Crossplot (1969)

The plot of this old-style comedy/thriller was written by occasional Saint writers John Kruse and Leigh Vance, and that may explain why this decidedly humdrum attempt to launch a post-Templar Roger Moore onto the big screen appears like a made-for-TV-movie.

Whilst the story breezes along nicely the threadbare plot is undeveloped and the majority of the characters are one-dimensional, sinking the whole film beneath a series of monotonous action sequences that contain some laughable examples of special effects – the scene involving Moore, an Alfa Romeo Spider and a back-projected milk float deserves some form of award as the most useless motoring sequence in cinematic history!

The one plus is the Eastmancolor photography of Swinging London locations by a veteran second-feature cinematographer Brendan J Stafford.

A playboy advertising executive, Gary Fenn (Roger Moore), is looking for an unknown model that mysteriously appeared in an advertising campaign portfolio.

The model is a missing Hungarian girl named Marla Kugash (Claudie Lange). Fenn eventually tracks her down to a houseboat on the Thames.

She is in the company of a young man, Tarquin (Alexis Kanner), who is extremely protective of her and overtly aggressive to Fenn.

The young Hungarian, an illegal refugee from her native homeland, accompanies Fenn to a photo shoot. However, she admits she is in fear of her life and seems disturbed by the presence of her aunt, Jo Grinling (Martha Hyer). When she is nearly killed, the girl drops out of sight, and Fenn has to go on the run himself, suspected of a separate murder.

He locates her in a country house, which turns out to be the home of Tarquin, an aristocrat in spite of his anti-war sentiments.

It is revealed that Marla’s aunt is part of a shadowy organisation trying to destabilise the existing world order so they can take over themselves. They will go to any length to try and shut Fenn and Marla up, including sending a helicopter after them.

Fenn and his friend manage to escape to London, where they realise that the shadowy movement is planning to assassinate a visiting African head of state during a televised birthday celebration in Hyde Park.

After narrowly escaping death on a number of occasions, Fenn and Marla attempt to foil the ingenious assassination attempt.

Roger Moore would link up with co-star Bernard four years later for the first of four James Bond outings together.

Gary Fenn
Roger Moore
Jo Grinling
Martha Hyer
Tarquin
Alexis Kanner
Marla Kugash
Claudie Lange
Sir Charles Moberley
Derek Francis
Maggi Thwaites
Ursula Howells
Chilmore
Bernard Lee
Ruddock
Francis Matthews
Warren
Dudley Sutton
Myrna
Mona Bruce
Dinah
Veronica Carlson
Jim
Michael Culver
Celia
Gabrielle Drake

Director
Alvin Rakoff

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