The Ambassador

Robert Mitchum plays the title role of The Ambassador and in this case he's the American Ambassador to Israel. He's got the notion in his head that if he can get the Arab and Israeli students dialoging, it might lead the way to eventual peace. Of course there are malevolent forces on all sides that don't want to see that happen.

But that's not Mitchum's only problem. His wife Ellen Burstyn has embarked on a torrid love affair with an Arab, played by Fabio Testi, who turns out to be a big honcho in the Palentine Liberation Organization. And somebody's been taking some nasty home movies of them doing the horizontal mambo. Setting up Mitchum for blackmail and embarrassment whichever comes first.

Playing the supporting role of Mitchum's Embassy security chief is Rock Hudson and this was to be his last feature film. As the film progresses the strain on Hudson's health is becoming apparent.

It was not a happy shoot and the results show it. Mitchum and Hudson did not get along particularly. According to Lee Server's biography, Mitchum spent most of the time getting plastered more than normal. Ellen Burstyn supposedly took a sample of what he was drinking and was shocked to find it real booze. But Mitchum was legendary for holding his liquor.

I can see why Mitchum wasn't particularly happy with the film. His role is essentially that of a well meaning fathead who thinks he has all the answers to the Middle-east. Hudson took his role strictly for the cash, because he was having increased medical expenses from what would kill him a year later.

Being it's a Golan-Globus film the usual quota of violence is present. When you do a film about the Middle-east, that's almost a requirement for a picture. Still the location cinematography in Israel certainly helps.

Too bad that Mitchum and Hudson could not find a nice western to do as a joint project.

During the 1980s, Cannon Films made a lot of films...sometimes with big-name actors in them. But they all had one thing in common...they weren't exactly subtle! So, if you want explosions, a little sex and violence, they were the go-to studio of the era. As a result, when I saw that they made "The Ambassador" I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of watching the movie. I only watched it because Robert Mitchum and Rock Hudson (in his final theatrical release) somehow were convinced to star in the film.

The story begins with a meeting between the Ambassor (Mitchum) and a group of Palestinians in the desert. He wants to talk peace...but before the meeting gets going, a helicopter attacks...killing everyone but the Ambassador and his bodyguard (Hudson). Who was behind the attack isn't clear.

Soon, the Ambassador receives a phone call. Some unknown person indicates they have film footage of the Ambassador's wife (Ellen Burstyn) having very intimate relations with another man...a Palestinian with connections to the PLO. And, unless they are paid a million dollars, they say they'll publish the film. The Ambassador tells them to go ahead and publish it...he won't pay. But his bodyguard wants to investigate it himself. What follows is an attempt on the Ambassador's life and a lot of other things...such as a massacre and lots of violence.

On the plus side, the film was actually made in Israel...which isn't totally surprising considering the producers (Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus) were Israelis. Also, for a woman in her 50s, Ms. Burstyn has an amazing figure and her nude scenes must have pleased her! Additionally, Rock Hudson's character was pretty cool...sort of like the Terminator! On the negative side, the film's solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and the students' reactions do seem rather simplistic. Also, while the story has some interesting story elements, like a Golan-Globus product, there also are huge bloodbaths which come off as gratuitous and gory. On balance, the bad slightly outweighs the good and the film, which had some nifty ideas, gets the full Cannon Films treatment.

The Ambassador (1984)

** (out of 4)

Well-meaning but incredibly over-active thriller has Robert Mitchum playing the American ambassador to Israel who is trying to bring peace in the Middle East. While him and his security advisor (Rock Hudson) are getting shot at, his wife (Ellen Burstyn) is banging a man (Fabio Testi) but neither one realizes that some terrorists are video taping their love sessions to blackmail the ambassador. Pretty soon it is revealed that the wife's lover might have terrorist ties himself.

Cannon was known for releasing countless action pictures that were usually rather mindless and just exploited the various subjects that they were covering. Film like DEATH WISH II, MISSING IN ACTION and AMERICAN NINJA were among the studios most popular pictures but THE AMBASSADOR is something completely different. It's clear that Cannon wanted to send a message to the Middle East that peace was possible but unfortuantly for them the movie just went off the rails so to speak. This picture simply tried to do way too much and in the end it's pretty much a complete mess.

The film is really all over the place in regards to what it's trying to do and it almost seems as if no one could agree on what to do with the picture. It starts off with some incredibly wild and over-the-top action scenes and so far so good. Then you've got a rather sleazy sex scene between Burstyn and Testi, which includes the actress doing some nudity. Again, so far it's fun. You then get into an incredibly long political drama about the whole peace idea and then there's some shocking and incredibly bloody violence that pops up at the end. All the while Mitchum and Hudson are trying to uncover this terrorist plot and get the sex tape back before it reaches the media.

I'm going to guess Cannon really wanted a serious drama but there wasn't a way to make money on that alone so additional bits of action were thrown in. Thompson, who was working in mainly "B" pictures at this time, manages to build up some nice action but the drama of the story is downright weak and the "message" of the movie is a bit silly to say the least. The film just never really packs a punch or builds up any sort of tension so the non-stop political talk eventually gets boring and when Mitchum's character isn't worried about the sex tape then why should the viewer be?

