L'Ambassadeur

This middling movie boasts a star-studded cast , such as : Robert Mitchum , Ellen Burstyn, Rock Hudson , Fabio Testi and Donald Pleasence . This movie's opening prologue states: "The Middle East is a powder keg, ready to explode. A melting pot of conflicting religious and political factions. Israel, with a population of 4 million, is surrounded by 8 Arab countries with a population of 80 million. A group known as the P. L. O. (Palestinian Liberation Organisation) has vowed never to recognize Israel's right to exist and to fight on until a Palestinian homeland is realized. Lately, there are signs that the P. L. O. Is willing to talk peace with the Israelis. A Syrian based splinter group of the P. L. O., the SAIKA, the most extreme of all existing terrorist groups in the area, spreads terror on both the Israelis and the Arabs in order to stop any possibility of peace negotiations. Within Israel there are two major conflicting points of view : The moderates, who are ready to sit at the table with the P. L. O., and the right wing extremists who refuse to accept a Palestinian state in the region. The MOSSAD is the intelligence agency of the state of Israel and protects the official Israeli government position.¨ As an American ambassador (Robert Mitchum) is sent to the Middle East to attempt to solve the area's deep political problems. In Israel he tries to bring peace to the Middle East , but things go wrong , as he quickly becomes the target of terrorist attacks and while extremely criticized by all factions , resulting in being blamed for the nation's unrest . To make matters worse , his wife (Ellen Burstyn) is having a thorny affair with a suspect man (Fabio Testi) . The President ignores him , forcing the ambassador to fend for himself , as his personal existence and his own life are threatened . Meanwhile , his security official (Rock Hudson who was in poor health due to AIDS) saves his life in an assassination attempts and tries to help him resolve the conflicts around them . His career is in jeopardy... His marriage is in ruins... And his life is in danger... HE'S THROUGH NEGOTIATING.

A well intentioned film in which a kindly ambassador attempts to solve a long conflict through unconventional methods , but his efforts are hampered at every turn . Based on Elmore Leonard's 52 Pickup and ramade a year lar under its own title ¨52 Pickup¨1986 by John Frankenheimer with Roy Scheider , Ann-Margret , Vanity , John Glover , in fact , both movies were produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and The Cannon Group . Interpretations are passable , such as Robert Mitchum who plays in his usual style as a controversial U. S. ambassador to Israel trying to solve the Palestinian question which takes a turn when his wife well played by Ellen Burstyn begins having an affair with a PLO chief finely performed by Italian Fabio Testi . Rock Hudson in his last theatrical movie role plays Mitchum's chief security officer , giving a regular acting as the resourceful agent who along the way helps him . However , supposedly Robert Mitchum and Rock Hudson did not get along with each other .

The motion picture was professional but middlingly directed by J. Lee Thompson , though it has some disappointing scenes , shortcomings , failures , flaws and gaps . He previously had a nice track record in the English cinema from 1950 until 1961 , directing good Western (McKenna's gold , White Buffalo) and all king genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes), terror (Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Flame over India ,Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba , Tiger Bay) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun , Chairman , The passage) . His two biggest successes turned out to be ¨Guns of Navarone¨and ¨Cape Fear¨. Thereafter , the filmmaker's career subsided in a morass of slickly realized but ordinary films. He moved into the field of international spectaculars , at which point his filmmaking seemed to lose its individuality . J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Caboblanco, Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Rating : 4.5/10, average , only for Robert Mitchum, Rock Hudson hardcore fans.

An always interesting, if audacious and harsh low-key political thriller from Cannon and headed by ace director J. Lee Thompson. Maybe his best work in the 80s. The aged stars are quite a delight and the true staying power with Robert Mitchum (who's playing it easy), Rock Hudson, Ellen Burstyn, Fabio Testi and Donald Pleasance working very well off each other. Indeed a top-notch ensemble cast confidently directed by Thompson.

The knotty context of the film (the on going conflict in the Middle East) is a complicated web (with touch of blackmail and martial problems thrown in for good measure), but smartly engineered if a little too pushy at times. Still it's effective, stirring and informative in detailing its intentions. When it came to the jarring action, it was to the point and within chaotic bursts. I didn't find it thrilling in those passages, but you're kept glued as you want to see what becomes of the suspense beating situations. Dov Seltzer's humidly sultry music arrangement is on the ball and suitably placed. It truly gives it a grander edge and the location choices authentically sprawl off the screen. Thompson keeps it moving and times everything to perfection.

A reasonably solid offering by all involved.

