User reviews

Don Siegel will always be remembered as the man who gave us Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers and Dirty Harry, as well as being the mentor of Clint Eastwood when he was just starting out in the acting business. Here he tackles very atypical material with a low-key British spy thriller based on the book Seven Days To A Killing by Clive Eggleton. Although this is not really Siegel's kind of thing, he manages to coax sound performances from an impressive cast, and gets across a certain degree of excitement. From time to time the suspense slackens a little, but on the whole this is an engaging enough potboiler.

Major John Tarrant (Michael Caine) is a secret agent who is distraught to learn that his son has been kidnapped by a gang who want a batch of diamonds for his safe return. Tarrant's boss Cedric Harper (Donald Pleasance) has never got on well with Tarrant, and even goes so far as to suggest that maybe the kidnapping is an elaborate double-cross hatched by Tarrant himself in order to get hold of the diamonds. Supported by his wife Alex (Janet Suzman), Tarrant steals the diamonds needed for his son's safety, and attempts to elude his own colleagues plus the police long enough to secure the return of the young boy.

Critical opinion at the time seemed to be of the view that The Black Windmill was a bad film. Generous critics were kind enough to call it average. Perhaps everyone still had Siegel's extraordinarily good Dirty Harry fresh in their memories and were unable to accept that he couldn't always make films of that standard. The Black Windmill, while stilted and a touch dry in parts, is certainly not a full-scale dud. It has interesting plot twists, good acting (always good to see John Vernon in any of his '70s villainous roles), intriguing character clashes, and a nice sense of genre. I'd rather have a low-key thriller like this than one of the modern spectacular-but-empty popcorn actioners. Try not to be influenced by the negative buzz.... give The Black Windmill a try. It's no classic, but it's better than you might expect.

Don Siegel acknowledges one big mistake in his autobiography: due to a writers strike he ended up rewriting the script while he was also preparing the shoot as a Producer-Director. He should never have rushed to make this movie under such conditions. Then he puts the blame on Universal who, in the beginning, suggested he managed all three jobs, then, decided to release it as The Black Windmill, a title which bears no relevance with what the movie is about.

Sure, the storyline is far from flowing and it's a pity since there are so many fine performances in it. Donald Pleasance, John Vernon, Delphine Seyrig, Catherine Schell to name a few. Roy Budd's score is wonderfully in line with the atmosphere too. With all these, Don Siegel should really have been able to blame himself for his trademark flaw: used to shoot low budgets with lots of energy he forces a minimalistic loner hero inside the story. In his previous movie, Charley Varrick, it worked much better since the plot was more simple (aftermath of a bank robbery) with only a couple of important characters. Charley Varrick already lacked character development, but with Michael Caine, a counter-espionage civil-servant stuck between his bosses, his wife and the villains, it really bogs down the whole narrative.

It's a real pity so many things just don't add up to a tense situation. There is nice interaction in some scenes involving female characters, but basically the plot is not streamlined. One final word, Don Siegel style: the ending, as in Charley Varrick, is quite unsatisfactory. Not that it should be changed to some other outcome, but all good directors know how to close an action movie shortly after the ending climax. I don't know why Don Siegel would add some "post-coïtum" shot, having you wondering about some final twist, but no, it was just some fancy shot demonstrating how much the screenplay wasn't polished enough.

An interesting spy thriller starring Michael Caine.

The film is interesting and well depicts the atmosphere and look of those years. The cinematography is excellent and here we have an authentic look from that time. The music is great and fits in perfectly with the atmosphere of the film.

The characters are interesting, and the story slowly builds and the atmosphere becomes more tense as the film progresses. The details are subtle and realistic and enhance the impression of the film.

Michael Caine is excellent in the role of a cold-blooded spy who tries to save his son.

An interesting film with a tense atmosphere.

I caught this film when it was shown on British television recently and was surprised that I had never previously heard of it, despite the fact that it stars an actor as iconic as Michael Caine and was made by a director as famous as Don Siegel. The "black windmill" of the title is one of the two Clayton Windmills (known locally as "Jack and Jill") on the South Downs near Brighton; this windmill plays an important part in the plot.

