Der grüne Bogenschütze (1961)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jürgen Roland

Writers:

Edgar Wallace (novel)
Wolfgang Menge (writer) ...

Release Date:

2 February 1961 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Archer | Color In Title | Based On Novel

Cast

Klausjürgen Wussow	...	Inspektor James Lamotte Featherstone / Mr. Lamotte
Karin Dor	...	Valerie Howett, geb. Bellamy
Eddi Arent	...	Spike Holland
Harry Wüstenhagen	...	Julius Savini
Wolfgang Völz	...	Sergeant Higgins
Heinz Weiss	...	John Bellamy / John Wood / Der grüne Bogenschütze
Stanislav Ledinek	...	Coldhabour Smith
Hans Epskamp	...	Mr. Howett
Georg Lehn	...	Mr. Lacy / Sergeant Higgins
Edith Teichmann	...	Fay Savini
Hela Gruel	...	Elaine Bellamy
Gert Fröbe	...	Abel Bellamy

Also Known As:

Edgar Wallace - Der grüne Bogenschütze (West Germany) (TV title)
The Green Archer (USA)

Runtime:

95 min | Germany:89 min (DVD)

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Klangfilm-Eurocord-Magnetocord)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Castle Ahrensburg, Ahrensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Company:

Rialto Film Preben-Philipsen

Trivia:

The producers originally wanted Wolfgang Schnitzler to become on of the regular writers of their Edgar Wallace-Series. When Schnitzler's script of this film was re-written by Jürgen Roland's regular screenwriter Wolfgang Menge, Schnitzler was displeased and decided to leave the series.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Pastewka: Die Strategie der Schnecke (#2.2)" (2006)

Good Edgar Wallace adaptation is enjoyable, if a bit messy in the telling. A Good introduction to the German Wallace films of the 1960's

This is an adaptation of one of Edgar Wallace's most famous stories. The plot has Valerie Howett and her family moving into a mansion somewhere in England. The estate next door belongs to Abel Bellamy (Gert Frobe), an American of questionable background. Bellamy would prefer that no one live near by, especially the Howetts. In typical Edgar Wallace fashion there are multiple seemingly parallel story lines, Scotland Yard investigating Bellamy, Valerie trying to find out what happened to her long lost mother, and the mysterious and legendary Green Archer of the title, who appears to get vengeance on enemies of his family; which all converge in the final act. The while the plot is needlessly convoluted, it keeps things interesting for its 90 minute running time (it also prevents a simple explanation of the story).

Well acted by the entire cast this is one of the better Wallace adaptations to come out of the German Wallace cycle. Gert Frobe, best known as Goldfinger, is listed last in the credits, but is probably the one character on screen the most. He gives a performance that makes you wonder why we didn't see more of him in other films. The movie moves along at a good clip with some wonderful set pieces on a ship and in a flooding basement that keeps things moving along. If there are any real complaints about the film, its the attempts at humor, especially by the television reporter that acts as a sort of Greek chorus bookend to the film. Simply put its just not funny.

If you have a desire to see a good mystery this is worth a shot. Its probably the best introduction to the Edgar Wallace series that ran in Germany all through the 1960's.