Juggernaut (1974 film): Difference between revisions
The film was the second in what was meant to be a 13-film slate produced by [[David V. Picker]] after he resigned as head of production for United Artists (the first was ”[[Lenny (film)|Lenny]]”). It was made by his company, Two Roads. United Artists would distribute. In November 1973 it was announced [[Bryan Forbes]] was to direct, with Simmons producing and Richard Harris to star, with the film going to start in January 1974.{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Mary |date=24 November 1973 |title=Movie Call Sheet: Newman’s Son in Film Debut |page=a8 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}
The film was the second in what was meant to be a 13-film slate produced by [[David V. Picker]] after he resigned as head of production for United Artists (the first was ”[[Lenny (film)|Lenny]]”). It was made by his company, Two Roads. United Artists would distribute. In November 1973 it was announced [[Bryan Forbes]] was to direct, with Simmons producing and Richard Harris to star, with the film going to start in January 1974.{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Mary |date=24 November 1973 |title=Movie Call Sheet: Newman’s Son in Film Debut |page=a8 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}
[[Bryan Forbes]] left the project, however, as did his replacement, [[Don Medford]]. Picker then turned to Richard Lester, with whom he had made a number of films at United Artists, notably ”A Hard Day’s Night”. Lester was finishing work on the ”Musketeers” films in Spain when he got a call from [[Denis O’Dell]] saying “We just fired our second director and I’ve got a Russian ship and we’ve got to leave on 18 February. Will you take it on?”Soderbegh p 112
[[Bryan Forbes]] left the project [[Don Medford]]. Picker then turned to Richard Lester, with whom he had made a number of films at United Artists, notably ”A Hard Day’s Night”. Lester was finishing work on the ”Musketeers” films in Spain when he got a call from [[Denis O’Dell]] saying “We just fired our second director and I’ve got a Russian ship and we’ve got to leave on 18 February. Will you take it on?”Soderbegh p 112
On taking over the film, Lester completely rewrote the [[Screenplay|script]] with writer [[Alan Plater]].{{cite book |first=Andrew |last=Yule |title=The Man Who “Framed” the Beatles: A Biography of Richard Lester |year=1994 |publisher=D.I. Fine |location=New York |isbn=978-1-55611-390-1|page=237}} Omar Sharif, Richard Harris and David Hemmings were already cast; Lester cast the rest. He wound up filming three weeks after his original call.Soderberg p 112
On taking over the film, Lester completely rewrote the [[Screenplay|script]] with writer [[Alan Plater]].{{cite book |first=Andrew |last=Yule |title=The Man Who “Framed” the Beatles: A Biography of Richard Lester |year=1994 |publisher=D.I. Fine |location=New York |isbn=978-1-55611-390-1|page=237}} Omar Sharif, Richard Harris and David Hemmings were already cast; Lester cast the rest. He wound up filming three weeks after his original call.Soderberg p 112
1974 British thriller film directed by Richard Lester
Juggernaut is a 1974 British crime suspense film starring Richard Harris, Omar Sharif, and Anthony Hopkins. The film, which was directed by Richard Lester,[1] was largely shot on location aboard the TS Hamburg in the North Sea. It was inspired by real events aboard QE2 in May 1972 when Royal Marines and Special Boat Service personnel parachuted onto the ship because of a bomb hoax.[2]
In the film, Richard Harris leads a team of Naval bomb disposal experts sent to disarm several large barrel bombs that have been placed aboard an ocean liner crossing the North Atlantic. Meanwhile, ashore, the police race against time to track down the mysterious bomb maker, who calls himself “Juggernaut”, who will agree to a ransom in order to reveal the information that will disarm the bombs.
The ocean liner SS Britannic is in the middle of a voyage in the North Atlantic with 1200 passengers on board when the shipping line’s owner Nicholas Porter in London receives a telephone call from an unidentified person with an Irish accent styling himself as “Juggernaut”, who claims to have placed seven drums of high explosives aboard the ship which are timed to explode and sink it at dawn on the following day. He warns that the drums are booby-trapped in various ways and that any attempt to move them will result in detonation, and offers that technical instructions in how to render the bombs safe will be given in exchange for a ransom of £500,000. As an indication of his seriousness he then sets off a demonstration attack with a series of small bombs behind the ships funnel, which injure one crewman. Unable to order an evacuation of the ship’s passengers via lifeboats due to rough seas, the shipping line’s management is inclined to yield to the ransom demand, however British government officials inform…
Read More: Juggernaut (1974 film): Difference between revisions