Swedish actor Sven-Bertil Taube plays a US narcotics agent (by way of the Netherlands!) assigned by the government to track down the source of a heroin-smuggling ring in Holland, one whose main assassin has already caused bloodshed on American soil. Upon the American's arrival at the Amsterdam airport, a fellow agent is shot dead by the assassin, who manages to get away. The police frown upon the interloper and resent his help, so he reconnects with an undercover agent (and former flame) to ferret out the drug dealers and their base of operations. Alistair MacLean crime story with a nasty streak of sadism. The results are not unlike the 007 adventures, though the wayward good humor of James Bond is entirely missing. Taube is somewhat of a liability: he isn't in Sean Connery's league--he's all business but without the panache--and his fight technique consists of two special moves, a powerful right hook and a flip over his head. Geoffrey Reeve directed (apart from "special material" and an exciting canal race, which were completed by Don Sharp), and the pacing is lean and mean. Terrific cinematography by Jack Hildyard in the final reel; dated but enjoyable music score by Piero Piccioni. Everything is here, actually, except for a bit of personality. ** from ****
Review of Puppet on a Chain
