The Counterfeit Killer

(1968) Crackshot/ The Counterfeit Killer CRIME DRAMA

Originally made for TV and now available for rental has a couple of non- English speaking swimmers being killed off with not much to go on, except to assume that there's a connection between that and the loads of counterfeit money that was being confiscated. TV icon of Hawaii Five O, Jack Lord eventually shows up after 20 minutes in, as hired killer, Don Owens with heart, for after he checks into a cheap motel, he then barges into a pub asking for a particular person only to be ransacked later by a couple of thugs. As it turns out that the guy Don's looking for is an Irish skipper who happened to double cross him. And the next thing you know, an overweight guy who acts kind of like a middle man for some gangsters searching for the perfect "Crackshot" which is another term for "hit man" to perform a particular job and it happens to be the Jack Lord character, who's really an undercover agent. Since it was originally made in 1968 before finally put on video in 1987, it's nothing but light weight stuff one can expect to see on TV which may have been much more effective during that time period but very tame in comparison to what we can see these days.

This film defies the usual story line development - where the hero is introduced if not in the opening scene, then the next. Before Jack Lord gets a look in a whole cavalcade of characters has graced the screen, why and wherefore is discussed at length by all and sundry and the dialogue and characterizations is so dated to turn the clock back to the 1940's.

The music, (by Quincy Jones) however, is a hidden gem. Totally cool and laid back jazz. Hip bongos.