La spia che vide il suo cadavere

A super secret space research plant is blown up with all its six responsible members of the team, but one manages to get out of the inferno alive, although there is not much left of him, least of all a face. The story of John Welles, played by Michael Sarrazin, is intriguing indeed, as he finds himself without identity and memory as he is returned to life by extreme surgical efforts supervised by George Peppard as the man in charge of the investigation of the disastrous sabotage. As Michael is the sole survivor and the only one left who could have known about the secrets of the plant and why it was blown up (for the purpose of selling its secrets abroad), George Peppard has every reason to be extremely concerned about his case and bringing not only the survivor back to life but also and above all his memory. This proves more or less impossible.

This is the beginning of the plot, which leads into an abyss of mysteries and thickening intrigue unto the very last moment, when everything clears. It's an ingenious story, and although the environment of the film is dreadful, bunker prisons of mammoth overwhelmingness, it is nevertheless highly recommendable, and there is Christine Belford to add some necessary softer touch to the dreadfulness and inhumanity, which unfortunately is the dominating element of the film; and when Michael finally gets even with George Peppard, even that infallible dictator must admit that he deserved it.

I saw this in its original run in a college theatre. I have never been able to find it anywhere. Frankly, I'm just glad to see that it was remembered in imdb. If anybody can steer me toward a copy, please tell me. It was an independent precursor to Bourne before Bourne became an industry. Peppard is terrific. In fact, everyone is terrific.

There are not too many spy films which can conjure up a team of excellent actors for a movie. This however is one. "The Groundstar Conspiracy" is a dramatic thriller of sorts, except that in this movie, the private company is the target not the country. An explosion in a top secret installation causes a great deal of damage and sets off an investigation to find out who was behind the espionage. Enormous amount of destruction to be sure, but what the chief investigator (George Peppard) Tuxan wants to know is who is behind the sabotage. His only clue is in the form of a single survivor named John Welles (Michael Sarrazin) AKA Peter Bellamy, a man who has no memory of what happened. This is an excellent vehicle for the Cat and Mouse game which follows. The survivor is having tremendous difficulty trying to remember who he is or was and Tuxan is allowing him to struggle while he watches out for any of his friends to come and help him recover. It's an excellent film and one which gives the audience just enough information to follow the hero to the surprising ending. A good film and one which is enhanced by Nicole Devon as Christine Belford and Cliff Potts who plays Carl Mosely. ****

A super secret government space program laboratory known as Groundstar gets blown up while a woman, (Christine Belford) whose parents have recently died and is also recently divorced tries to find some solace for her shattered life in the summer house she was left in the will which just happens to be in the direct vicinity of the above mentioned lab. The lone "survivor" of the explosion stumbles to her house with a disfigured face followed by government security guru George Peppard and his crew who take him away to a high security hospital. Was he responsible for the explosion? The next time we see him, he turns out to be Michael Sarrazin. And what follows is a moderately intriguing story that delves into some of then, today's, and for all times big issues, such as unchecked government surveillance, brutal interrogation techniques, and brainwashing. The deft intermingling of personal elements with the government security apparatus and some political and public relations angles makes for a fairly sophisticated and complex movie.

Lamont Johnson worked a lot in television but he also directed some interesting films that should be better known; A Covenant with Death, The McKenzie Break, The Last American Hero, You'll Like My Mother and Lipstick. (Even Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone has its felicities!) The Groundstar Conspiracy is a low budget but fast moving thriller with a few twists and turns until the tense ending. All the elements of music, photography and dialogue are pulled together neatly to serve the narrative's momentum.

The plot may strain a little at the edges but the film is helped along by some good acting. Michael Sarrazin as the accused man is convincing. You can feel his terror and his bewilderment. Sarrazin's face helps, it looks beat about and haunted. George Peppard as the government man gives one of his best performances. A real hard case, driven almost by paranoia, single minded and ready to do anything to keep the state secure. Christine Belford and Cliff Potts are good too. It's a good little film.