Explosive Command Atlantic

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Movie
German title Explosive Command Atlantic
Original title North Sea Hijack
Explosive Command atlantik.svg
Country of production Great Britain
original language English
Publishing year 1979
length 99 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
FSK 12 (DVD)
Rod
Director Andrew V. McLaglen
script Jack Davies
production Elliott Kastner
music Michael J. Lewis
camera Tony Imi
cut Alan Strachan
occupation

North Sea Hijack is a British action film from director Andrew V. McLaglen with Roger Moore from the year 1979 . It is based on the novel Sprengkommando Atlantik (original title: Esther, Ruth and Jennifer ) by Jack Davies , who also wrote the screenplay. The film opened in German cinemas on May 22, 1980.

content

Rufus Excalibur ffolkes is an eccentric and apparently very wealthy man in Scotland a small private detail from former Marines of the Royal Navy training for maritime special operations. ffolkes is taciturn, direct and shy of people; out of his unpleasant childhood experiences he hates women, but loves cats and “hates people who don't”. He also hates smokers, likes to drink scotch straight and embroider to concentrate, but is a highly intelligent, efficient and shrewd tactician.

Right at the beginning of the film, ffolkes is encouraged by a friend of mine at Lloyd's Insurance to develop a plan in the event that an oil rig is occupied by terrorists (“There are too many of them in the North Atlantic and we insure almost all of them!”).

One day a group of gangsters goes around a choleric leader who calls himself "Lou Kramer" ( Anthony Perkins ), disguised as journalists, aboard a supply ship for a number of oil rigs in the North Atlantic. The criminals take control of the ship and place detention mines on two oil rigs in order to then blackmail the British government (as the main shareholder of the operating company): They demand 25 million pounds and threaten to blow up both platforms if they are not delivered. Since the Royal Navy is not sufficiently prepared for an operation against the kidnappers, the government, in consultation with Lloyd's insurance company, instructs ffolkes to free the ship and eliminate the gangsters.

ffolkes had already considered in advance that such an action could be carried out from a supply ship and is now acting according to his plan for this case: He wants to involve Kramer in a psychological game of attrition by firstly delaying the payment of the ransom as far as possible, secondly by detonating it pretending to be on the first platform in order to prevent Kramer from destroying it, and thirdly, to be ordered on board in disguise and under a pretext with the Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Navy, Sir Francis Brindsen ( James Mason ), and with his Men who are supposed to board the ship from the sea, turn off the leaders of the criminals who have the ignition switch under their control.

ffolkes goes to the oil rig with Admiral Brindsen and the Lord Seal Keeper to prepare the plan. At first the plan worked as discussed, but when ffolkes boarded the ship with the Admiral and King, the director of the second oil rig, Kramer distrusted the newcomer - whose face he did not like - and had him taken off board again. A friend of Kramer's who wants to leave the ship is shot dead by a member of the gang. This means that ffolkes is forced to change plans: he persuades the prime minister to drop a bomb from the helicopter instead of the ransom in order to prevent the platform from being blown up if ffolkes and his men fail to overpower the criminals in the meantime . Despite numerous mishaps, ffolkes and his team manage to incapacitate the criminals at the last minute and turn off the ignition devices. ffolkes can shoot the flare at the last second, and the helicopter pilot can still turn off when the bomb is dropped; this explodes right next to the ship. The dying Kramer tries with the last of his strength to detonate the bomb, but is just prevented from doing so by ffolkes. With the last few words, Kramer tells him that he still doesn't like his face.

The people involved in this plot gather at the end for a ceremony at ffolkes' castle in Scotland. Since he has nothing to do with medals and honors, the Prime Minister instead gives him three kittens named Esther, Ruth and Jennifer, named after the supply ship and the affected drilling platforms, as a reward.

Reviews

"Largely boring adventure film, neither original nor exciting."

- Lexicon of international film

"A surprisingly realistic action film."

- Brian Lindsey

background

Dunguaire Castle in Galway, ffolkes castle in the movie

The film combines motifs from the crime and action genre with the fear of terrorism that arose in the 1970s . The subject of feminism is also taken up and contrasted with ffolkes' misogyny (a woman even saves his life). The film was shot in Dunguaire Castle and Galway, Ireland, among others .

When filming began in the summer of 1979, Margaret Thatcher had just been elected Britain's first female Prime Minister. With the occupation by Faith Brook - whose portrayal of the Prime Minister shows clear parallels to Margaret Thatcher - this personage was not only appreciated, but also used on film when the misogynist ffolkes said in astonishment: "She seems to understand the situation!"

Spelling of the name: ffolkes

At the beginning of the film, Rufus Excalibur ffolkes points out that his last name should be spelled with two "f", but only with a lower case "f". The reason he gives is that one of his ancestors was once denied the right to write his family name with a capital "F".

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Approval certificate for the Atlantik explosive unit . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , February 2010 (PDF; test number: 51 352 V).
  2. ↑ FFOLKES ( Memento from May 15, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Explosive Command Atlantic in the Internet Movie Database (English)