As in "The Ipcress File", Caine plays a British secret service agent, but his character here, John Tarrant, is very different to Harry Palmer. Whereas Palmer was a working-class outsider, a former Army sergeant who was virtually blackmailed into joining the secret service to avoid a criminal charge, Tarrant is an establishment insider, part of the officer class. (He holds the rank of Major). He is engaged in an undercover operation to counter the activities of a gang of arms smugglers selling weapons to terrorists in Northern Ireland. (The film was made in 1974 when the Northern Irish troubles were at their height).

The film starts with Tarrant's young son David being kidnapped and held to ransom. The kidnappers appear to have a detailed knowledge not only of Tarrant's family circumstances but also of the work he is engaged on; as their ransom they demand a valuable quantity of uncut diamonds which he has recently acquired to fund his intelligence work. Tarrant initially believes that the kidnappers are connected either to the arms dealers or to the terrorists for whom they are working, and confides in his superior, Cedric Harper. As matters progress, however, he begins to wonder whether matters are really as they seem and whether he can really trust his colleagues.

This is far from being Caine's worst film. (For an actor of his distinction he made more than his fair share of dreadful ones, "Blame It on Rio" and "Ashanti" being two that come to mind). It does, however, highlight one of his weaknesses as an actor, namely that in the early part of his career he was not very good at conveying strong emotions. Most of his iconic roles, at least from this period, involved him playing characters who, for one reason or another, avoid showing much emotion. This could be because they need to keep up the "stiff upper lip" (his characters in "Zulu" and "Battle of Britain"), because they hide their feelings beneath a mask of impassivity (Jack Carter), because they deliberately avoid emotional commitment (Alfie Elkins) or because they try and distance themselves from their feelings through cynicism and irony (Frank in "Educating Rita"). Certainly, some of his more mature performances do show greater emotional depth, such as "The Honorary Consul" and "The Quiet American", but in "The Black Windmill" he is rather wooden, never suggesting the anguish and anxiety of a man whose son is being held for ransom.

Some of the acting is better; Janet Suzman as Tarrant's estranged wife Alex provides the emotional conviction that Caine's performance lacks, while Donald Pleasence is very effective as the smooth but unsympathetic and possibly duplicitous Harper. The film as a whole is a professionally made thriller, if not a very original one, but an essentially American director like Siegel was not the most natural choice to direct a British spy thriller like this one. "The Black Windmill" is never going to rank on his filmography as highly as the likes of "Dirty Harry" and "The Shootist". 6/10

Like a forerunner of Taken crossed with a '60s espionage movie (Harry Palmer with a dash of Bond), The Black Windmill stars Michael Caine as Major John Tarrant, an MI6 agent whose son is kidnapped and held for ransom. When his superiors refuse to part with the asking price - half a million in uncut diamonds - Tarrant goes rogue, stealing the stones to make the payoff.

Even though the plot for this thriller isn't quite water-tight, the assured direction from Don Siegel (Dirty Harry) and strong performances from a great cast (which includes Donald Pleasence, John Vernon, Clive Revill and Joss Ackland) ensure that the film is an entertaining ride, with some well staged action sequences and plenty of intrigue.

Fans of star Caine will not be disappointed - he puts in a fine performance as the calm, collected spy pushed to take matters into his own hands - whilst Vernon makes for a suitably cruel foe. Both actors meet for a mid-movie engagement in which Tarrant test-runs a very Bond-esque briefcase armed with a rocket, and again for a satisfying shootout in the titular structure.

While not a 'classic' like Dirty Harry, largely thanks to the awkward questions that arise from the twisty plot and uneven pacing, there is still plenty to enjoy here for fans of the genre.

6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

I've read several comments that point out the clumbsiness of the action editing in "The Black Windmill." I think what is being overlooked is that what we have been seeing for the past thirty years on tv and video has been a pan-and-scan version of a Panavision film. The action was designed for a widescreen and we've only been seeing half of it, sloppily panned-and-scanned, making it seem jumbled. I believe that the widescreen dvd release will prove me right.

Admittedly, in terms of Siegel action-drama quality,this flick falls in the middle ground between the great "Dirty Harry" and the so-so "Telefon." But even the low-budget Telefon is much more exciting in its original wide aspect ratio than in "full" screen.

