La macchina della violenza

1972's "The Big Game" (La Macchina della Violenza in Italy, Todesgrube von Gamma 03 in West Germany) is an international production featuring location shooting in Rome, Hong Kong, and South Africa, with a diverse cast of veterans in Stephen Boyd, Ray Milland, France Nuyen, and reliable Cameron Mitchell. Alternate titles "Control Factor" and "Explosion" are more descriptive than the silly original moniker (more suggestive of a Monday Night NFL matchup), based on a little known novel called "The Two Sides" by Ralph Anders, adapted by Anders, producer Stanley Norman, and director Robert Day. The MacGuffin for this rather dreary spy meller is a mind control computer device conceived by Milland's Professor Peter Handley (intended as a weapon of peace), which passes inspection before security team Leyton van Dyk (Stephen Boyd) and Bruno Carstens (Cameron Mitchell). Unfortunately, Handley's two sons inspire little confidence, Mark (Michael Kirner) of somewhat greater assistance than playboy Jim (Brendon Boone), just returned from Hong Kong after being captured and tortured by the enemy. He's an easily duped and obvious security risk in this too casual, drawn out setup, en route by ship to Cape Town when a band of masked machine gunners board and take over for a new destination. It's a long slog to reach the final two reels, which at least deliver long promised action, but audience interest proves difficult when Boone's total milksop is the main focus, and luscious France Nuyen vanishes from the film for such a long stretch (like Ray Milland, she hasn't much to work with). The most pleasant surprise is Mitchell being cast against type in a heroic role, easily outshining the top billed Boyd with an easygoing nature and predilection for practicing his golf swing aboard ship, even warding off an assassination attempt with a pillow!