The film benefits from its terrific cast and that alone makes it worth sitting through. I think had Mitchum and Hudson switched roles the film might have been better but it was still fun seeing them together. Burstyn in good in her role of the wife and Testi is always dependable. You've also got Donald Pleasence so that's another plus. The film's violent climax features some gory shots that I'm sure shocked most people at the time of the film's release unless they were fans of slashers and were already used to it.

In the end, THE AMBASSADOR has its heart in the right place but it just never fully comes together.

This middling movie boasts a star-studded cast , such as : Robert Mitchum , Ellen Burstyn, Rock Hudson , Fabio Testi and Donald Pleasence . This movie's opening prologue states: "The Middle East is a powder keg, ready to explode. A melting pot of conflicting religious and political factions. Israel, with a population of 4 million, is surrounded by 8 Arab countries with a population of 80 million. A group known as the P. L. O. (Palestinian Liberation Organisation) has vowed never to recognize Israel's right to exist and to fight on until a Palestinian homeland is realized. Lately, there are signs that the P. L. O. Is willing to talk peace with the Israelis. A Syrian based splinter group of the P. L. O., the SAIKA, the most extreme of all existing terrorist groups in the area, spreads terror on both the Israelis and the Arabs in order to stop any possibility of peace negotiations. Within Israel there are two major conflicting points of view : The moderates, who are ready to sit at the table with the P. L. O., and the right wing extremists who refuse to accept a Palestinian state in the region. The MOSSAD is the intelligence agency of the state of Israel and protects the official Israeli government position.¨ As an American ambassador (Robert Mitchum) is sent to the Middle East to attempt to solve the area's deep political problems. In Israel he tries to bring peace to the Middle East , but things go wrong , as he quickly becomes the target of terrorist attacks and while extremely criticized by all factions , resulting in being blamed for the nation's unrest . To make matters worse , his wife (Ellen Burstyn) is having a thorny affair with a suspect man (Fabio Testi) . The President ignores him , forcing the ambassador to fend for himself , as his personal existence and his own life are threatened . Meanwhile , his security official (Rock Hudson who was in poor health due to AIDS) saves his life in an assassination attempts and tries to help him resolve the conflicts around them . His career is in jeopardy... His marriage is in ruins... And his life is in danger... HE'S THROUGH NEGOTIATING.

A well intentioned film in which a kindly ambassador attempts to solve a long conflict through unconventional methods , but his efforts are hampered at every turn . Based on Elmore Leonard's 52 Pickup and ramade a year lar under its own title ¨52 Pickup¨1986 by John Frankenheimer with Roy Scheider , Ann-Margret , Vanity , John Glover , in fact , both movies were produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and The Cannon Group . Interpretations are passable , such as Robert Mitchum who plays in his usual style as a controversial U. S. ambassador to Israel trying to solve the Palestinian question which takes a turn when his wife well played by Ellen Burstyn begins having an affair with a PLO chief finely performed by Italian Fabio Testi . Rock Hudson in his last theatrical movie role plays Mitchum's chief security officer , giving a regular acting as the resourceful agent who along the way helps him . However , supposedly Robert Mitchum and Rock Hudson did not get along with each other .

The motion picture was professional but middlingly directed by J. Lee Thompson , though it has some disappointing scenes , shortcomings , failures , flaws and gaps . He previously had a nice track record in the English cinema from 1950 until 1961 , directing good Western (McKenna's gold , White Buffalo) and all king genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes), terror (Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Flame over India ,Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba , Tiger Bay) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun , Chairman , The passage) . His two biggest successes turned out to be ¨Guns of Navarone¨and ¨Cape Fear¨. Thereafter , the filmmaker's career subsided in a morass of slickly realized but ordinary films. He moved into the field of international spectaculars , at which point his filmmaking seemed to lose its individuality . J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Caboblanco, Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Rating : 4.5/10, average , only for Robert Mitchum, Rock Hudson hardcore fans.

No wonder US foreign policy is always such a mess. It's probably because there is a genuine belief that stuff like this might actually be possible. Their ambassador to Israel arrives determined to sort of decades of political unease with the Palestinians just because, well he's Robert Mitchum! Assisted by his security chief "Stevenson" (Rock Hudson) he finds that his wife (Ellen Burstyn) is soon a pawn in a game he must play - at some risk - if he is to improve anything for anyone. Donald Pleasance shows up now and again as Israeli government man "Eretz" but for the most part this is one of those films where the whole is nowhere near the potential sum of it's parts. Indeed, as we progress it comes across as an over-written, politically simplistic and rather woeful opportunity for some stars nearing the end of their careers to have a nice holiday on the Mediterranean. Conspiring journalists, mass slaughters, helicopter chases - and a bit of illicit sex all creep in, but they can't really enliven this disappointing thriller that's really rather devoid of thrills. Rock Hudson's last full role - and not one I expect he'd be so very proud of.