Fear Is the Key (1973)

It is a performances centric movie

Expected more

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

FEAR IS THE KEY is an unusual and somewhat low key thriller of the 1970s. It's based on a novel by Alistair MacLean that I should imagine few people have heard of, and it stars Barry Newman of VANISHING POINT fame. I was surprised to find out that this is a UK production because you wouldn't be able to tell from watching it. The fact that it was a flop on release means that I'd never heard of it before I saw it showing on TV.The film begins with an electrifying opening, full of twists, sudden violence, and high speed action. Then we get a lengthy, well-shot car chase clearly included to capitalise on Newman's reputation as a 'car chase' actor, before the movie settles into a rather bogged-down, if not confusing, storyline. However, there seem to be sudden eruptions of violence around every corner, so it's never less than watchable.Eventually, though, it all makes sense, leading to a climax with an interesting setting. Newman is an acceptable hero but I was particularly excited to see Euro-starlet Suzy Kendall's (THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE) appearance. The by rote villain duties are provided by John Vernon, but the real standout is an incredibly youthful Ben Kingsley - yes, complete with his own head of hair - as a henchman. By the end of its running time, FEAR IS THE KEY has offered up plentiful action, some convoluted plotting, and just a few decent twists, and I thought it passed the time well for what it is.

'Fear Is The Key' is an underrated action movie from 1972, based on the bestselling novel by Alistair Maclean. When I was at school, Mac's books were on the list of most popular 'behind the bike shed' reading, along with Fleming's 'James Bond' novels, 'Jaws' by Peter Benchley, and 'The Exorcist' by William Peter Blatty. Mac knew how to spin a yarn alright. Much of his stuff was filmed, including 'The Guns Of Navarone', 'The Satan Bug', 'Ice Station Zebra', and 'Puppet On A Chain'.'Fear' opens in Louisiana, as an unnamed man ( Barry Newman ) is in radio contact with a plane. Suddenly it is shot out of the sky, and crashes. He looks mortified. We then move to a bar, where the same man raises a fuss because he cannot get a drink on a Sunday. He then beats up cops when they try to arrest him. He winds up in court, and here we learn his name is John Talbot, a former underwater salvage expert wanted by Interpol. Also present is Sarah Ruthven ( Suzy Kendall ). Before he can be sentenced, Talbot escapes, taking Suzy as hostage. In a stolen car, they are chased relentlessly.That's enough plot. To tell you more would be to spoil it. Suffice to say, that Talbot is not what he seems and the stakes are bigger than they first appear. A very good supporting cast includes John Vernon and Ben Kingsley ( in his first movie role ).Roy Budd wrote the music, and as you'd expect coming from the guy who scored 'Get Carter' its first-rate.The action is fast ( that car chase goes on forever! ), and Newman looks cool as the hero. Kendall ( a former wife of Dudley Moore ) is stunning, and refreshingly we never see her getting it on with Talbot.Some have commented on the 'anti-climactic' ending, but I disagree. It is the same as the one in the book, and the film makers were right to use it. It is incredibly tense ( and as an asthmatic myself, I sympathise with the hero's plight! ) and rounds the film off perfectly. If you liked the other Maclean movies, you ought to like this too.Michael Tuchner, the director, made the Richard Burton gangster drama 'Villain' the year before.

Firstly I will say that this film definitely has an impact like the original 'Planet of Apes' with the late great Charlton Heston.However, with multiple viewing you will discover more and more about the lead character 'Talbot' - so believably played out by the under-rated talented actor Barry Newman, and the storyline will become even more engaging. I would simply recommend you either buy the DVD or await the Blue-Ray version when it comes out from the date I have posted this review.The supporting cast is very good, including Dolph Sweet, John Vernon, earliest appearance of Ben Kingsley (with some hair still) and the lovely Suzy Kendall.It is not until near the end of the film that you realise where the film is actually going with it's unique ending inside a mini-submarine (or Bath-Escape as it was called) called the Fathom. The car chase is well choreographed and in a Smokey and the Bandit style - even longer than the car chases in Bullitt and French Connection.Without going into too much detail, I have not read the book by the classic novelist Alistair MaClean, but if it is even better than the theatre adaptation of the story then maybe one day I will have to seek out the book, because this film, despite it's old age is a classic in my mind.Find it, and I guarantee you will like it a lot. It takes a bit of getting used to when seeing Barry Newman in a role like this, because he definitely has an 'un-likely' hero look about him. But the more you watch it, the more you will realise that he has the perfect face for the role.

This is a formula movie, make no mistake. It is an action-adventure, with a mystery, so I won't spill the plot. It begins with the same male hero we see in all movies made after 1940, a man so vicious and mean that the movie's idea is to turn your thinking around about the guy. And after the first few minutes you think "There is no way this guy could ever be anything but a punk", and they "getcha"! A very wonderful turnabout. The character in the movie is the key, and the screen writing, directing, and acting are superb. It maybe the only movie that you ever see that changes your mind about a character from the start, and maybe the best example of a movie which does so. What is extraordinary is that this movie has never resurfaced, and never got the credit it deserved. The end is one of the best Hollywood endings ever since "Charade".