Audacia Fatal

Lloyd Bridges is touring in Spain, trying to get over the death of his wife. He runs into Peter Dynely, a war buddy from the RAF. They have a few drinks in between Dynely's unspecified business meetings, Dynely introduces Bridges to some friends, including Finlay Currie and Maureen Swanson, and lends him his car to drive back to London. Then he disappears. Bridges tries to interest the authorities, but they hint at something dark.

I enjoy movies that take their time getting to shooting match, but there needs to be a sense of progress, either towards chaos or a solution... or at least some diverting incidents or scenery. This movie doesn't work out that way. It's 63 minutes in length, and it isn't until more than halfway through that Dynely's disappearance is established, and then another 25 before anything significant happens. While there's some good scenery, including Miss Swanson, Spain consists of Bray Studios with a couple of medium long shots from the library. It's another unfortunately underwritten movie with a director -- Daniel Birt -- who seems unable to come up with ways of making the time pass more interestingly.

This has got to be the low water mark of all the Hammer pre horror films. Lloyd Nolan must have been really desperate to accept this film. Still he didn't have to over exert himself. This film commences with torpor and concludes with lethargy.. There are some excellent actors in the cast. Roger Delgado,who would find fame with Dr Who,George Woodbridge as an amiable policeman,and last but not least Finlay Currie,trying painfully hard,without success,to disguise his Scottish accent with a rather awful attempt at a Spanish accent.

It is bad enough that nothing of interest happens at the begining but it draws to a close with a whimper.

Lloyd Bridges stars in "The Third Party" from 1954. This film is also known as "The Deadly Game" or "Third Party Risk."

Bridges becomes involved in some chicanery when he runs into an old friend in Spain. He is asked to bring the man's car back to England and also deliver an important envelope for him.

Bridges soon becomes involved with secret love letters, murder, and microfilm containing important information. The police suspect him of murder.

It's up to him to set a trap for the real killer.

Very ordinary. Bridges was always very attractive and likable. The film runs 67 minutes but seems slower.

Last night we projected a beautiful 16mm print of The Deadly Game on the big screen! I think that seeing a motion picture on a film print projected on a large screen makes all the difference in the world! In the first place the print we ran was made in 1954 the year of the films release and was used here in the USA for television exchange. The picture and sound quality was a perfect as you can get. I have seen this print projected a few times over the years but not since 2018! I was surprised to see how many people didn't like this 1950's picture? Even seeing a DVD from a pristine source still can't compare to a real (or should I say Reel) film experience! There is something that digital can't even come close to the actual motion picture film presentation. It's a short picture under 70 minutes which is good! I liked everything about this old picture! It is still better than the garbage that is made today in 2021! (the year of our Covid-19) Besides we grew up seeing "Sea Hunt" in rerun her is Southern California in the late 1960's on afternoon TV! We enjoyed Lloyd Bridges in that show he will always be Mike Nelson to us kids who loved that old TV show! I don't know what happened to all 155 episodes shot in 35mm film but I am sure they have been left to decompose in a vault in Hollywood someplace, or even tossed by stupid ZIV TV! The Deadly Game is a fine little picture from Hammer Productions and it's ten stars from me, just because unlike movies today, there are no computers - cell phones - foul language - people covered with stupid tattoos - women with different colored hair - horrible loud rap / rock / country music! You name it, the 1950's was a better time in America and the world! Now the world is a piece of trash! I would take any movie from these times over anything made in the last 40 plus years! And television now is complete garbage! So kick back with a beer, and don't these old movies to serious, they were made to entertain and sell a movie ticket to play back the production costs! It's a product like a candy bar! There are classic films like "High Noon" and then there are these little B flicks, so enjoy! Got my second Pfizer shot yesterday and I feel like crap! Just Don't Do IT! This may be my last review! Goodbye cruel reviews on IMDB!