This British made-for-television movie was based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Geoffrey Household. The main protagonist and antagonist went unnamed in the original novel, which was published a few months before Britain became involved in the war.
Early in 1939, with Europe on the verge of war, British aristocrat Sir Robert Hunter (Peter O’Toole) takes aim at Adolf Hitler (Michael Sheard) with a high-powered hunting rifle. He hesitates to shoot, and is attacked by an SS guard.
Captured by the Gestapo, Sir Robert claims this was an intellectual exercise to see if he could kill Hitler, rather than an attempt to actually do so.
He is tortured and left for dead, but makes his way back to England, where he discovers the Gestapo has followed him.
Knowing that his government will turn him over to German authorities (this was during Neville Chamberlain’s tenure as Prime Minister and Britain still mostly regarded Hitler as a reasonable man), Sir Robert draws on his hunting experience and goes underground in his battle with his pursuers.
This was the final movie for Alastair Sim, who appears as Hunter’s uncle. The actor died on 19 August 1976, aged 75.
Sir Robert Hunter
Peter O’Toole The Earl
Alastair Sim Major Quive-Smith
John Standing Saul Abrahams
Harold Pinter Interrogator
Michael Byrne Vaner
Mark McManus Peale
Hugh Manning Jessel
Robert Lang Rebecca
Cyd Hayman Muller
Ian East Freda
Maureen Lipman Gerald
Ray Mort Adolf Hitler
Michael Sheard Eva Braun
Shirley Dynevor Mr Drake
Ivor Roberts Postmistress
Jean Rimmer Assassin
Denys Hawthorne Pork Pie
David Webb
Director
Clive Donner
Video
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Captured by the Gestapo, Sir Robert claims this was an intellectual exercise to see if he could kill Hitler, rather than an attempt to actually do so.
Sir Robert Hunter
Vaner
Jessel