I just bought and watched the new blu ray of this,and greatly enjoyed it.

I have seen this film before but only on late at night on tv when I was half asleep and the commercials and the pan and scan ruined it for me.

When I concentrated on watching it on wide screen and with interruptions it seems a much better film than its weak reputation.

Perhaps viewers expected more action from the director of Dirty Harry.

The action in the film is fine but it is smarter than just an action film.

So if you are spy or Caine fan or just like good acting seek this film out.

The film has lots of good actors in small parts and the script is good.

But the viewer has to stay alert to enjoy the film.

Now somebody tell me why the same director's Telefon is not on blu ray.

Roger Ebert amongst others expressed their disappointment at THE BLACK WINDMILL on its release . Much of this disappointment is down to the director being Don Siegel who directed many famous thrillers including INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS , DIRTY HARRY and CHARLEY VARRICK . He is a director well suited to high concept American thrillers but there's something so very stiff upper lip and British about the mis-en- scene of THE BLACK WINDMILL . Someone's son gets kidnapped and his parents discuss it like one of their goldfish has died . You'd think such things as guilt and recriminations would feature heavily but apparently Brits are even less emotional than the pod people in INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

There's also a few very , very large plot holes throughout the movie one of the largest of which takes place in the opening sequence . Two young boys go to an airfield to fly their model plane . How earth did the villains know that the children would be appearing at that location ? Probably because if they didn't the film would have started in a completely different way or may not have started at all . When you've got a big name director it's interesting how many people pay no attention to the narrative

Every now and again you come across a film that's somewhat a letdown, even when those expectations are kept at bay. Don Siegel's mid-70s espionage-thriller 'The Black Windmill' that starred Michael Caine falls in that category. If anything it was that title (which the story is adapted off Clive Egleton's novel "Seven Days to a Killing") which caught my eye. Siegel's adapt, controlled workhorse direction tackles the subdued material with little suspense, but constructing something tight, sullen and dry with the main focus on building something out of its elaborately knotty (but dubious) premise. It's a true pot-boiler entangled with twists. While the material is stimulating (with some good work by the solid support performances and an occasionally witty line) and the sturdy set-pieces are competently crafted, however the pacing is too blotchy and in the end it builds to really nothing. It loses some weight due to the lack of suspense and urgency with a crackerjack climax that's just too quick. Michael Caine's composed performance is strongly delivered, and John Vernon makes for an ideally icy and conniving villain. Donald Pleasance is delightfully squirmy (which his character likes to really fiddle with that moustache) and Janet Suzman provides some fire. Delphine Seyrig and Clive Revill offer able support too. Roy Budd's sizzling, but low-key music score works well and Ousama Rawi lenses it with a great illustrative eye. Siegel's touch is evident in both of those devices. An unexceptional feature, but still its well organised and performed.

In 1965, Caine created the role of Harry Palmer in the Ipcress File. It was good enough to spawn two follow-ups: Funeral in Berlin and the Billion Dollar Brain. By 1974, the movie-going public was used to seeing him in the role of a secret agent. Here he gets in trouble, and although you know that by the end of the film he will emerge victorious, or will he? I'm not telling. But the excruciating fun is in trying to figure our what will happen next. Filmed in Europe, Black Windmill" is directed by Don Siegel. Clint Eastwood credits Don for his success as a director, and, of course, Siegel also directed some of Clint's best movies. The pacing is even throughout and builds to a suspenseful climax. Let it not be overlooked that Donald Pleasence in a supporting role is at his usual best. The human chameleon that adapts beautifully to whatever role is given him. John Vernon is especially menacing. To me, seeing old movies a second or third time is like visiting with old friends. Everybody has their own "Casablanca" and "Shawshank Redemption." If you haven't seen this one yet, please do. It will become one of your "old friends" which I'm sure you will visit again and again.

I usually enjoy Michael Caine's films, but though this one started promising enough, its second half made the overall effect disappointing. The most dissatisfying aspect was how Tarrant and his wife worked out exactly where their son was being held on the basis of a phone call from the Brighton area and the villain's reference to a "pleasant farm" and two "rather unusual windows"; this defied belief.

