The Ceremony ** (1963, Laurence Harvey, Sarah Miles, Robert Walker Jr) – Classic Movie Review 9395

Robert Walker Jr started his film career with strong roles in The Hook (1963) and The Ceremony (1963), for which he received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male as Laurence Harvey’s brother.

Laurence Harvey directs, co-writes and produces as well as stars in the high-flown, acceptable 1963 Spain/US co-production black and white crime thriller The Ceremony [La Ceremonia], which has mostly unrealised intentions to be a well-intentioned plea against capital punishment, but is uninvolving in this department.

Robert Walker Jr received a Golden Globe Award.

Harvey plays Sean McKenna, an innocent convicted killer-bank robber, who is rescued from death row in the nick of time by his brother Dominic (Robert Walker Jr) from a Tangiers, Morocco, jail. But the brother doesn’t turn out to be quite the knight in shining armour he seems. He wants his brother’s girlfriend as the price.

Alas, the strong cast dithers as the plot dallies.

Ben Barzman’s screenplay is based on Frédéric Grendel’s novel, with additional dialogue by Alun Falconer and Laurence Harvey.

Also in the cast are Sarah Miles, John Ireland, Ross Martin, Lee Patterson, Jack MacGowran, Murray Melvin, Fernando Rey, Noel Purcell, Edward St John, Carlos Casarvilla, Fernando Sanchez and José Nieto.

The Most Promising Newcomer – Male award was shared with with Stathis Giallelis for America America (1963) and Albert Finney for Tom Jones (1963).

The Ceremony [La Ceremonia] is directed by Laurence Harvey, runs 106 minutes, is made by Magla and Laurence Harvey Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Ben Barzman (screenplay), Alun Falconer (additional dialogue) (uncredited) and Laurence Harvey (additional dialogue) (uncredited), based on Frédéric Grendel’s novel, is shot in black and white by Oswald Morris and Brian West, is produced by Laurence Harvey, is scored by Gerard Schurmann, and is designed by Ramiro Gomez.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9395

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