Le grand défi

Original title: Hennessy

1975
PG
1h 43m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

911

YOUR RATING

Lee Remick and Rod Steiger in Le grand défi (1975)

Play trailer2:38

1 Video

18 Photos

Action Drama Thriller

Hennessy is an Irishman who believes in peace, but who has had connections to the I.R.A. After his family is killed he plots revenge, setting out to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.Hennessy is an Irishman who believes in peace, but who has had connections to the I.R.A. After his family is killed he plots revenge, setting out to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.Hennessy is an Irishman who believes in peace, but who has had connections to the I.R.A. After his family is killed he plots revenge, setting out to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

911

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 2:38

Hennessy

Photos18

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9:57

Storyline

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Trivia
The movie had a difficult time getting shown in England. When the movie was first submitted to the British movie review board, it was rejected because it appeared that Queen Elizabeth II was acting in the movie. Producer Samuel Z. Arkoff managed to get the board's approval by adding a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie stating that the Royal Family had not participated in the making of the movie and that Queen Elizabeth's appearance was done using newsreel footage. Then English distributor EMI, which was the distributor of Arkoff's movies in England, stated to the press that that they were "a defender of the palace" and refused to handle the movie. The J. Arthur Rank Organisation, the other major movie distributor in England, also joined the boycott for the same reason. Ultimately, the movie only played in a few theaters in England.

Goofs
At the end of the initial shooting scene, in Belfast, a train goes past in the background. It is clearly a dark blue British Rail DMU with the white double arrow symbol of BR. But Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) was not part of British Rail in 1975. NIR DMUs at the time would have been two-tone red and white or blue and white.

Crazy credits
This motion picture incorporates extracts from a news film of The Queen at a State Opening of Parliament which, when photographed, was not intended for use in a fictional context. The Directors of Hennessy Film Productions, Ltd. would therefore like to make it clear that the Royal Family took no part in the making of this film.

Connections
Referenced in The Starlets (1977)

User reviews27

Featured review

9/10

Just For Interest

My father-in-law, Les Hammond, did the sound on this film, and I remember at the time him telling me that he did not think this film would be released on general release because the authorities thought it would be looked upon as some sort of bible for terrorism. We went to see it a long time after it's release, and I'm pleased to say that it was an eye opener. The storyline was good, the acting was excellent (the accents were difficult but you can't have everything). I'm a great fan of Rod Stiger and he did not let anyone down in this film. Les Hammond is still in rude health and will be celebrating his 100th birthday on 6th June 2008.