of the Dead (1960)
Foxhole in Cairo (1960)
Death Trap (1962)
Ricochet (1962)
Hold My Hand, Soldier (1963)
Downfall (1964)
Strangler's Web (1965)
Circus of Fear (1966)
The Solarnauts (1967)
Dial M for Murder (1967)
Laura (1968)
A Hatful of Rain (1968)
The House That Would Not Die (1970)
Escape
The Last Child (1971)
A Taste of Evil (1971)
The Death of Me Yet (1971)
The Night Stalker (1972)
The Bounty Man (1972)
Home for the Holidays (1972)
Genesis II (1973)
The Strange and Deadly Occurrence (1974)
Where Have All the People Gone? (1974)
Foster and Laurie (1975)
Conspiracy of Terror (1975)
Nightmare in Badham County (1976)
Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976)
Panic in Echo Park (1977)
Intimate Strangers (1977)
The President's Mistress (1978)
The Courage and the Passion (1978)
Sanctuary of Fear (1979)
The Power Within (1979)
Ebony, Ivory and Jade (1979)
The Solitary Man (1979)
The Children of An Lac (1980)
The Mating Season (1980)
No Place to Hide (1981)
The Violation of Sarah McDavid (1981)
Killjoy (1981)
Desire, the Vampire (1982)
The Cradle Will Fall (1983)
Through Naked Eyes (1983)
When Dreams Come True (1985)
Deadly Deception (1987)
Sadie and Son (1987)
Outback Bound (1988)
Lady Mobster (1988)

Edgar Wallace

Novels

The Four Just Men (1905)
Kate Plus Ten (1919)
The Crimson Circle (1922)
The Valley of Ghosts (1922)
The Clue of the New Pin (1923)
The Dark Eyes of London (1924)
The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (1925)
The Big Foot (1927)
The Calendar (1930)
The Guv'nor and Other Short Stories (1932)

Plays

The Man Who Changed His Name (1928)

Screenplays

Adaptations

J. G. Reeder	Mr. Reeder in Room 13 (1938) The Mind of Mr. Reeder (1939) The Missing People (1940)

The Four Just Men	The Four Just Men (1921 film) The Four Just Men (1939 film) The Four Just Men (1959 TV series)

Edgar Wallace Mysteries	Urge to Kill The Clue of the New Pin Never Back Losers The Sinister Man Solo for Sparrow We Shall See

Rialto Films	Der Frosch mit der Maske (1959) Der rote Kreis (1960) The Dead Eyes of London (1961) The Devil's Daffodil (1961) The Green Archer (1961) The Strange Countess (1961) The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (1962) The Door with Seven Locks (1962) The Inn on the River (1962) The Squeaker (1963) The Black Abbot (1963) The Indian Scarf (1963) The Curse of the Hidden Vault (1964) The Traitor's Gate (1964) Neues vom Hexer (1965) Im Banne des Unheimlichen (1968)

Other	The Man Who Bought London (1916) The Green Terror (1919) Pallard the Punter (1919) The River of Stars (1921) The Crimson Circle (1922) The Diamond Man (1924) The Green Archer (1925 serial) (1925) The Forger (1928) The Terrible People (1928 serial) The Ringer (1928) The Man Who Changed His Name (1928) The Flying Squad (1929) Der rote Kreis (1929) The Clue of the New Pin (1929) The Yellow Mask (1930) The Ringer (1931) To Oblige a Lady (1931) The Calendar (1931) The Old Man (1931) The Squeaker (1931) The Flying Squad (1932) The Frightened Lady (1932) The Sorceror (1932) The Menace (1932) White Face (1932) The Jewel (1933) Before Dawn (1933) I Loved a Woman (!933) The Feathered Serpent (1934) The Green Pack (1934) Mystery Liner (1934) Sanders of the River (1935) Born to Gamble (1935) Chick (1936) Educated Evans (1936) The Crimson Circle (1936) Prison Breaker (1936) The Frog (1937) The Sqeaker (1937) The Gaunt Stranger (1938) Dangerous to Know (1938) Kate Plus Ten (1938) Thank Evans (1938) The Terror (1938) The Return of the Frog (1938) Flying Fifty-Five (1939) The Dark Eyes of London (1939) The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940) The Door with Seven Locks (1940) The Flying Squad (1940) The Green Archer (1940 serial) (1940) The Missing Million (1942) The Calendar (1948) The Ringer (1952) The Avenger (1960) Death Drums Along the River (1963) Coast of Skeletons (1964) Circus of Fear (1966) Five Golden Dragons (1967)

Family