Puppet on a Chain ** (1971, Sven-Bertil Taube, Barbara Parkins, Alexander Knox, Patrick Allen, Vladek Sheybal) – Classic Movie Review 8379

Director Geoffrey Reeve’s 1971 British thriller Puppet on a Chain is the always-popular macho action movie, based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, in which spies root out drug runners in Amsterdam, giving an obvious but well-taken chance for a thrilling speedboat climax (skillfully directed by second unit director Don Sharp).

Unfortunately, Swedish star Sven-Bertil Taube is shockingly unanimated as the American agent hero Paul Sherman, and there are clichés galore in MacLean’s screenplay (with additional material by Don Sharp and Paul Wheeler). But Puppet on a Chain is nicely shot in Technicolor by Jack Hildyard and it still manages to entertain.

Also in the cast are Barbara Parkins, Alexander Knox, Patrick Allen, Vladek Sheybal, Penny Casdagli, Ania Marson, Peter Hutchins, Drewe Henley, Henni Orri, Stewart Lane, Mark Malicz and Michael Mellinger.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8379

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