The List of Adrian Messenger (Universal Vault Series)
by John Huston
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, George C. Scott, Kirk Douglas, Tony CurtisDirector: John Huston
Producer: Edward Lewis
Writer: Anthony Veiller
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: NTSC
Running Time: 99 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2010-01-11
Studio: Universal Pictures
Movie Reviews of The List of Adrian Messenger (Universal Vault Series)
Movie Review: "Messenger got me to (two?) (too?)"
Summary: 5 Stars
FIRST SNAP OF WINTER Stories of Dread
ON MORNINGS OF JANUARY SNOWS One Heart Abides in Three
Candles For November
THE LIST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER, is finally out on DVD, one of the milestone mystery films ever, based on the incredibly good novel by Philip McDonald. And published by Bantam in one of their best packagings. On the front cover of the paper back, a painting of a man, with a deadly furious face, his whole frame screaming out pain and anger, solve this mystery, YOU, holding out to us a piece of paper crumpled in his fist, the list. The best kind of mystery is British and the best writer of them was Philip McDonald.
Anthony Gethryn, called out of retirement to solve the mystery of why a plane was blown out of the sky on which was his friend, Adrian Messenger.
The film is brisk, mysterious, involving, and Scott is superb. He subsumes himself into the role, like he always did. It is atmospheric, mesmerizing, fascinating to watch; and see a great actor playing a great role. Every word, every gesture, every look, is the work of an artist. His passion to solve this mystery and to avenge his friend catches everything about the film in its grip. He is constantly thinking, constantly moving the puzzle pieces around, and in detail of depth, as quick quizzical solid detective work that frames itself in total logic turning into vengeful fascination with who caused the deaths of so many people, his friend, the people on the list, not connected with each other, why them? The lines are memorable and endlessly quotable. Like the Bantam book cover, the film is in striking black and white. As everybody always says, the stars in disguise had no meaning to it, the film is quite good all on its own; from the title credits, you know you're in the presence of a greatness. And that fantastic music.
From Gethyrn, in an eerie tour de force, trying to figure out the meaning of Adrian's last words, to an almost terrifying civil encounter with the killer, who can change not only facially and bodily, but can decrease or increase in height, it seems. Watch out for the eye scene. It is still shocking. The actors are superb, from Herbert Marshall to Clive Brook to the luminous Dana Wynter, it's so hard to believe so many gifted actors could be in one film. Kirk Douglas is extraordinary. The plot is ingenious. Though the ending differs from the book, it is quite good and very satisfying.
The gimmick, unlike the film, does not play fair, and is easily overlooked, except for two extraordinary performances, the "stars" getting their names ahead of the actors in the film still ticks me off.
George C. Scott was a chameleon of an actor. He was constantly reinventing himself. From his TV series, EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE, which in the name of God deserves to be out on DVD, to movies like DR. STRANGELOVE, THE CHANGLING and PETULIA, he always excels. And in this film, a cozy, comfortable deeply exciting movie British, he does indeed prove he was, as he once said he wanted to be, the greatest character actor ever.
Summary of The List of Adrian Messenger (Universal Vault Series)
Superstars Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra headline the witty thriller The List of Adrian Messenger directed by Academy Award(r) winner John Huston. A retired officer (Academy Award(r) winner George C. Scott) must uncover the identity of a mass murderer who is killing off the potential heirs to a family fortune. The only clues are the names on the list of murdered heir Adrian Messenger. The tension builds as the final evil unfolds during a suspense-filled fox hunt. Let the chase begin!This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video \"play only\" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives.
John Huston was eager for a lightweight lark, and The List of Adrian Messenger was just the project he needed. Philip MacDonald's upper-crust British murder mystery allowed Huston to work close to his Irish estate, including fox hunting and quail shooting well suited to Huston's lord-of-the-manor lifestyle. The mystery itself is clever enough: As a former MI-5 agent, George C. Scott is lured into the case when writer Adrian Messenger (John Merivale) gives him a list of 11 names to investigate, just before Messenger is mysteriously killed. Scott combs for clues to connect the names, and the film's promotional gimmick--big-name stars disguised under Bud Westmore's expert makeup--kicks into gear. Thus you get Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, and Frank Sinatra, barely identifiable under layers of latex, and the mystery never suffers from this playful distraction. Huston enjoyed making this film (he makes a cameo appearance, and his son Tony plays a supporting role), and that pleasure is passed along to the viewer. --Jeff Shannon
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