The Black Windmill *** (1974, Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Delphine Seyrig, Janet Suzman, Joseph O’Conor, John Vernon, Joss Ackland, Denis Quilley, Clive Revill) – Classic Movie Review 6784

Michael Caine is typecast as Major John Tarrant, a British secret agent and fall guy for the real traitor in director Don Siegel’s creaky, uneven, run-of-the-mill 1974 British spy thriller that entertains lightly but does not pack the expected punch.

The Hitchcockian tale starts well with the kidnapping of Tarrant’s son, being held for a ransom of diamonds, as part of the plan to discredit  Tarrant, while Ceil Burrows (Delphine Seyrig) gives  Tarrant the eye and McKee (John Vernon) keeps his camera eye trained on  Tarrant.

But The Black Windmill runs out of wind half way, and the answer to the puzzle is obvious too early. Unfortunately, also, the climax is wholly predictable and unexciting, just when it needed to get thrilling, leaving audiences flat. The movie remains entirely watchable but, it is just with this excellent cast of actors and top director, you expect a whole lot more.

Leigh Vance’s screenplay is based on Clive Egleton’s novel Seven Days to a Killing.

Also in the cast are Donald Pleasence, Janet Suzman, Joseph O’Conor, Joss Ackland, Denis Quilley, Clive Revill, Edward Hardwicke, David Daker, George Cooper, Derek Newark, Hermione Baddeley, Patrick Barr, Russell Napier, Maureen Pryor (in her final film), Joyce Carey and Preston Lockwood.

The Black Windmill is directed by Don Siegel, runs 106 minutes, is released by Universal, is written by Leigh Vance, based on Clive Egleton’s novel Seven Days to a Killing, is shot in Technicolor and widescreen by Ousama Rawi, is produced by Richard Zanuck, David Brown and Don Siegel, and scored by Roy Budd.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6784

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