Other contributors have already noted one witty reference, to "Sean Connery"; there is another, in that the Tarrants rendezvous outside a cinema where "Battle of Britain" (starring Caine) is showing.

And wasn't that Richard Attenborough playing the jeweller visited by the two men from New Scotland Yard; this role appears not to feature in the filmographies I've glanced at.

Two English boys are kidnapped by a criminal crew. One of the boys is the son of British intelligence officer Major Tarrant (Michael Caine). Cedric Harper (Donald Pleasence) is his boss and Sir Edward Julyan (Joseph O'Conor) is the head of MI6. Tarrant is in a meeting with them and others when he gets a call from his wife. Their son has been taken and ransomed for diamonds. Eventually, he has to battle both sides to get his son back.

While I like the premise, I am taken back by two issues. First, I got confused by several scenes in the movie. It's possibly due to my stupidity. I don't know the reason for the naked picture session. When the second boy shows up in the hospital, I assumed him to be the Tarrant boy. I kept losing track of the characters. The plot seems simple but I couldn't catch every scene. The second issue is Caine. I never get a sense of terror, anger, tension, or trauma coming from Major Tarrant. In fact, one scene has him making a joke wink as he makes an escape. The performance lacks the needed desperation. It doesn't fit. He's doing it wrong or the directing is wrong. I still like the premise but the execution is off overall.

The Black Windmill combines the minds and talents of a certain American filmmaker named Don Siegel with a certain British actor named Michael Caine, between them coming up with this: a perfectly fine, if rather unspectacular and somewhat flimsy, thriller about kidnap; espionage; suspicion and stone-faced revenge. Three years earlier, each of the said men had had separate hits within the field of most of the above in the form of Get Carter and Dirty Harry, respectively; two films about cold-blooded and somewhat self centred men willingly going up against rather impossible odds to attain a sort of personal or moral parity. The films were lean and mean, thoroughly engrossing pieces featuring a lead actor some might say has never been better and a director handling particular material with the utmost care and attention. 1974's The Black Windmill takes the lead from one and the director from t'other, thus cooking up a tale which is again a combination of both Get Carter and Dirty Harry in the form of search and rescue melded with cold-hearted revenge before serving an edible enough dish which isn't as engaging nor as daring as the said films but is perfectly fine in its own right.

Those expecting something anything better than either examples will be sorely disappointed, The Black Windmill far 'talkier' and dealing more with crime and investigative procedure in a way that sees its leads as more mature without the material actually being as mature. When Caine's character organises to meet up with his wife covertly and behind the backs of those whom trace them for whatever reason, they work out a series of codes or keywords that each of them know the other will immediately recognise, and it's all played out rather tactfully and routinely. Both leads in Dirty Harry and Get Carter probably wouldn't have even bothered with such things; wading on it, doing what needs to be done before wading on out again with a put-down not worried if anybody was hurt or offended as long as they got what they wanted. There was more of an immediacy to those attitudes complimenting those films, both a starker and franker atmosphere encapsulating the mindsets of the leads; where such methods were far more primitive, it was additionally far more daring; far bleaker and far more engaging in that manner they were.

This film begins with two boys playing where they ought not be playing, less-so because of the sign telling them not to and more-so because a psychopathic criminal and his blundering accomplices plan on swiping the pair of them. We can tell something's not quite right with these military officials when they're picked up and brought back to a hangar; the headlights of a jeep obscuring clear view of those instigating the scenario and a female second in command revealing a little more leg than a more upstanding, respecting officer of her ilk might. Sure enough, they are taken and it is Michael Caine's father, John Tarrant, of one of the boys whom is the parental victim along with his wife Janet (Suzman). Tarrant is more broadly linked to the military, a British intelligence officer with the rank of major whom is working on another job at the time of the crime to do with other criminal dealings; the fact he has to pass on a stakeout mission for what arises suggests expertise within that field, specifically in both tracing and investigation whilst maintaining an anonymous presence, key items which will help in his eventual quest.

