FeaturePG1972·103m·5.9

Fear Is the Key

In the right hands, fear is the deadliest weapon of all.

ActionThriller

A deep-sea salvage expert enacts an elaborate plan to infiltrate and take revenge on a criminal organization that dealt him a foul misdeed.

Play now

Cast

Barry Newman

John Talbot

Suzy Kendall

Sarah Ruthven

John Vernon

Vyland

Dolph Sweet

Jablonsky

Ben Kingsley

Royale

Ray McAnally

Ruthven

Peter Marinker

Larry

Roland Brand

Deputy

Tony Anholt

FBI Agent

Elliott Sullivan

Judge Mollison

John Alderson

Tanner (uncredited)

James Berwick

(uncredited)

Hal Galili

Cibatti (uncredited)

Ernie Heldman

Bartender (uncredited)

Details

Status
Released
Original language
English
Languages
English
Budget
Revenue
Age rating
PG
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
Paramount PicturesAnglo-EMI

Crew

Director

Michael Tuchner

Writers

Robert Carrington, Alistair MacLean

Maurice Carter

Production Design

Ray Lovejoy

Editor

Syd Cain

Production Design

Alex Thomson

Director of Photography

Gallery

Reviews

Peter McGinn

2/26/2023

5.0

I can only assume they changed the story somewhat from the book because I can’t imagine Alastair MacLaine writing a story with so may plot holes and instances where people who interacted with the hero (?) did so many dumb things. It starts with a scene that seems to have nothing to do with the main body of the plot once that gets going, so that is a rather heavy handed giveaway that the scene is in fact a segue containing the explanation for what is to follow, thus giving away to me at least a major plot twist. Ands when the action does begin, it does so with a seemingly endless chase scene involving half of the police cars in Louisiana, the drivers of which apparently didn’t have radio contact as they never coordinated their efforts but just lined up in polite single file to be disabled or driven into deep water. But I will stop describing the plot here, so as not to give too much more away, as well as not to establish the admission that I watched most of this stinker.