CELEBRATING 70 YEARS! : SUBTERFUGE .. COMMONWEALTH UNITED .. UK 1968 ..

 

COMMONWEALTH UNITED ENTERTAINMENT
Presents

SUBTERFUGE

Starring

GENE BARRY as Donovan
JOAN COLLINS as Anne Langley
RICHARD TODD as Colonel Victor Redmayne
TOM ADAMS as Peter Langley
SUZANNA LEIGH as Donetta
MICHAEL RENNIE as Goldsmith
MARIUS GORING as Shevik
SCOTT FORBES as Pannell
COLIN GORDON as Kitteridge
GUY DEGHY as DR Lundgren
DERMOT KELLY as Van Driver
GRETCHEN FRANKLIN as Bus Conductress                                     

Executive Producer - Trevor Wallace    Assistant Director - Andrew Grieve    

Music by Cyril Ornades   Director of Photography - Roy Garner  

Screenplay by David Whitaker        Edited by Bill Lewhaite G.B.E.E
                                      Produced by Peter Snell     Directed by Peter Graham Scott 

(c)  1968  Commonwealth   100 mins  Color  ...

When Donovan, an American special agent arrives in London for a vacation, little does he know the intrigue that awaits him! Donovan has to fight to stay alive and ahead of the game... Escaping torture, but with the enemy on his trail, he seeks solace with Anne, the glamorous wife of a fellow agent, Langley.. But Langley cant be trusted and Donovan must race against time to save a kidnapped boy and unmask the traitor in his midst! Cross and double cross! It's an amazing nightmare of deception! An explosive Subterfuge!!

Before filming "Subterfuge", Joan once again appeared in many television hits of the time, which have since went on to become cult classics. She filmed an episode of "Star Trek", entitled "City on the Edge of Forever". She also appeared with Doug McClure on "The Virginian" and an episode of "The Danny Thomas Hour" with Bing Crosby. Another cult favourite was her appearance as "The Siren" on "Batman", alongside Adam West. 

Joan with Gene Barry

"Subterfuge" was filmed in London and the Home Counties  over four weeks. Although billed as an exciting Espionage thriller, it more resembles an extended advert for the London tourist board! It's star Gene Barry also starred in the NBC series "The Name Of The Game", on a rotation basis, which allowed him to make an occasional film. Co-star Michael Rennie previously appeared with Joan in the Fox release "Island in the Sun", while Richard Todd co-starred in "The Virgin Queen". Todd would work again with Joan in the play "Murder In Mind" in 1979.

Joan on location in Dorking with makeup artist Norma Camara 

The film's bad girl Suzanna Leigh commented on her role.

" I always wanted to play a baddie. It is a new image for me.. In this part I go all the way! Killing! Kidnapping! you name it! I love it!"

Joan with Suzanna Leigh

Joan appears in a variety of outfits that she co-ordinated herself and even gets a screen credit for her fashion flair! However the film was a passable time waster and reviewers were not too kind.

VARIETY
 " 'Subterfuge' showcases Joan Collin's special physical attractiveness, however in the course of the plot development, Miss Collin's son is kidnapped. While the actress appears properly distraught in the scene where she is informed of this fact, two scenes and some hours later, she appears in the highest of high fashion clothes and complicated new hairstyles. One would think the worried mom had spent the afternoon at Harrods and at the hairdresser to impress the kidnapper's!"

The film was shot using the newly introduced Addavision cameras that allowed for immediate playback of the shoot. Joan was still married to Anthony Newley at the time and on completion of this film, she would start shooting the infamous flop "Heironymus Merkin", with Newley. While not an great film, "Subterfuge" does have a good cast of British film veterans and is a passable time waster!

'Subterfuge' is one of a handful of Joan's films which have yet to be released on dvd, even though it had various video releases in the 80's.. Hopefully it will eventually get a much welcome release as the film has a wonderful cast of British stars as well of course a stylish performance from Joan..