Avalanche Express ** (1979, Robert Shaw, Lee Marvin, Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell, Horst Buchholz, Mike Connors ) – Classic Movie Review 6,400

Real-life tragedy occurred during the production of the ambitious big-budget 1979 European spy action thriller film Avalanche Express, when star Robert Shaw and director Mark Robson both died of heart attacks.

Real-life tragedy occurred during the making of director Mark Robson’s ambitious and ultra-expensive ($12 million) big-budget 1979 European spy action thriller film Avalanche Express, when star Robert Shaw and director Robson both died of heart attacks during production.

It was completed and edited apparently as a rush job and most of Robert Shaw’s dialogue as Soviet General Marenkov is a dubbed impersonation by actor Robert Rietty, after Shaw’s delivery of his lines was judged weak and shaky through illness.

Another story is that Robert Rietti was hired to re-record Robert Shaw’s dialogue in the opening scene after was decided to redo it in Russian with English subtitles instead of the Russians speaking broken English. And then, because of this, all of Shaw’s dialogue was re-recorded by Rietti.

What is left is an interesting if largely incoherent action thriller, with Shaw as a Soviet KGB boss called General Marenkov planning to defect to the West on a Milan to Rotterdam train menaced by snow. Lee Marvin plays CIA agent Colonel Harry Wargrave, Marenkov’s handler who leads the extraction team. 

Judging from the short running time of 88 minutes and the hectic pace of the action, it looks as though key scenes from the film are missing. Monte Hellman did uncredited direction to finish it and Gene Corman took over Robson’s duties as producer, also uncredited. However, an end credit says: ‘The producers wish to express their appreciation to Monte Hellman and Gene Corman for their post production services.’

Horst Buchholz plays Julian Scholten.

It also stars Lee Marvin as Marenkov’s CIA handler Colonel Harry Wargrave, Linda Evans as Elsa Lang, Maximilian Schell as Russian spy-catcher Colonel Nikolai Bunin, Horst Buchholz as Julian Scholten, and Mike Connors as Haller.

Abraham Polonsky scripts from the 1977 novel by Colin Forbes.

Shooting started in Munich on 27 February 1978 and continued in Milan and Venice.

Robson’s health was deteriorating during 65 days of filming in Europe and he fell ill, with ten days of filming left. He was flown to a London hospital, where he died of a heart attack on 20 June 1978, aged 64. Marvin opined: ‘He sure went with his boots on.’

President of Lorimar Films Peter Bart called in Monte Hellman to finish the direction and Gene Corman as producer. But then on 28 August 1978 Robert Shaw died of a heart attack in Ireland. Hellman said he worked on the film for a year and directed about 10 per cent of the principal photography as well as all the special effects. John Dykstra was hired to stage an avalanche using models.

Also in the cast are Joe Namath as Leroy, David Hess as Geiger, Claudio Cassinelli as Colonel Molinari, Kristina Nel as Helga Mann, Günter Meisner as Rudi Muehler, Sylva Langova as Olga, Cyril Shaps as Sedov, Vladek Sheybal as Zannbin, Arthur Brauss as Neckermann, Sky du Mont as Philip John, Richard Marner as General Prachko, Arnold Drummond as Commissar, Paul Glawion as Alfredo, and Dan van Husen as Bernardo.

Avalanche Express is directed by Mark Robson, runs 88 minutes, is made by Lorimar Films, is released by 20th Century-Fox, is written by Abraham Polonsky, is shot in Color by De Luxe by Jack Cardiff, is produced by Mark Robson, and is scored by Allyn Ferguson.

It premiered in the Netherlands on August 30, 1979 and was released in the US on October 19, 1979.

So far it is the only screen adaptation of a story by British novelist Colin Forbes (1923–2006).

Robert Shaw (9 August 1927 – 28 August 1978)

Robert Shaw died on 28 August 1978, aged only 51.

Robert Shaw died on 28 August 1978, aged only 51. He was in poor health partly through alcoholism during most of the filming of Avalanche Express, but had completed 90 per cent of his scenes when director Robson’s death on 20 June 1978 stopped production. He returned to his home in Ireland for a break while filming could be resumed, and was out driving with wife Virginia and young son Thomas when he had his fatal heart attack.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,400

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