Operation Diplomat (film)

Summary

Operation Diplomat is a 1953 British drama film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Ernest G. Roy.[2][3][4]

Operation Diplomat
Directed byJohn Guillermin
Written byA. R. Rawlinson
John Guillermin
Based ona story by Francis Durbridge
Produced byErnest G. Roy
StarringGuy Rolfe
CinematographyGerald Gibbs
Edited byJoseph Sterling
Music byWilfred Burns
Production
company
Nettleford
Distributed byButcher's Film Service
Release dates
December 1953 (UK)
July 1954 (US)[1]
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

This was one of Guillermin's earliest films. A profile of the director calls it "perhaps the first example of prime Guillermin ... a 70-minute programmer so tautly directed that every image counts, every detail matters, every actor's movement feels perfectly timed – a true gem."[5]

Plot summary edit

A surgeon operating on an unknown patient discovers that he is involved in the kidnapping of a British diplomat. After his personal secretary is murdered for revealing the patient's identity the police are called in.

Cast edit

Critical assessments edit

When the film was released The Monthly Film Bulletin called it an "energetic yet improbable figure with too many points left unexplained".[6]

More recently a writer for TV Guide concluded that "this film is hard to swallow, but the non-stop action helps cover up the gaping holes in the plot",[7] and a writer for Filmink asserted that "it's crisply done".[8]

References edit

  1. ^ Drama Has Icy Locale Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times 1 July 1954: A9.
  2. ^ "Operation Diplomat". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012.
  3. ^ OPERATION DIPLOMAT Picture Show; London Vol. 62, Iss. 1617, (Mar 27, 1954): 10
  4. ^ Pratt, Vic; Lees, Kate (2020). "CHAPTER 3 EARLY DAYS WITH ADELPHI FILMS". In Guillermin, Mary (ed.). John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies. Precocity Press. p. 45.
  5. ^ Olaf Möller, "Savage Spectacles", Film Comment January/February 2014, pp. 20-21.
  6. ^ OPERATION DIPLOMAT Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 21, Iss. 240, (Jan 1, 1954): 11.
  7. ^ "Operation Diplomat". TV Guide.
  8. ^ Vagg, Stephen (17 November 2020). "John Guillermin: Action Man". Filmink.

External links edit

  • Operation Diplomat at IMDb  
  • Operation Diplomant at Letterbox DVD
  • Operation Diplomat as Reel Streets