Amiable Aussie icon Rod Taylor ("The Time Machine") plays Scobie Malone, a police detective from the Outback who is sent on special assignment. He's to retrieve high-ranking Australian politician Sir James Quentin (Christopher Plummer, "All the Money in the World"), who's wanted for a 15-year-old killing, and must go to London to do it. However, after some botched attempts on Quentins' life, Malone is obliged to act as a bodyguard for the man while trying to figure out who wants him dead.
I really don't think this is as bad as all that. Based on a novel by Jon Cleary, it tells a decent, reasonably entertaining story. It's mostly plot-driven, with some action scenes here and there, and the plot really doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it's all perfectly watchable, if not distinguished.
It's the wonderful international cast that makes the difference. Taylor is in fine form, and Plummer is smooth as always - and importantly, he also makes his character likeable enough instead of making him some pompous jerk. The women are truly gorgeous: Daliah Lavi ("The Whip and the Body"), Camilla Sparv ("Downhill Racer"), and the classy Lilli Palmer ("The Boys from Brazil"). Also putting in appearances are Clive Revill ("Avanti!"), who's amusing as a stuffy butler, Calvin Lockhart ("The Beast Must Die"), Derren Nesbitt ("Where Eagles Dare"), Edric Connor ("Moby Dick" '56), Burt Kwouk (the "Pink Panther" series), Russell Napier ("A Night to Remember"), Charles 'Bud' Tingwell ("Dracula, Prince of Darkness"), and, in his last film appearance, Franchot Tone ("Advise & Consent").
Bolstered by a great score by Georges Delerue, "Nobody Runs Forever", a.k.a. "The High Commissioner" entertains adequately in the end, coming across as a decent but unremarkable entry in the espionage / international intrigue genre.
Six out of 10.
I really don't think this is as bad as all that. Based on a novel by Jon Cleary, it tells a decent, reasonably entertaining story. It's mostly plot-driven, with some action scenes here and there, and the plot really doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it's all perfectly watchable, if not distinguished.
It's the wonderful international cast that makes the difference. Taylor is in fine form, and Plummer is smooth as always - and importantly, he also makes his character likeable enough instead of making him some pompous jerk. The women are truly gorgeous: Daliah Lavi ("The Whip and the Body"), Camilla Sparv ("Downhill Racer"), and the classy Lilli Palmer ("The Boys from Brazil"). Also putting in appearances are Clive Revill ("Avanti!"), who's amusing as a stuffy butler, Calvin Lockhart ("The Beast Must Die"), Derren Nesbitt ("Where Eagles Dare"), Edric Connor ("Moby Dick" '56), Burt Kwouk (the "Pink Panther" series), Russell Napier ("A Night to Remember"), Charles 'Bud' Tingwell ("Dracula, Prince of Darkness"), and, in his last film appearance, Franchot Tone ("Advise & Consent").
Bolstered by a great score by Georges Delerue, "Nobody Runs Forever", a.k.a. "The High Commissioner" entertains adequately in the end, coming across as a decent but unremarkable entry in the espionage / international intrigue genre.
Six out of 10.