The Liquidator (1965)

Director:

Jack Cardiff

Writers:

John Gardner (novel)
Peter Yeldham (written by)

Release Date:

28 October 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Right between the eyes is where it hits you . . . Boysie Oakes is DEADLIER than the most dangerous spy !

Plot:

Colonel Mostyn is the chief of a section of the British Security Services when they are embarrassed by the number of spies and defections...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Agent | Aviation | Assassination | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Rod Taylor	...	Boysie Oakes
Trevor Howard	...	Mostyn
Jill St. John	...	Iris
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Chief (as Wilfrid Hyde White)
David Tomlinson	...	Quadrant
Akim Tamiroff	...	Sheriek
Eric Sykes	...	Griffen
Gabriella Licudi	...	Corale
John Le Mesurier	...	Chekhov
Derek Nimmo	...	Fly
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Young Man
Jennifer Jayne	...	Janice Benedict
Heller Toren	...	Assistant
Betty McDowall	...	Frances Anne
Jo Rowbottom	...	Betty
Colin Gordon	...	Vicar
Louise Dunn	...	Jessie
Henri Cogan	...	Yakov
Daniel Emilfork	...	Gregory
Scott Finch	...	Operations Officer (as Scot Finch)
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	Mac
Richard Wattis	...	Flying Instructor
David Langton	...	Station Commander
Tony Wright	...	Flying Control
Suzy Kendall	...	Judith
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexandra Bastedo	...	Radio Operator (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Cardiff

Writing credits
John Gardner		(novel "The Liquidator")
Peter Yeldham		(written by)

Produced by
Leslie Elliot	....	executive producer
Harry Fine	....	associate producer
Jon Penington	....	producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Edward Scaife		(director of photography) (as Ted Scaife)

Film Editing by
Ernest Walter

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
John Blezard

Costume Design by
Joan Bridge
Elizabeth Haffenden

Production Management
Basil Rayburn	....	unit manager
Tom Sachs	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Tomblin	....	assistant director
Brian W. Cook	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Gill	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Terry Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Ted Clements	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
John Graysmark	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Allan Sones	....	sound editor
Cyril Swern	....	sound recordist
A.W. Watkins	....	recording supervisor

Visual Effects by
Tom Howard	....	special processes (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan McCabe	....	camera operator
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Lalo Schifrin	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	transportation chief (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty Harley	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1965) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (USA)

Other Companies

• Richard Williams Films  titles
• Uniflex  furniture designing

Runtime:

USA:105 min | Argentina:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Edgwarebury Hotel, Barnet Lane, Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Based on the first of the 'Boysie Oakes' novels by John Gardner, published in 1964. There were seven more: Understrike (1965), Amber Nine (1966), Madrigal (1968) Founder Member (1969), The Airline Pirates (1970), Traitor's Exit (1970) and Killer for a Song (1975). After that Gardner took over writing the James Bond series from the late Ian Fleming.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Boysie and Iris leave the Colonel's empty office she turns off the lights, but as we see them exit from the other side the room is not dark.

Quotes:

'Boysie' Oakes: Good evening Colonel, you caught me lying down.
Colonel Mostyn: Who with?

Soundtrack:

THE LIQUIDATOR

A funny spoof on the spy genre that was typical of the 1960s.

"The Liquidator" was such an amusing film. I loved the fact that Shirley Bassey sang the theme song a la James Bond. It was great to see a spy whose hormones were far more potent than his efforts with a gun. A particularly funny part occurs when Trevor Howard is rescued by Boysie, as Paris is being liberated. Howard thinks that Boysie is a killing machine when, in fact, he is a hopelessly clumsy young man. Rod Taylor is deliciously sexy in the film and displays his flair for comedy.