The Adventurer

The Adventurer is one of the least remembered of the ITC filmed series, and likely little seen or heard of since the mid-1970's. Along with The Protectors, it marks the start of the wind-down of the golden era of the genre. Both series may have benefited from being in an hour-long format like their predecessors, to develop the characters and plots and dispense with the quick editing. I believe they were made half-hour long due to the requirements of the US network.

Gene Barry seems rather tired throughout, and a bit old and overweight for the role, but he does bring a likable presence to the programme as the smart lead, set against the straight-laced & impeccably-mannered Barry Morse as the ministry man. In some respects they compare to Tony Curtis/Roger Moore in The Persuaders (1971) but there is less camaraderie & chemistry between them, and Morse is more like the authoritative judge (Laurence Naismith) character in that programme, rather than the adventurous Lord played by Moore.

The Adventurer has a larger regular support cast than usual for ITC, including Catherine Schell and Garrick Hagen, and they are more energetic than Morse and Barry. Progressions from previous ITC series include much of the incidental music and the extensive location footage (including much in industrial Europe). In tandem with traditional ITC stiff upper-lip these point to the concurrent Van Der Valk and later series like The New Avengers and The Professionals.

By 1973 though, seventies realism was replacing sixties optimism and substance was superseding style. Gene Barry at over 50 years old often looked incongruous in contemporary fashions.

His character, along with the Simon Templar and Jason King-types was on the way out, we already had Van Der Valk and were waiting for the imminent arrival of The Sweeney and The Professionals. Thus The Adventurer, though more entertaining than might be expected, fell rather unsatisfactorily between earlier and later genres perhaps explaining why it languishes in relative obscurity.

A series of it's time and what a time it was!

Babes like you cannot believe, who are clean and willing to please, but importantly also able to take care of themselves and business as well. The Clothes are gorgeous and locations pretty special.

Yes, it's suffers from 16mm film stick and low quality TX, but if your 4K eyes can stand it it is still worth watching. We need to find the negative and do a blue Rey version sometime...

Stories are sometimes a total mess with dialogue that is very simple, but Gene Barry, criticised at the time for being a Prima on an ego trip, is solid and smooth as silk. Sure he's fifty something, a bit slower than his thirty something enemies, but he outwits them, can land a punch and more importantly duck on cue.

I mean they land a helicopter in a farmers field for one shot! What's not to like, escapist fun!

This television series' main plot theme is manipulation, action, glamour and excellent car chases.

The interesting thing about THE ADVENTURER, is the number of locations, that is used in this tv series.

It does make effective use of its locations in London, The South Of France, Holland and Belgium.

GENE BARRY (WAR OF THE WORLDS, BURKE'S LAW) is the star of this show, supported by the two stars of SPACE 1999, being BARRY MORSE and CATHARINE SCHELL.

This series was created by Monty Berman and Dennis Spooner, who were the creators of other ITC shows such as THE CHAMPIONS and DEPARTMENT S.

The first eight episodes have two Executive Story Consultants, Dennis Spooner and Marty Roth, but from episode nine onwards the show has only one Executive Story Consultant, being Dennis Spooner.

This series was on shot 16 mm film, instead of 35mm film. The reason why they did this, was that 16mm was a lot cheaper than the more expensive 35mm film. The trouble with 16mm film is that it is very granny and not as fresh and clean like 35mm film.

So when you watch this series on dvd you will notice the scratches and tears on each of the episodes.

With the episodes that are made and set in England, I noticed the cars that are used a lot in this series are all the latest Vauxhall cars.

With the exception of Gene Bradley, who drives or rides in much more sophisticated cars.

My understanding of the Gene Bradley character is that he is a man who is charming, manipulative and cocky.

He wears lots of suede and denim jackets with big lapels, which was the dominant clothing for men in the early 1970's.

While his pretty assistant Diane is cool, clever and charming.

Barry Morse who plays Gene Bradley's boss Mr Parminter, in some episodes plays his part either lightweight or heavyweight. In fact you get to see two different personalities of his character.

What is clever of each episode is how the plot builds up into a grand finale.

The fight scenes in every episode are awful, they comical and very slapstick.

The car chases are excellent, the best in a television series of its time.

Filming began on THE ADVENTURER at the start of April 1972. They finished filming it in September, so it took only six months to make, and it made its debut on ITV at the end of September 1972.

Although Gene Barry plays THE ADVENTURER character with excellent charm, he is unfortunately too old, too slow and overweight to be an action, adventure hero.

For more insight about this television series, you can read my reviews of all twenty six episodes on IMDB.

NOT QUITE ENTERTAINING.