This is a good film, but just a tad "off". I think what bothered me was the rather flip attitude of Michael Caine's character. Just doesn't seem like a situation in which one would be so flip.
On the other hand, I would guess that it gives a pretty good idea of how things may have been in South Africa before freedom. And, there are so very powerful segments in the film.
However, just when you think you've got a great political thriller -- and you do -- you then find the story is really about diamonds in a sink hole (albeit diamonds that are to be used for Black freedom fighters). And who is helping them -- an Indian dentist. And then there's a scene dropping down into a sink hole followed by a sort of silly chase scene.
So, it starts out kinda serious and then gets kinda silly. Then has an improbable ending that nevertheless is very serious.
It's quite a good cast. Sidney Poitier may have been trying to move into action films with this film; and after this film is when he turned more to directing. Michael Caine is a foreigner in South Africa who gets dragged into the plot through his lawyer-girl friend Prunella Gee. Nicol Williamson plays a South African security officer chasing Poitier and Caine. Saeed Jaffrey plays the dentist and Persis Khambatta as his shady female partner. Rijk de Gooyer plays a Nazi-like security agent. Rutger Hauer plays the wife of Gee, needed only in the plot because he flies a plane.
The problem with the film is that it never quite figures out what it wants to be. Serious drama, sort of a buddy pic, slightly adventure pic. And that's the problem. Entertaining yes, but a split personality.
On the other hand, I would guess that it gives a pretty good idea of how things may have been in South Africa before freedom. And, there are so very powerful segments in the film.
However, just when you think you've got a great political thriller -- and you do -- you then find the story is really about diamonds in a sink hole (albeit diamonds that are to be used for Black freedom fighters). And who is helping them -- an Indian dentist. And then there's a scene dropping down into a sink hole followed by a sort of silly chase scene.
So, it starts out kinda serious and then gets kinda silly. Then has an improbable ending that nevertheless is very serious.
It's quite a good cast. Sidney Poitier may have been trying to move into action films with this film; and after this film is when he turned more to directing. Michael Caine is a foreigner in South Africa who gets dragged into the plot through his lawyer-girl friend Prunella Gee. Nicol Williamson plays a South African security officer chasing Poitier and Caine. Saeed Jaffrey plays the dentist and Persis Khambatta as his shady female partner. Rijk de Gooyer plays a Nazi-like security agent. Rutger Hauer plays the wife of Gee, needed only in the plot because he flies a plane.
The problem with the film is that it never quite figures out what it wants to be. Serious drama, sort of a buddy pic, slightly adventure pic. And that's the problem. Entertaining yes, but a split personality.