The impact of his son's taking is made all the more affecting when the time comes for he and Janet to first find out what exactly has happened; the calling of their house by the enemy, a certain individual identifying himself as Drabble, allowing the voice of Tarrant's son David on the phone and Siegel allowing Janet's pained reaction fill our screens. The film toys as to whether Tarrant himself might be in on it, Caine's minimalist reactions and reserved response to the situation causing certain higher-ups to question his integrity and if he isn't, then only adding to the professionalism and cold-bloodedness his character surely embodies. With a ransom demanded, fingers pointing in every-which-way and everybody rather perturbed at everything and everyone else, the stage is set for Caine to embark on a treacherous mission encompassing danger and death to try and fetch his son and use violence as a means of getting even. The film is a firmer and more calculating effort in its depiction of both revenge-seeking as well as people-finding; a film heavier with plot which in itself isn't necessarily as water tight as one would have liked and only really allowing Caine to step out of the boundaries of the law in a stable but more watered-down manner when compared to the unperturbed, pulpy brute force of certain other anti-heroes in certain other earlier examples whom you felt were frothing-at-the-mouth mad dogs let loose from their collars and on a mission to attain what they wanted.

Siegel does just about enough to keep everything moving along, the odd narrative hiccup here and there not necessarily pasted over enough for it to not be as glaring as it is, while the post-Q's workshop/sub-James Bond gadgetry sequences of a certain briefcase being introduced purely so that it may be used later on are a little strange. Regardless, the cast play it as straight as they can and Caine goes along with his own post-Ipcress File/sub-Jack Carter incarnation of a military man on a mission, beginning with the worst case scenario and ending with a framework favourite: the descent into Hell; all in all, working relatively well and engaging the viewer on a basic level of narrative complexity twinned with slight observation on supposedly ever increasing corruption within the state itself's most trusted.

I watched this movie and at first I was going to stop. There is swearing in the first 10 or 15 minutes and after that no more. Michael Caine is a good actor who is some kind of secret agent whose son is kidnapped for money and diamonds. He goes to great lengths to get the government officials to help him get his son back who about 10 years old but they refuse to give him the diamonds. Then he does what a good father does. He snoops around his bosses offices finds the info he needs and get the diamonds out of a safe deposit box.

He then has to meet up with the criminals who get lots of joy causing pain to people they capture or need. His son is heard screaming in calls to him in pain. Michael Caine is on the run from bad and good people. Lots of physical stunts. Very violent movie, I could not wait for it to be over but it was a good movie full of action and intrigue.

Warning>>> in one of the scenes a woman takes off her coat is nude and proceeds to lay in a bed. Her boss takes a picture of her to make it look like MC is a compromised agent. Michael Caine is a good man and does not know the picture is taken in his room. The crime team leaves other things to make him look guilty to his boss and the police.

"The Black Windmill" had the potential to be an entertaining spy thriller like "The Ipcress File." Alas, this wasn't the case in my opinion.

The plot is very boring,there isn't much excitement or incident,Michael Caine sleeps his way through his performance (doesn't he always?), Don Siegel's direction is lacking in inspiration and the talented supporting cast are going to waste. The film finally warms up a bit for the last 20 minutes but it's too little too late.

Michael Caine was 23 years old when he began making films in 1956. Within a decade he had reached star status with such films as "Zulu" of 1964, "The Ipcress File" of 1965 and "Alfie" of 1966. He would continue to have big hit films for the next two decades, and several beyond that. But, his hits were interspersed with some lesser films. A number were average and some even below average.

"Black Windmill" is one of the first of his so-so movies. The film is based on a 1973 novel, "Seven Days to a Killing," by British novelist Clive Egleton.

The idea of the plot is a good one, and the film has a cast of fine actors. But the screenplay is poor. The film direction and editing are weak and appear to leave holes in places. The story is very slow and Caine's, character, Maj. John Tarant, is weak and poorly scripted. His performance is even less than mediocre, at least through the first two-thirds of the film.

This movie had the potential to be a griping spy and crime thriller. But, the poorly written story and lack of energy among most of the cast quickly tire an audience. It's a strain to rate this film even six stars, which I give on the strength of two performances. Donald Pleasance is very good as the hypersensitive, nearly schizoid MI-6 chief, Cedric Harper. And John Vernon is very good as the hardened criminal plot leader.

