Assault on a Queen * (1966, Frank Sinatra, Virna Lisi, Anthony Franciosa) – Classic Movie Review 7076

Virna Lisi and Alf Kjellin star as Eurocrooks Rosa Lucchesi and Eric Lauffnauer, who employ Mark Brittain (Frank Sinatra) to lead a band of treasure hunting conmen to reuse a recovered refloated old wartime German submarine to invade the bank vaults of the cruise-liner RMS Queen Mary aboard the high seas in the mid Atlantic.

Director Jack Donohue’s silly 1966 crime thriller adventure is sunk by the uncertainty of handling and tone, a tricksy yet over-complicated gold heist yarn, and Sinatra’s lack of conviction.

Sinatra is left marooned by the dull support, flat direction and ordinary production values. Duke Ellington’s score helps. Rod Serling’s screenplay is based on Jack Finney’s novel.

Also in the cast are Tony Franciosa, Errol John, Richard Conte, Murray Matheson, Reginald Denny, John Warburton, Lester Matthews, Val Avery and Laurence Conroy.

Assault on a Queen is directed by Jack Donohue, runs 106 minutes, is made by Sinatra Enterprises and Seven Arts, is released by Paramount, is written by Rod Serling, based on Jack Finney’s novel, is shot in Technicolor by William H Daniels, is produced by William Goetz, is scored by Duke Ellington and is designed by Archie Marshek.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7076

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