Target of an Assassin

A movie with actors mouthing lines, dragging on into eternity. Anthony Quinn is considered one of our greatest stars, but every once in a while there is a clinker and this is one of them. The plot itself could be filled out nicely with some decent writing and a little editing. I always marvel at how in movies (Air Force One is an example), there is such incompetence. After a failed assassination attempt there should be an army standing guard and no one but those with total clearance should be in attendance. Still, a kidnapping can take place. Just the international implications boggle the mind. This isn't some guy, sitting in his living room. The other thing is the datedness of this film. Perhaps it's unfair to use this as a criticism. A great many "topical" films of the sixties and seventies seem to wear very poorly. As one looks back, it seems like a hundred years ago. The dialogue is really the most dated of all. If you watch this, you'll wish you had the two hours back at the end of your life.

British filmmaker Peter Collinson has made some quite interesting, if undervalued features (like "Open Season", "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Straight on Till Morning") however the low-budget B-picture "Target of An Assassin" was less than flattering. This muffled (terrible audio) and quite confounding film (adapted off the novel "Running Scared") would be something you might just come across on late-night TV and if so you would be trying your best stay with it. One thing the plot is rather muddled, abrupt and the whole affair is downright sluggish with a phone in performance by Anthony Quinn and b-actor John Phillip Law disappointedly playing second fiddle to everything else, despite his persistent hit-man's character getting the best moments. After an assassination attempt on an African president who's visiting South Africa, he's admitted to hospital only for a male nurse to kidnap and then hold him for ransom. Sharing plenty of time together the two soon begin to have a mutual respect for each other, but the threat of the assassin is still looming. The problem simply lies on the stout build up, as there's no real interest struck up from its overwrought and pandering script (where most of the time is spent on the complex, if compassionate relationship between Quinn and Simon Sabela's characters) and suspense is virtually non-existent (despite the feverish desperation of certain circumstances) where the few moments demonstrated are poorly conceived from Collinson's compact, if workmanlike direction. There are some good camera shots though, as the camera follows the action during the opening assassination and especially the cable car scene. Also showing up in a small part is South African actor Marius Weyers as a police Colonel who's doing his best to get back the African president. It has its moments but simply not enough.

"Be careful what you want, as you might get it".

The president of the fictional country of Gamba has just arrived in South Africa for medical treatment. Someone wants him dead, as an assassin takes a shot at the motorcade (a ridiculously impossible shot at that). But the man was not injured and soon he's in the hospital. His nurse is Slade (Anthony Quinn) and folks don't realize that Slade is dying...so he has little to lose when he decides to kidnap the President. What's next ? See the film.

This film has some very interesting ideas and the plot MIGHT have worked. But there are several parts that are utterly silly and hard to believe...such as when Slade takes the president to a nearby shop in order to phone in the ransom demand! Huh?! The President could have just told the folks in the shop who he was and had them call the police! But he didn't...and it gets even harder to believe as the film progresses. Also, later the Presient seems to LIKE being a prisoner and helps Slade...the most ridiculous Stockholm Syndrome case I've ever seen in a film! Overall, a genuinely odd movie...one that is hard to describe and is watchable...but also not all that good as well as so much of it makes little sense.

With a bit of a re-write, this film could have worked very well....but as is, it's just an odd little film with a big-time American actor and nothing more.

It's hard to imagine Anthony Quinn as an average Joe when he's so often a larger-than-life character, but in Target of an Assassin, he's just your ordinary male nurse. And believe it or not, it works.

Or is he just an ordinary nurse? In the story, John Phillip Law tries to assassinate an African president, Simon Sabela, but when he's unsuccessful, Simon is sent to a hospital to recuperate. Tony is his nurse, but he throws the audience for a loop when he gives Simon a sedative and kidnaps him! Who's the bad guy in this movie? You'll have to watch it to find out.

If you do decide to watch it, it's not very exciting. It's kind of like a bad 1970s action flick, which, let's face it, it is. Tony has a side plot of trying to protect his daughter and take care of his own illness, but it's clearly just a bone they threw him so he can show off his acting chops that are clearly wasted in an action movie. Needless to say, this one wasn't my favorite.

Others have noted the poor production qualities of this film. And that it has a very weak script, with directing to match. It is set in South Africa but has inferior cinematography that gives it a feel of Third World production quality – or that of a B-level film in Hollywood. So, how can it rate as high as a 6? Mostly due to the two main characters and the interaction between them. Sailor Slade and President Lunda, played by Anthony Quinn and Simon Sabela, respectively, add some human depth without which the movie would be flat and dull as a paper plate.

While the plot has some obvious holes, it has just enough intrigue to hold our attention, albeit loosely. Some – I suspect younger reviewers, are taken by John Phillip Law and his performance as Shannon. But his role, as the assassin, seems to be a subplot that at best helps keep a certain level of the intrigue. The real drama, both serious and light- hearted at times, plays out between the two protagonists. Both are older, wiser men, who play off each other nicely.

Those roles are not very strong either, but the plot is interesting enough, and Quinn and Sabela lend a little stature to the film by their performances. This could have been a very good movie with a polished script and a reasonable sum of money spent for quality direction, cinematography and editing.