Displaying items by tag: Klaus Kinski

THE VATICAN AFFAIR/ A QUALSIASI PREZZO

Italy, 1968, 93 minutes, Colour.

Walter Pidgeon, Ira Firstenberg, Klaus Kinski, Marino Mase, Corrado Olmi, Roberto Maldera, Guido Alberti.

Directed by Emilio Maraglia.

In the aftermath of all the attention by the world with the second Vatican Council, 1968 saw a number of films focused on the Catholic church and the Vatican, Shoes of the Fisherman, Operazione San Gennaro, Operazione San Pietro. And the Vatican Affair - or the Italian title, At Whatever Price.

All of these films were heist capers, sometimes with American stars with the local Italian cast. In this case, the lead is veteran actor, Walter Pidgeon, an American professor, researching the Vatican Treasury, presenting his thesis to the Pope. And, puzzled by his rather stiff manner and bearing, we discover that he is blind.

And then we enter the realm of, perhaps, fantasy. He has organised a master theft at the Vatican Treasury, all with the aid of his chauffeur guiding him in walking and positioning himself, but also gathering a set of expert criminals, holding their records as ransom, a circus performer, Ira Furstenberg, an explosives expert seen in action, Klaus Kinski, a thief, Roberto Maldera, and a nervous expert, Corrado Olmi.

There is a lot of atmosphere of the Vatican throughout the film, the Cardinal in charge of the Treasury, the papal audience, various dignitaries, priest guides in the museums, meetings at friary and various friars…

Most of the film, of course, is the performance of the robbery, great attention to detail and timing.

The attitude of the professor is sometimes puzzling, urbane but ruthless, no particular development of the other characters except the unfaithful wife and potential liaisons.

And, a quietly urbane finale with the law triumphing.

FIVE GOLDEN DRAGONS

UK/Hong Kong, 1967, 93 minutes, Colour.

Bob Cummings, Margaret Lee, Rupert Davies, Klaus Kinski, Maria Rohm, Sieghardt Rupp, Roy Chiao, Brian Donlevy, Dan Duryea Christopher Lee, George Raft, Maria Pershing, Yukari Ito.

Directed by Jeremy Summers.

A routine action show of the 1960s, loosely based on a story by Edgar Wallace. It was the kind of popular entertainment of the period, very television-oriented, ageing stars, stars of popular series, international flavour, and attractive Hong Kong photography and settings.

Hong Kong was under British rule at the time and Rupert Davies appears as the Commissioner. There is also a mysterious financial group, the Golden dragons who meet wearing elaborate masks and then revealed as veterans from the 1930s and 40s, Brian Donleavy, Dan Duryea, George Raft – and joined by Christopher Lee.

There are further complications with criminals wanting to take possession of the money of the Golden dragons. This leads us to a variety of nightclubs, some singing performances, some double-dealing, secret rooms… And there are some of the local police investigating. And, in the middle, is popular star of earlier years, Robert Cummings, now Bob Cummings, boost of his TV show, walking through this film as if it was a light comedy, chewing gum, a very strange choice for the film.

British actress Margaret Lee, appears as one of the chief villains.

Just a reminder of what popular action shows were being made in the 1960s, the shift to television, basic plots, straightforward filming and editing, probably fairly basic in those times, and even more so now!