The High Commissioner

This 1968 production has a great blend of cast and the outline of the film is well described in the comments of bampton. where Scobie Malone, an Australian outback detective Sargent is summoned by the Premier of New South Wales to go to London and safely escort an Australian diplomat(Christopher Plummer) back to Australia. Scobie(played by Rod Taylor) is annoyed to go to Sydney (the capital city of the state of New South Wales) after having just returned from there. This scene of when he is summoned also shows a unique and beautiful background of outback Australia at that time.

Rod Taylor plays the part of a rugged bushman exceptionally well, as he is outspoken, grumpy and speaks his mind without too much concern as to who may be present. I even like his Australian accent as it stands out at the London banquet amongst the upper class English gentlemen in their tuxedo, who pay more attention to their etiquette as they are tensely worried by his unpredictable outbursts of free speech. In contrast to his role in Time Machine" where he is much more docile and well spoken. This is what I believe makes a good actor, especially with the extreme diverse roles that they can perform and I believe that Rod Taylor performs brilliantly.

There is also a scenery of a tennis match at Wimbledon between an Australian and an Englishman where Scobie boasts to them that Australia is in front. Yet, Scobie also shows his Australian charm as he is a real softy at heart and his bark is louder than his bite, but is also an outstanding policeman where he surprises all those that underestimate his police skills purely by judging a book by it's cover.

Without giving too much away, I do recommend this movie and should be judged fairly as it is a late 1960's production and should not be compared to modern cinema. I do enjoy repeats of it as it seems to be more inspiring . A brilliant blend of cast which also include Leo McKern, Lilli Palmer and Charles Bud Tingwell. Worth watching!!!!

Taylor and Plummer work well together in a very underrated, now forgotten thriller. They play off each other very well. Taylor plays an Australian cop and of course excels. He's a human wrecking ball surrounded by dumb Bobbies and even dumber British secret agents. There's no actor today like Taylor although Hugh Jackman might come close.

What a disappointment! I've enjoyed the Jon Cleary books about Scobie Malone, but there's little resemblance between him and the cinematic Malone. In the books he's a city detective, who is devoted to his wife and doesn't get involved in fisticuffs. For the film the character has been spiced up, into an outback copper who uses his fists and isn't averse to jumping into bed with a gorgeous girl, though quite what she and the film's other sex interest see in him I don't know; Taylor was 39 at the time and his face was getting puffy.

But his character's stamina is remarkable; he flies in from Australia, apparently goes straight to the Commissioner's house (rather unwisely seeking to arrest him during a black-tie reception), saves him from assassination (getting into a fight in the process), goes to a casino with one girl, leaves with another and takes her to bed. So much for jet lag! On the way back to the Commissioner's house (showing a good knowledge of London back streets), he gets beaten up by the baddies, but is still first down to breakfast! It's also remarkable that the commissioner's limo has its windscreen and headlights miraculously repaired within minutes of the assassination attempt and that one character has a touching faith in the precise timekeeping of a clock-activated bomb.

The best thing is Joseph the Butler's disdain for the uncouth Malone. And at least the film avoids being a London travelogue, though some scenes take place during the Wimbledon tennis week.

One can't help but think that at some times the story is a little stretched. A high percentage of Taylor's dialogue is un-needed, which isn't to say he doesn't perform well.

Taylor plays an outback police-sergeant sent by the Premier of New South Wales to place an indictment on the Australian Ambassador in London and bring him safely to custody. However, his arrival in London coincides the same time as the ambassador (chris plummer) seems to be making a breakthrough in middle-eastern diplomacy. Taylor is persuaded by Plummber to wait until the summit is completely before talking him back. However, predictably there are certain foreign powers at play who would not want to see the summit reach any peaceful negotiations. And so the ambassadors life is at risk. Of course, Taylor is there to make sure that he is brough safely back to Australia - to stand trial and face the allegations which even he begins to find a bit suspect.

Yeah, rent it watch it on tv. It's enjoyable. Nothing brilliant. The end is particularly reminiscent of Sabotage, when you think of it.

An air of mystery permeates this Cold War thriller, set mostly in London. Rod Taylor plays Scobie Malone, a rough and tough, and slightly uncultured Australian security man. His assignment is to bring back to Sydney a VIP diplomat named Sir James Quentin (Christopher Plummer), charged with the murder of a young girl many years earlier, long before he became The High Commissioner.

Initially, the question the plot asks is: what kind of man would kill a young woman, then vanish, then later turn up as a government diplomat? Is there some twist here? Maybe the diplomat was not really the murderer. Or, maybe he did it, but his personality has changed.

Sir James agrees to return to Sydney with Malone, but first wants to wrap up an important peace conference, to which Sir James seems genuinely devoted. His work on behalf of world peace seems conspicuously inconsistent with the mindset of a murderer. Malone agrees to the delay, but quickly learns that someone, or some entity, is trying to kill Sir James. The plot then switches to the vexing question: who wants to bump off Sir James, a man intent on fostering world peace?

Less spy adventure than elegant mystery, "Nobody Runs Forever" keeps viewers guessing, both about Sir James' past and about the threat that now surrounds him.

My only real complaint is that the motivation of Sir James' enemy (or enemies) is glossed over. Very little is actually explained at the end, except for the specific question of whodunit.

Otherwise, this is a fine mystery. The haunting, vaguely depressing score by Georges Delerue enhances the cloak and dagger atmosphere. Casting and acting are above average. I especially like the performance of Lilli Palmer as Lady Quentin. And dazzling Daliah Lavi is quite beautiful. Costumes are expensive and regal.

I'm baffled as to why this film is so seemingly obscure. It's not that old. It certainly does not lack for star power. And it's a quality production, all the way. Maybe its because the IMDb title is inconsistent with what U.S. viewers remember as "The High Commissioner".