The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Philip MacDonald (story)
Anthony Veiller (writer)

Release Date:

29 May 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama

Tagline:

5 Great Stars Challenge You to Guess the Disguised Roles they Play!

Plot:

Messenger asks a friend to check into a list of names before leaving on a trip. When his plane is blown out of the sky...

Plot Keywords:

Accident | Wheelchair | Serial Killer | Multiple Murder | British

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Cameo
Kirk Douglas	...	George Brougham / Vicar Atlee / Mr. Pythian / Arthur Henderson
Burt Lancaster	...	Cameo
Robert Mitchum	...	Cameo
Frank Sinatra	...	Cameo
George C. Scott	...	Anthony Gethryn
Dana Wynter	...	Lady Jocelyn Bruttenholm
Clive Brook	...	Marquis of Gleneyre
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Karoudjian
Herbert Marshall	...	Sir Wilfrid Lucas
Jacques Roux	...	Raoul Le Borg
John Merivale	...	Adrian Messenger
Marcel Dalio	...	Max Karoudjian
Bernard Archard	...	Insp. Pike
Tony Huston	...	Derek Bruttenholm (as Walter Anthony Huston)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | West Germany:12 (nf)

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Joel Productions

Trivia:

Fourth of seven films that Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster made together.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Gwendolynne La Doll's address is shown on the manuscript as being on Fulham Road, London S.W.8., and later dialogue describing the location as "the Fulham Road" makes it clear that this means the main street of that name. But this runs from Fulham to Brompton, whereas the SW8 postal district lies across the Thames in districts such as Battersea and Wandsworth.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Get Smart: The Mess of Adrian Listenger (#5.18)" (1970)

Not just a whodunnit, but a who-the-heck-is-that-er?

Stunningly original. It's great fun sitting with people seeing the film for the first time and telling them all the big stars who are in it! "OK," they finally say, "I've seen George Scott and I've finally seen Kirk Douglas; where's everybody else?" Once you experience this classic, you'll know what I mean. Scott (one of the few Americans who can sustain a British accent) is wonderful as the sleuth. Houston's slight-of-hand direction is bang on. Goldsmith's wicked little theme and moody score need to finally be released on CD (Varese? Silva?).