Puppet on a Chain (1971)Following a triple professional hit a U.S. agent arrives in Amsterdam to investigate a heroin smuggling ring. He finds a city rife with drugs and a police force unable or unwilling to do ... See full summary » Director:Geoffrey ReeveWriters:Alistair MacLean (screenplay) (as Alistair Maclean) , Paul Wheeler (additional material), 2 more credits » |
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Cast
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| Sven-Bertil Taube | ... |
Paul Sherman
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| Barbara Parkins | ... |
Maggie
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| Alexander Knox | ... |
Colonel De Graaf
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Patrick Allen | ... |
Inspector Van Gelder
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Vladek Sheybal | ... |
Meegeren
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Ania Marson | ... |
Astrid Lemay
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Penny Casdagli | ... |
Trudi
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Peter Hutchins | ... |
The Assassin
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Drewe Henley | ... |
Jimmy Duclos
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Henny Orri | ... |
Herta
(as Henni Orri)
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Stewart F. Lane | ... |
George Lemay
(as Stewart Lane)
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Mark Malicz | ... |
Morgenstern
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Michael Mellinger | ... |
Hotel Manager
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Following a triple professional hit a U.S. agent arrives in Amsterdam to investigate a heroin smuggling ring. He finds a city rife with drugs and a police force unable or unwilling to do much about it. With his incognito female fellow agent the American is soon stirring things up. Written by Jeremy Perkins <jwp@aber.ac.uk>
Taglines:
The blazing break-up of a narcotics ring that will have you hanging on the edge of your seat! See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
5 November 1971 (Ireland) See more »Also Known As:
Alistair Maclean's Puppet on a Chain See more »Box Office
Gross:
SEK 1,400,299 (Sweden)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1
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The speedboat chase in the Amsterdam canals in this film is actually being copied by Dutch director Dick Maas in his 1988 film 'Amsterdamned'. I always thought how original it was to have such an out of the ordinary, yet in Amsterdam obvious chase, but apparently it is less original as I thought. In the 18 year older 'Puppet on a Chain' the chase is as vivid and dynamic as in Maas' film, although one detail in Amsterdamned should catch the viewer's attention. Just like in Puppet on a Chain, the villain almost crashes his boat into an oncoming barge, a thrilling moment. In 'Amsterdamned' this barge has a fanfare band, conducted by 'actor', and Holland's famous Oscar-winning documentary director Bert Haanstra. It makes the already exhilarating scene more colourful, and provides it with a light touch. This detail encapsulates an often noticeable and important difference between English and Dutch film-making if you ask me; It seems that in Dutch films a doses of ridiculing of a serious action or scene is indispensable. Fact of the matter is that the 'original' film, Puppet on a Chain, is more believable because of its absence of this ridiculing. I also find it very interesting to see sceneries of my home country (Holland) in such a serious crime intrigue, where BTW everybody speaks British English!