The Groundstar Conspiracy ***½ (1972, George Peppard, Michael Sarrazin, Christine Belford, Cliff Potts, James Olson) – Classic Movie Review 4,709

George Peppard and Michael Sarrazin enliven the gripping, suspenseful 1972 action mystery thriller film The Groundstar Conspiracy about dirty work at a secret space-research plant.

George Peppard and Michael Sarrazin enliven director Lamont Johnson’s intriguing 1972 action mystery thriller The Groundstar Conspiracy about dirty work at a secret space-research plant. The poster promises gripping suspense and a surprise ending, and that’s what the film delivers.

Peppard stars as no-nonsense government security chief investigator Tuxan, who investigates a break-in and sabotage at the top secret research facility that ends in a blast that leaves Sarrazin as the only survivor and the chief suspect. But he is badly injured and claims to have got total amnesia, and he has no one to help him except attractive widow Nicole Devon (Christine Belford).

George Peppard (1928–1994).

Involving performances, strong situations in Matthew Howard [Douglas Heyes]’s screenplay, based loosely on the 1968 novel The Alien by Leslie P Davies, and Johnson’s brisk and persuasive direction lift it well out of the rut. And good use is made of cinematographer Michael Reed’s eye-catching widescreen location filming on Vancouver Island and in British Columbia.

Also in the cast are Cliff Potts, James Olson, Tim O’Connor, James McEachin, Alan Oppenheimer, Roger Dressler, Ty Haller and Anna Hagan.

The Groundstar Conspiracy runs 96 minutes, is shot in Technicolor by Michael Reed, is produced by Hal Roach International, is released by Universal Pictures, is produced by Trevor Wallace, Frank Arrigo, Earl A Glick and Hal Roach Jr, and is scored by Paul Hoffert.

It was released on June 21, 1972.

Belford replaced Carol White as the female lead. Filming started in Vancouver, Canada, on 2 August 1971 with Carol White but shortly into filming she asked to leave because a production delay meant she would miss the start date on her next film Made. All her scenes were reshot.

Sarrazin got leave of absence on the death of his father, suspending production.

Scenes were shot at Simon Fraser University, at the top of Burnaby Mountain outside Vancouver, British Columbia.

The cast are George Peppard as Tuxan, Michael Sarrazin as John Welles / Peter Bellamy, Christine Belford as Nicole Devon, Cliff Potts as Carl Mosely, James Olson as Senator Stanton, Tim O’Connor as Frank Gossage, James McEachin as Bender, Alan Oppenheimer as General Hackett, Roger Dressler, Ty Haller and Anna Hagan.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4,709

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Michael Sarrazin (1940–2011).