This is a very odd film. The plot is extremely convoluted: a gang abducts the son of one man (Michael Caine) with no money, in order to obtain diamonds from the government (via Donald Pleasance). Pleasance then refuses the diamonds to Caine (thus proving the gang should have chosen someone with money) who then steals them and travels to France with a James-Bond-esque suitcase. Meanwhile the gang is meticulously trying to implicate Caine in the abduction (for some unclear reason) which involves killing their own female gang member and framing Caine. But when he is captured by the police they help him escape...

If this were not convoluted enough, the writers obviously try to lighten the tone of its harrowing subject matter (child abduction and torture) with some comedy moments which seem very misplaced.

The whole "implicate Caine" subplot is particularly strange and seems more to inject a bit of lurid sensationalism (nude snaps and dead girl in bed) and to provide an excuse for a poorly executed escape sequence. I'm not even sure why the capture/escape is staged in France apart from the fact that French cops have guns and therefore Caine can be shot at. This brief French excursion unnecessarily causes another poorly staged sequence; his need to get back into England.

One also wonders why the girl would allow herself to be photographed etc. Planting evidence incriminating your own guilt is hardly a good idea, and she must surely have smelt a rat?

All this shot in the unimaginative fashion of a typically gritty 1970s British film (with typical music too) which makes us think more of a long episode of THE SWEENEY than anything cinematic (compare the feeble pursuit on the underground here with that in the FRENCH CONNECTION which was obviously the inspiration for it).

For this work, scenes of "action", a Don Siegel specialty, are less significant than those that generate characterization and plot, functioning to release tension rather than keep it at bay, although the director's customary taut pacing and stoniness are here, within a twisty story largely faithful to its source, a Clive Egleton novel: "Seven Days to a Killing", strongly scripted by Leigh Vance to further define the character-focused film. A cleverly fresh storyline involves a kidnapping, the victim being son of MI-5 operative John Tarrant (Michael Caine), with a ransom demand for greater than one half million pounds worth of uncut diamonds that are resting within a Defence Ministry safe, as an unknown traitorous official has informed the abductors, with subsequent dual scenario devices of Tarrant's struggle to retrieve his son held by illicit arms syndicate villains, along with Ministry efforts to culpably link Tarrant with the conspiracy. The film benefits from attention to continuity, no loose ends rupturing one's concentration, with heed to detail perhaps its primary strength, yet telling contributions come from many, including players Caine, who adds a needed element of engagement to his Harry Palmer persona, Delphine Seyrig giving a splendidly nuanced performance as companion of the principal evildoer (played with effectual guile by John Vernon), and Donald Pleasence earning the acting laurels here as a dispassionate MI-5 security chief, along with Clive Revill, Joss Ackland, and ever intense Janet Suzman.

Siegel's hand is apparent in the spare deployment of music, with scoring and silence each appropriately employed; palette and filter for well-composed cinematography and montage (shooting is in London, Paris and the Sussex countryside); a symbolic use of clothing colours; and accomplished post-production efforts, all increasing the worth of a piece undervalued by some reviewers, indeed by Caine himself, unfortunate in the event as the film is one of Siegel's finest, his skill with improvisation mating well with capable workmanship.

Michael Caine has always been one my favorite actors, but unfortunately he often starred in mediocre-at-best vehicles and had roles that wasted his talents. "Black Windmill" is such a vehicle: long, confusing, flat, nasty, interminable and thoroughly routine. The picture does show some occasional signs of wit (watch for the early scene where the name "Sean Connery" is mentioned), but is really marred by its clumsy editing during the (few) action scenes. Even Caine himself just goes through the motions. At least the movie has the blue-eyed John Vernon, who makes a convincing villain.

Implausible plot. Cheesy special effects. One of the worst acted films I have ever seen. Stand wooden faced, then scowl and shout. Over and over. Given the caliber of the actors and since they were all doing it, I have to blame the director. Unwatchable. I gave it a two because it was not actively offensive, just really, really bad.

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"And wasn't that Richard Attenborough playing the jeweler visited by the two men from New Scotland Yard"

I thought the exact same thing. It was the highlight of the movie. Too bad he wasn't in the rest of the movie. He must have read the script.