Avalanche Express ** (1979, Robert Shaw, Lee Marvin, Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell, Horst Buchholz, Mike Connors ) – Classic Movie Review 6400

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

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

What is left is a largely incoherent action thriller, with Shaw as a Soviet KGB boss called General Marenkov planning to defect on a Milan to Rotterdam train menaced by snow.

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.

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.

Abraham Polonsky scripts from the 1976 novel by Colin Forbes.

Also in the cast are Joe Namath, David Hess, Claudio Cassinelli, Kristina Nel, David Hess, Günter Meisner, Sylva Langova, Cyril Shaps and Cyril Shaps.

It is shot by Jack Cardiff, produced by Mark Robson and scored by Allyn Ferguson.

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

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 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 6400

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