Skullduggery * (1970, Burt Reynolds, Susan Clark, Roger C Carmel, Paul Hubschmid, Chips Rafferty, Alexander Knox, Pat Suzuki) – Classic Movie Review 12,292

Director Gordon Douglas’s 1970 adventure film Skullduggery stars Burt Reynolds and Susan Clark. The screenplay by Nelson Gidding is based on the 1952 novel Les Animaux Dénaturés by French writer Vercors, a serious work that examines the question of what it means to be human.

Reynolds plays Douglas Temple, goes to New Guinea with archaeologist Dr Sybil Greame (Clark), and they discover blond apelike creatures who may be the missing link. No kidding! It turns out that wicked boffin Vancruysen (Paul Hubschmid) is planning to breed the creatures for a new slave trade.

Reynolds isn’t seen at his best in this pretty dim, unconvincing movie, though it has some kitsch value for a good laugh at its expense.  The author of this odd story had his real name removed from the credits to protect the innocent. Vercors is a pseudonym for Jean Marcel Adolphe Bruller (26 February 1902 – 10 June 1991).

Reynolds said that, understandably, ‘nobody knew how to sell the picture’ and claimed that’s what caused its box office failure. He said the film had a ‘good script. The guy’s a good writer. Badly directed, kind of sloughed off. Susan Clark was good; she’s a good actress. But nobody knew how to sell the picture. Any time you have Pat Suzuki dressed as a small ape, I think you’re in trouble.’

Producer Saul David plays the character of Berle Tanen, which he named after MCA executives Berle Adams and Ned Tanen.

Also in the cast are Roger C Carmel as Otto Kreps, Paul Hubschmid as Vancruysen, Chips Rafferty as Father ‘Pop’ Dillingham, Alexander Knox as Buffington, Pat Suzuki as Topazia, Edward Fox as Bruce Spofford, Wilfrid Hyde-White as Eaton, William Marshall as Attorney General, Rhys Williams as Judge Draper, Mort Marshall, Michael St Clair, Booker Bradshaw, John Kimberley, James Henry Eldridge, Tony Ames, and James Bacon.

The original director Richard Wilson was fired because of ‘creative differences’ on the first day of shooting by Saul David and replaced by Gordon Douglas, who had directed David’s In Like Flint.

Edward Fox recalled it as one of the toughest and unhappiest filming experiences ever.

It was the last film of Rhys Williams, released on 6 March 1970, nine months after his death on 28 May 1969.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,292

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