My original review written in August 1980 after a press screening in Manhattan:
A fine action-suspense film shot last winter in Canada, "The Kidnapping of the President" has good topical prospects in this presidential campaign year. Lack of b.o.-exploitable names in the familiar cast should be a stumbling block, however.
Functional script by Richard Murphy from Charles Templeton's novel has Third World terrorists devising a plot to bring America to its knees by kidnapping the president. Hot issue of whether anyone should accede to terrorists' demands is pic's central theme.
After an unpromising, needlessly bloody opening set in South America, film settles down to gripping tale of terrorists led by chilling psychotic Miguel Fernandes, snatching president Hal Holbrook, who is wading through a crowd in downtown Toronto. Handcuffing himself to Holbrook, Fernandes believably makes off with his hostage by threatening to detonate explosives strapped to his vest. Plausibility of this well-directed staging drives home the fact that any politician routinely risks death in public appearances from some deranged person willing to forfeit his own life in the bargain.
Storing the prexy in a booby-trapped security truck, Fernandes holds up the U. S. government for $100,000,000 ransom. Secret Service head William Shatner, vying with the CIA for jurisdiction authority, is faced with the tough decision. Excellent last-reel pacing leads to suspenseful resolution.
Key subplot involves veep Van Johnson also under pressure. First faced with a "Billygate"-type bribery scandal and secondly ambivalent about saving Holbrook, as wife Ava Gardner eggs him on to take a stand.
After the fiasco of his first feature "Stone Cold Dead", director George Mendeluk has come back with a solid action film, which wisely doesn't hide its Canadian origins. Murphy's script marks a welcome return to features by the screenwriter of "Boomerang", "Panic in the Streets" and "Compulsion". Mike Molloy's budget-stretching photography in the oval office set and on Toronto locations is outstanding.
Shatner and Holbrook are effective in their central roles, but the film's real star is Fernandes, creating a spell-binding anti-hero as the lead terrorist. Elizabeth Shepherd is quite affecting in her small role as the First Lady. Guestars Van Johnson and Ava Gardner form an attractive couple as veep and wife in their first featured teaming in 35 years, since "Three Men in White".
Functional script by Richard Murphy from Charles Templeton's novel has Third World terrorists devising a plot to bring America to its knees by kidnapping the president. Hot issue of whether anyone should accede to terrorists' demands is pic's central theme.
After an unpromising, needlessly bloody opening set in South America, film settles down to gripping tale of terrorists led by chilling psychotic Miguel Fernandes, snatching president Hal Holbrook, who is wading through a crowd in downtown Toronto. Handcuffing himself to Holbrook, Fernandes believably makes off with his hostage by threatening to detonate explosives strapped to his vest. Plausibility of this well-directed staging drives home the fact that any politician routinely risks death in public appearances from some deranged person willing to forfeit his own life in the bargain.
Storing the prexy in a booby-trapped security truck, Fernandes holds up the U. S. government for $100,000,000 ransom. Secret Service head William Shatner, vying with the CIA for jurisdiction authority, is faced with the tough decision. Excellent last-reel pacing leads to suspenseful resolution.
Key subplot involves veep Van Johnson also under pressure. First faced with a "Billygate"-type bribery scandal and secondly ambivalent about saving Holbrook, as wife Ava Gardner eggs him on to take a stand.
After the fiasco of his first feature "Stone Cold Dead", director George Mendeluk has come back with a solid action film, which wisely doesn't hide its Canadian origins. Murphy's script marks a welcome return to features by the screenwriter of "Boomerang", "Panic in the Streets" and "Compulsion". Mike Molloy's budget-stretching photography in the oval office set and on Toronto locations is outstanding.
Shatner and Holbrook are effective in their central roles, but the film's real star is Fernandes, creating a spell-binding anti-hero as the lead terrorist. Elizabeth Shepherd is quite affecting in her small role as the First Lady. Guestars Van Johnson and Ava Gardner form an attractive couple as veep and wife in their first featured teaming in 35 years, since "Three Men in White".