North Sea Hijack

This little seen film is the original version, and earliest example, of what is now commonly see as the modern actioner. Long before Bruce Willis saved Nakatomi Plaza, Roger Moore was involved in this rescue of a 2billion pounds worth British Oil rig in the North Sea. The story is thus, Anthony Perkins and his crew of villains hi-jack a supply ship heading for Ruth and Jennifer, two British oil rigs. When docking with them, they are rigged with explosives, and are to be detonated if a hefty ransom is not met. Cue eccentric English naval expert Moore, and his daring plan to save the day. Not as explosive as its predecessors, but as interesting.

If you've seen Roger Moore as The Saint, as 007, as any other character, even if you haven't liked him, you'll enjoy him as "ffolkes," the cat-loving misogynist of this movie. Even though I'm very much a feminist I loved this character. I don't think that the casting of Anthony Perkins was too obvious, I think he brought complications to a simply drawn character. The supernumeraries on either side are just complicated enough to be slightly confusing and still enjoy their conflicts.

This is one of my favorite movies. Of course, so is "Eating Raoul."

It has often been said that Roger Moore can't act - that all he can do is raise his eyebrows a few inches. This film refutes this notion. Here we see Roger Moore in an unusual role...for anyone, not just him.

A group of hijackers take over an oil rig. The owners have no choice but to call in an SAS-style group of mercenaries under the command of Roger Moore's character - an eccentric woman hating cat lover named ffolkes (with two small fs), who lives in a Scottish castle.

The plot is pretty formulaic and predictable. What makes this film watchable is Roger Moore's character.

Hilarious are the reactions of the passengers in a first class train compartment to ffolkes doing his petit point while slugging a huge bottle of whisky.

He is also superb in his acting just before he gets rejected by the terrorists for "grinning like a cat." It's enough to make one a Roger Moore fan!

A gang of criminals hijack a Norwegian supply vessel for two North Sea oil rigs. After attaching limpet mines to both rigs, they demand a huge ransom from the British Government. The insurers - Lloyds of London - call in the eccentric Rufus Excalibur Ffolkes and his highly trained team to bring an end to the situation.

First off, this is not a great film and makes no pretension to be one. It is however quite enjoyable on its level, which is that of a fairly straightforward and formulaic thriller with some dashes of humour. Roger Moore gives a pleasing performance as the woman hating, arrogant and irascible Ffolkes, who is the complete antithesis of his version of Bond. Much of the gentle humour of the film arises from his constant put downs to all around him. Anthony Perkins is the head of the gang, and plays him with typical cold blooded menace. Also James Mason turns in a nice portrayal of an exasperated Admiral.

Director Andrew V.McLaglen keeps things moving along, and the setting is at least a bit different from the usual scenarios. The finale does seem something of a let down after the build up, but it doesn't ruin the film.

I hadn't seen this for a few years, so I enjoyed watching it again last week when it got a screening on TV. I recorded it and watched it a couple of days later while laid low with the 'flu. Its tongue in cheek nature cheered me up, and surely that's the whole point of these types of films.

The canteen on the set of North Sea Hijack, there's the principal players sitting around having a drink. James Mason pipes up to say he was nominated for three Oscars, worked with some of the greats. To which Anthony Perkins chimes in, "I was in Psycho!". In strolls Andrew McLaglen, "I used to direct John Wayne movies once", and there's Roger Moore, a smug grin on his face, he doesn't need to say anything, he has got the James Bond franchise to fall back on, North Sea Hijack is merely the chance to have a good time and get paid for it. The others realise this fact and decide the best way to play this is to just run with it, have a good time, and really that is what anyone watching the film should do.

North Sea Hijack is a riot, daft but never boring, but not to be taken seriously. The plot has some guff about Perkins leading a bunch of criminals in an attempt to bags load of cash by threatening to blow up a couple of oil rigs. In comes wealthy and eccentric Roger Moore to lead a crack team of commandos to stop the fiendish plan. Cue a deadline to be met, some shouting, some tongue in cheek dialogue and big finale that isn't very big at all. The action is on the tame side but it's honest, and Moore's Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (yes, with a little f) is as fun a character as he ever played. And if you look closely, you can actually see Perkins turning to Mason and saying, "I was in Psycho you know!". 6.5/10