A good little action/suspense thriller that was released by the now defunct Cannon group that has the novelty of dealing with the Israeli-Palestanian crisis with real intelligence and being Rock Hudson's last feature film. It stars Robert Mitchum as Peter Hacker, an American ambassador to Israel who tries to bring peace in the Middle East by unorthodox means, but his adulteress wife, played by Ellen Burstyn, threatens to derail his plans when she has an affair with a PLO leader. To make matters worse, someone threatens to expose a film of the affair if a high ransom isn't paid and the ambassador has a hefty price on his head for certain assassins. Rock Hudson plays Frank Stevenson, the ambassador's loyal security officer/friend who tries to unravel the scheme before the film hits the airwaves.

Heading a first rate cast, Robert Mitchum plays the lead role with grace and style as a man who tries to accomplish his goals when everything possible is trying to derail him and Ellen Burstyn plays the wife with right note between guilt and steadfast loyalty for her husband. Rock Hudson, on the other hand, is given little to do. He does what he can with the thankless role as the security officer but basically he's just there to try to talk some sense into the ambassador's head and to carry out orders; it's a little sad ending to a brilliant career. The film itself is well-done and first rate with a higher budget and quality than most Cannon films and the location shoots are first-rate. Check it out if you want a Middle-East political thriller with some action thrown into it for good measure.

Robert Mitchum plays the title role of The Ambassador and in this case he's the American Ambassador to Israel. He's got the notion in his head that if he can get the Arab and Israeli students dialoging, it might lead the way to eventual peace. Of course there are malevolent forces on all sides that don't want to see that happen.

But that's not Mitchum's only problem. His wife Ellen Burstyn has embarked on a torrid love affair with an Arab, played by Fabio Testi, who turns out to be a big honcho in the Palentine Liberation Organization. And somebody's been taking some nasty home movies of them doing the horizontal mambo. Setting up Mitchum for blackmail and embarrassment whichever comes first.

Playing the supporting role of Mitchum's Embassy security chief is Rock Hudson and this was to be his last feature film. As the film progresses the strain on Hudson's health is becoming apparent.

It was not a happy shoot and the results show it. Mitchum and Hudson did not get along particularly. According to Lee Server's biography, Mitchum spent most of the time getting plastered more than normal. Ellen Burstyn supposedly took a sample of what he was drinking and was shocked to find it real booze. But Mitchum was legendary for holding his liquor.

I can see why Mitchum wasn't particularly happy with the film. His role is essentially that of a well meaning fathead who thinks he has all the answers to the Middle-east. Hudson took his role strictly for the cash, because he was having increased medical expenses from what would kill him a year later.

Being it's a Golan-Globus film the usual quota of violence is present. When you do a film about the Middle-east, that's almost a requirement for a picture. Still the location cinematography in Israel certainly helps.

Too bad that Mitchum and Hudson could not find a nice western to do as a joint project.

During the 1980s, Cannon Films made a lot of films...sometimes with big-name actors in them. But they all had one thing in common...they weren't exactly subtle! So, if you want explosions, a little sex and violence, they were the go-to studio of the era. As a result, when I saw that they made "The Ambassador" I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of watching the movie. I only watched it because Robert Mitchum and Rock Hudson (in his final theatrical release) somehow were convinced to star in the film.

The story begins with a meeting between the Ambassor (Mitchum) and a group of Palestinians in the desert. He wants to talk peace...but before the meeting gets going, a helicopter attacks...killing everyone but the Ambassador and his bodyguard (Hudson). Who was behind the attack isn't clear.

Soon, the Ambassador receives a phone call. Some unknown person indicates they have film footage of the Ambassador's wife (Ellen Burstyn) having very intimate relations with another man...a Palestinian with connections to the PLO. And, unless they are paid a million dollars, they say they'll publish the film. The Ambassador tells them to go ahead and publish it...he won't pay. But his bodyguard wants to investigate it himself. What follows is an attempt on the Ambassador's life and a lot of other things...such as a massacre and lots of violence.

On the plus side, the film was actually made in Israel...which isn't totally surprising considering the producers (Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus) were Israelis. Also, for a woman in her 50s, Ms. Burstyn has an amazing figure and her nude scenes must have pleased her! Additionally, Rock Hudson's character was pretty cool...sort of like the Terminator! On the negative side, the film's solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and the students' reactions do seem rather simplistic. Also, while the story has some interesting story elements, like a Golan-Globus product, there also are huge bloodbaths which come off as gratuitous and gory. On balance, the bad slightly outweighs the good and the film, which had some nifty ideas, gets the full Cannon Films treatment.