The Scorpio Letters (film)
The Scorpio Letters is a 1967 American-British thriller film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Alex Cord, Shirley Eaton and Laurence Naismith. It was produced by MGM Television and shot mainly at MGM studios in Hollywood.[1][2] It was broadcast by ABC in the United States while being given a theatrical release in several countries including Britain. It was the last film directed by Thorpe in a lengthy and prolific career.[3] It is based on the 1964 novel of the same title by Victor Canning.[4]
| The Scorpio Letters | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
| Written by | Jo Eisinger Adrian Spies |
| Based on | The Scorpio Letters by Victor Canning |
| Produced by | Richard Thorpe |
| Starring | Alex Cord Shirley Eaton Laurence Naismith |
| Cinematography | Ellsworth Fredricks |
| Edited by | Richard W. Farrell |
| Music by | Dave Grusin |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date | 19 February 1967 |
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Countries | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $900,000 |
There are significant differences between the book and the film version, which was designed to take advantage of the spy boom following the success of James Bond. Eaton's link to that series was advertised by billing her as "The Goldfinger Girl". The film's sets were designed by the art directors Addison Hehr and George W. Davis. As it was intended for a cinematic run in several markets, particularly in Europe, it was made with higher production values than was often common for television films. It received positive reviews with Variety describing it as "very hip".[5]
Synopsis
Joe Christopher an American in London working for British Intelligence joins forces with Phoebe Stewart to investigate the death of a fellow agent who was the victim of a blackmail plot. Their pursuit of the truth takes them to Paris and an Alpine ski resort.
Cast
- Alex Cord as Joe Christopher
- Shirley Eaton as Phoebe Stewart
- Laurence Naismith as Burr
- Oscar Beregi Jr. as Philippe Soriel (Scorpio)
- Lester Matthews as Mr. Harris
- Antoinette Bower as Terry
- Arthur Malet as Hinton
- Barry Ford as Bratter
- Émile Genest as Garin
- Vincent Beck as Paul Fretoni
- Ilka Windish as Miss Gunther
- Laurie Main as Tyson
- Andre Philippe as Gian
- Harry Raybould as Lodel
- Danielle De Metz as Marie
- Milton Parsons as Mr. Atkinson
- Ivor Barry as Rt. Hon. John Murney
References
- Cord, Alex (2016). From Wheelbarrow To Ferrari: And Back Again. Texas: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 237. ISBN 978-1539355397.
- "Lord Mayor Visits". The Tampa Times. 1 September 1966. p. 3.
- Murphy p.586
- Goble p.69
- Variety. February 22, 1967. p. 42
Bibliography
- Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.
- Murphy, Robert. Directors in British and Irish Cinema: A Reference Companion. British Film Institute, 2006.