Dead Cert * (1974, Scott Antony, Judi Dench, Michael Williams) – Classic Movie Review 9047

The Dick Francis bestseller novel about doped horses, a trainer’s death and the Grand National race must have looked a dead cert for the cinema.

But director Tony Richardson’s 1974 film Dead Cert soon falls at an early fence through inaccurate racing details, lack of a convincing atmosphere, the wrong director and lame acting from what looked like a strong cast in Scott Antony, Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Nina Thomas, Mark Dignam, Julian Glover, Joseph Blatchley, Ian Hogg, Sean Lynch, Geoffrey Bateman, Mick Dillon and Bill Fraser.

Scott Antony stars as Alan York, who investigates when he suspects bookies doped a horse that killed his friend.

Dead Cert is creaky, unconvincing and a total miscalculation.

Dead Cert is directed by Tony Richardson, runs 99 minutes, is made by Woodfall Film Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Tony Richardson and John Oaksey, based on the Dick Francis novel, is shot in Eastmancolor by Freddie Cooper, is produced by Neil Hartley and is scored by John Addison.

Scott Antony starred in just three movies: Savage Messiah, Dead Cert and The Mutations.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9047

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