Rogue Male

It is 1939, and Europe is on the verge of war. At a manor house deep inside German territory, Hitler is entertaining guests. From the surrounding woodland, Sir Robert Hunter, an Englishman, watches the party through the lens of his sniper rifle. He means to assassinate the Fuhrer, though at the last moment, his plans are scuppered. With his life hanging in the balance, Hunter must summon all his wit and courage to withstand the Nazis' brutal interrogation methods and plot a daring escape.

Directed by Clive Donner, 'Rogue Male' is an exciting, tense made for TV movie based on the novel of the same name by Geoffrey Household, first published in 1939. A gripping thriller, the tale had been previously adapted for screen in 1941, as Fritz Lang's 'Man Hunt,' which starred Walter Pidgeon and Joan Bennett. Closer to the source material than Lang's version- though still not without differences- it is engaging, with sharp dialogue and a compelling narrative one would be hard pressed to forget.

The film weaves a tale of peril and perseverance, set against the backdrop of a Europe teetering on the brink of war. Frederic Raphael's screenplay showcases not only the external conflict of a continent on the precipice of international combat but also the internal struggle of a man fighting for his principles. Sir Robert Hunter's character arc is a testament to the human spirit's resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity.

The tension escalates as Hunter, a man out of his element but not out of his depth, uses his ingenuity to turn the hunters into the hunted. His journey is not just a physical one, but also a moral odyssey, as he grapples with the consequences of his actions and the true meaning of justice. In the broader context of war thrillers, Donner's film distinguishes itself with its focus on psychological warfare and the survivalist aspect of Hunter's journey. It doesn't rely solely on action sequences to build suspense; instead, it crafts a tense atmosphere through character development and the looming threat of discovery.

As Hunter evades his pursuers, the English countryside becomes a character in its own right, with its rolling hills and shadowed woods providing both sanctuary and peril. The cinematography captures the stark contrast between the tranquil beauty of nature and the dark undercurrents of Hunter's flight; which Christopher Gunning's emotive score compounds. Moreover, Tony Abbott's production design- as well as John Bloomfield's costume design- is grittily authentic, lending a weight of realism to proceedings.

Peter O'Toole stars as Hunter, supported by Alaistair Sim, John Standing, Harold Pinter and Michael Byrne. O'Toole's nuanced lead performance is a standout of his career, deftly capturing the essence of a man driven by conviction and haunted by the moral implications of his mission. Sim, in his final film, brings a gravitas to his role as Hunter's uncle, that underscores the film's serious undertones, while John Standing's work as one of the villains of the piece brims with a witty menace. Similarly, Pinter does fine work as Hunter's friend and lawyer, while Byrne is excellent as a sadistic jackbooted Nazi- a role he has played numerous times and always to great effect.

Clive Donner's 'Rogue Male' is more than a chase thriller; it is a reflective piece on the choices we make and the paths we take when civilization itself hangs in the balance. Featuring a compelling narrative, witty dialogue and strong characterisation; it has a lot to offer. Boasting fine performances from all in the cast- especially those of star Peter O'Toole and Alastair Sim- as well as an effective score and striking cinematography- it is, in every respect, right on target.

For those of us who still wonder at how the world could have been hornswaggled so long by Hitler, this movie gives us an insight into the spell he had some of the English under!! O'toole plays the brave nobleman who attempts to assassinate the personable madman at his holiday digs. I could have done without the 'pull his fingernails out' scene, but the point was driven home.

He was tortured and escaped with some help from a wonderful German who considered the Nazi thugs 'trash', as well as English sailors. Knowing O'toole's background in the Royal Navy, his disguise didn't take much acting. The 'by the book' captain who refused to allow a search of his vessel by the intimidating Germans made me wonder if any of my compatriots would stand up to that today.

If you've never seen the Tower Bridge, the significance of O'toole coming up from his cramped hiding place onboard the ship, seeing the underside of the bridge, might escape you. He portrays the joie de vivre of that moment wonderfully. I could just fall into his beautiful blue eyes!!

The interplay between O'toole and his uncle, as the love then hate relationship between Parliament and Hitler progresses, gives great insight into how this horror happened. O'toole, the rogue, is under suspicion and search by, not only the Nazi English agents, but his own people, normal agents of government!!! This only added to my usual cynicism concerning governments. Now to read the book!!!!

This is a faithful adaptation of the book by Geoffrey Household. It was made in 1941 as Man Hunt, directed by Fritz Lang. That was also a good film, particularly the George Sanders character, but in no ways is it as good as Rogue Male. This was a TV movie, and the color has faded over the years, but it is extremely provocative of the country in south England. I give it a 9.

I first saw this in the mid 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. This film is criminally underrated n it definitely deserves a remake with bigger budget, action sequences n a different ending.

The film is about a hunter who gets a chance to shoot Hitler but misses it. He is then tortured n left for dead by the nazis. He somehow manages to make his way back to his home country. Fearing of extradition n the nazis n local cops after him, he goes under the ground. Yes, literally under the ground. The film turns into a survival thriller n we come to kno that our hunter is the forefather of Rambo. The film is beautifully shot with some amazing countryside locations. The editing, acting n direction is top notch.

This film is based on a book. There is a 1941 film version. The writer of the Rambo series got heavily inspired by the book upon which this film is based on.

"Rogue Male" is Geoffrey Household's finest thriller, and has long been one of my favorite books. I only discovered the existence of the film recently, and, sold by the screenwriter, director and cast listings, bought it sight-unseen, which I NEVER do. I was not disappointed. Cuts and changes were made, of course, the vast majority thoroughly justifiable. One or two others, while perhaps not strictly necessary, did no harm at all. The result was complete justice to the novel and a fine film!