Night of the Fox

This was a film that really keeps a person on the edge of his seat. It followed the novel by Jack Higgins completely. Again, I am probably a little prejudicial as I am a big George Peppard film, I thought this was one of his best perfomances.

I paid $1.00 for the VHS version of this movie, only 95 minutes running time. I did not expect to like it mainly because George Peppard is the star. However, it turned out to be very enjoyable, the story has many plot twists and definitely held my interest. The acting is so-so, but not bad enough to ruin the excellent story. It reminded me of Where Eagles Dare in style and execution. In the end, George Peppard steals the show, even if he is too old for the part he is playing. Deborah Raffin is very good, but seems somewhat stiff with forced emotion. Michael York is probably the best of the bunch. Certainly worth your time if you get a chance to watch it. I understand there is a longer version and I would think it would be better than the shortened version I saw.

I've just watched this courtesy of Youtube. Not a bad copy, though the last third or so had poor lip sync.

The main problem was that Harry Martineau was meant to be 44 (give or take a year) and George Peppard was 62 in 1990, flabby, showing the signs of heavy drinking and soon to be diagnosed with lung cancer.(He was a sixty-a-day smoker and is seen smoking a lot during NOTF.) So hardly an action man, and he had trouble scrambling over a low wall. (It must have been a stunt double shinning up the drainpipe.) Even in the role of a poule de luxe, Sara appeared flamboyantly over-dressed, and I wondered where her several elaborate outfits had come from after the boat on which she was travelling to Jersey sunk; surely not from shops on the island itself, which in 1944 was suffering acute austerity.

The supporting cast all performed well and there was good period atmosphere.

My review was written in July 1990 after watching the movie on Vidmark video cassette.

Made last year as a miniseries, this espionage program deuts on home video instead but suffers from the truncation.

Less is not always more, as "Night of the Fox" in its current format retains tons of exposition but has no sense of pacing. Plot twists pile one atop the other in unconvincing fashion.

George Peppard is recruited by British general John Mills to pose as a Nazi officer and head to the isle of Jersey to rescue (or terminate) a wounded American soldier (David Birney) who has the plans for the D-Day invasion. British nurse Deborah Raffin is sent along in her fist spy assignment, because Birney is being sheltered by her aunt (Andrea Ferreol).

Lending a note of preposterous coincidence, tale by Jack Higgins (pen name of Harry Patterson) has Field Marshal Rommer (Michael York in a breezy turn) sending his double (also York) to Jersey as a decoy while he plots to kill Hitler. Peppard doesn't know about the ruse and captures the fake Rommel., soon teaming up with the double, who turns out to be a Jewish actor on the lam!

"Fox", named after the Desert Fox Rommel, is rated R for its gore content but is otherwise bland. Peppard is reliable and Ferreol (one-time ample star of the classic "La Grande Bouffe" by Marco Ferreri) develops some panache, while the show's big disappointment is Mills. Having become synonymous with World War II patriotic films in the '40s, here he's the boring bad guy who's set up for needlessly cynical finale as an Allied leader only interested in expediency. It leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.

A most remarkable film. Made for TV and even though it is no longer available to buy, you can find it at your video store to rent. Here we have one of Peppards' finest performances. He may not have been the best actor of his day, but this role is perfect for Peppard. I have watched this film every few months since finding it a few years ago. Each viewing is as enjoyable as the first. Michael York puts in an average performance as Rommel, and Debra Raffin does okay. Peppard however carries the day. He plays an American Colonel working for the British OSE. (Operations Special Executive) I imagine this was the forerunner or wartime version of MI6 where James Bond works. Most of the film is set on the Channel Islands, occupied by the Germans for most of WW2. Our hero must extract or kill an American washed up there, who knows all the details of the D-Day landings, before the Germans interigate him. The movie doesn't even seem like three hours at all. The time goes fast and I can hardly wait to watch it again. Do yourself a favour and watch this most entertaining war drama.