The episode is saved from being plain by the surprising turn of events as feisty Prue, the girl from "The Old, The New, And The Deadly" turns up again. Prior to this, the leading lady, Suzan Farmer, gave a lackluster performance, I am sorry to say. She absolutely failed to generate any real interest, and was one tiny step away from sinking away into an abyss of boredom.
But the right girl dived onto the script, the delightfully spunky Juliet Harmer. She makes the other girls look positively slow, even though there is an abundance of pretty models as set decoration - she stands out like a rose amongst daisies. Notice the conspiratorial laugh in her scene with Danny (Tony Curtis) - she has live pulsing through her veins, while the others are made of cardboard. There is a most thrilling car chase scene during which Juliet is just absolutely the perfect choice, 100% ideal for the part. What's more, all of a sudden the whole episode is turned from a sad loser to... Well, in all fairness, not even Juliet could turn it into a winner. But instead of being a sad loser, it is now just a (for the most part) loser.
I've always stressed the importance of a sparkling leading lady in film. The girl is everything. Screw the special effects, show me the likable girl... Here we have a wonderful example of an actress creating viewer interest the moment she appears on the screen, livening up an otherwise dull affair.
Okay, so early Seventies fashion needs the soft look, and all those fur coats would today cause a public outcry, but as a testament to its time, THE PERSUADERS! can't be beat!
THE PERSUADERS! - classic sports cars and some really cute dolly birds. Chuckles aplenty goofing about with a fading star and the upcoming James Bond. A recipe in there for greatness. One big fruitcake. Fun, though.
But the right girl dived onto the script, the delightfully spunky Juliet Harmer. She makes the other girls look positively slow, even though there is an abundance of pretty models as set decoration - she stands out like a rose amongst daisies. Notice the conspiratorial laugh in her scene with Danny (Tony Curtis) - she has live pulsing through her veins, while the others are made of cardboard. There is a most thrilling car chase scene during which Juliet is just absolutely the perfect choice, 100% ideal for the part. What's more, all of a sudden the whole episode is turned from a sad loser to... Well, in all fairness, not even Juliet could turn it into a winner. But instead of being a sad loser, it is now just a (for the most part) loser.
I've always stressed the importance of a sparkling leading lady in film. The girl is everything. Screw the special effects, show me the likable girl... Here we have a wonderful example of an actress creating viewer interest the moment she appears on the screen, livening up an otherwise dull affair.
Okay, so early Seventies fashion needs the soft look, and all those fur coats would today cause a public outcry, but as a testament to its time, THE PERSUADERS! can't be beat!
THE PERSUADERS! - classic sports cars and some really cute dolly birds. Chuckles aplenty goofing about with a fading star and the upcoming James Bond. A recipe in there for greatness. One big fruitcake. Fun, though.
