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Sudden Terror

Original title: Eyewitness
  • 1970
  • PG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
835
YOUR RATING
Susan George and Mark Lester in Sudden Terror (1970)
Witnessing an assassination, a boy claims the assassins are hunting him. With his older sister, the pair escape numerous attacks and are aided by their grandfather and a resourceful young bystander even under the spectre of martial law.
Play trailer3:11
1 Video
60 Photos
CrimeDramaThriller

Witnessing an assassination, a boy claims the assassins are hunting him. With his older sister, the pair escape numerous attacks and are aided by their grandfather and a resourceful young by... Read allWitnessing an assassination, a boy claims the assassins are hunting him. With his older sister, the pair escape numerous attacks and are aided by their grandfather and a resourceful young bystander even under the spectre of martial law.Witnessing an assassination, a boy claims the assassins are hunting him. With his older sister, the pair escape numerous attacks and are aided by their grandfather and a resourceful young bystander even under the spectre of martial law.

  • Director
    • John Hough
  • Writers
    • Ronald Harwood
    • John Harris
    • Bryan Forbes
  • Stars
    • Mark Lester
    • Lionel Jeffries
    • Susan George
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    835
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Hough
    • Writers
      • Ronald Harwood
      • John Harris
      • Bryan Forbes
    • Stars
      • Mark Lester
      • Lionel Jeffries
      • Susan George
    • 16User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:11
    Trailer

    Photos60

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    Top cast19

    Edit
    Mark Lester
    Mark Lester
    • Ziggy
    Lionel Jeffries
    Lionel Jeffries
    • Grandpa
    Susan George
    Susan George
    • Pippa
    Jeremy Kemp
    Jeremy Kemp
    • Inspector Galleria
    Peter Vaughan
    Peter Vaughan
    • Paul Grazzini
    Tony Bonner
    Tony Bonner
    • Tom Jones
    Betty Marsden
    • Madame Robiac
    Peter Bowles
    Peter Bowles
    • Victor Grazzini
    Joseph Fürst
    Joseph Fürst
    • Local Police Sgt
    • (as Joseph Furst)
    David Lodge
    David Lodge
    • Local Policeman
    Anthony Stamboulieh
    • Police Lt Tacharie
    Robert Russell
    Robert Russell
    • Headquarters Policeman
    John Allison
    • Boutique Boy
    Maxine Kalli
    • Ann-Marie
    Jonathan Burn
    Jonathan Burn
    • Waiter
    • (as Johnathan Burn/Jonathan Burn)
    Jeremy Young
    Jeremy Young
    • Monk
    Christopher Robbie
    Christopher Robbie
    • Policeman
    Tommy Eytle
    • Visiting President
    • (as Tom Eytle)
    • Director
      • John Hough
    • Writers
      • Ronald Harwood
      • John Harris
      • Bryan Forbes
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews16

    6.1835
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    Featured reviews

    10whpratt1

    Susan George Looked Great in 1970

    If you like a good thriller this is the film for you, there are scenes which will keep you glued to your seats. Ziggy, (Mark Lester) plays the role as a little boy who has an older sister named Pippa, (Susan George) and they live with their grandfather who lives in a lighthouse on the Island of Malta. Ziggy has a great imagination and many times tell stories that are not true and no one really believes anything he tells them. One day Ziggy sees an assassination and also knows what he looks like and can identify this person who is in high authority on Malta. Ziggy is hunted down by this person and no one will believe him when he tries to tell his sister Pippa, they all get mad at him except his grandfather. Susan George looked radiant and very charming playing a great role along with a great child star, Mark Lester. Don't miss this film, it is great entertainment.
    teefus87

    okay but nothing special

    i bought this movie because i became a fan of mark lester after watching oliver. however i was somewhat dissapointed in this movie while it is exciting theres i snoyt much too it other than the boy being chased around by the bad guys. in is very voilent for a flim rated pg but of course pg 13 did not exsit back then.i guess basically it is a good movie to watch when you have nothing better to do.
    6christopher-underwood

    Van der Graaf Generator

    This has a certain amount of promise with its Maltese setting, a host of reliable British actors, a young Mark Lester and a fairly young Susan George. Although the cinematography is fairly sparkling, with shots into motorcycle mirrors, faces caught through gates and a superbly photographed car chase and aftermath, the director seems bored and as much time is spent letting Lionel Jeffries go on just a little too long than opening up a decent story line. There is, as might be expected, too much time with Lester too. Appealing enough as the young lad is, numerous sequences of him chasing or being chased make this seem more like a children's film than anything else, however attractive the streets of Valetta. Regarding the stop and start soundtrack, as an old fan of Van der Graaf Generator, I kept an ear out for their supposed contribution. No luck and nobody seems clear just what their input was but I'm assuming it was their music helping to make that road chase at the end so memorable.
    verna55

    Good suspense film with a great cast!

    In this interesting variation on THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF and THE WINDOW, a little boy(Mark Lester), known for telling tall tales, witnesses the brutal murder of a visiting President in Malta. Naturally, when he tries to tell his family they don't believe him, but the killers do! A good suspense film, but the cast is better than the material. Lester(of OLIVER fame) is outstanding as the colorful little lad, and Susan George and Lionel Jeffries as his frustrated sister and grandfather are fine support.
    6petegallows

    A few surprises

    Pros: a beautiful scenery, the plot itself is OK, a few not quite expected events, there's some suspense, a few chases and some of the actors did pretty well. Not an amazing film, but it's pretty good, all things considered.

    Cons: the grandfather is way too eccentric and behaves like a retired magician, or a circus ringmaster, not at all like a retired high rank military officer. I get that he likes his grandson and is amused by his free spirited attitude, and while that is cute, there's simply no way to take the grandpop's behaviour seriously. It's just not believable and it did spoil the film for me a fair bit. With that being said, while he acts strangely throughout most of the film, he turns into some sort of action hero towards the end.

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    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
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    Drama
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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Based on the novel Eyewitness (London, 1966) by Mark Hebden (aka John Harris).
    • Goofs
      Much of the car chase has the action obviously speeded up which is also a pity because it really didn't need to be as the chase is dramatic anyway.
    • Connections
      Edited into Dusk to Dawn Drive-in Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002)

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    FAQ14

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 10, 1970 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Eyewitness
    • Filming locations
      • Malta(made entirely on location in)
    • Production companies
      • Irving Allen Productions
      • EMI Film Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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