Home 1980s 1981 Movies Kings and Desperate Men

Kings and Desperate Men

83
KIngs and Desperate Men, movie, image,

118 minutes – Drama
Language: English
Festival release date: August 22, 1981 (Montreal World Film Festival)
Release date US: November 13, 1983
VHS release date: 1989
Distributor: Magnum Entertainment

The title of this film is taken from John Donne’s Holy Sonnets # 10 which is sometimes titled Death, Be Not Proud. Despite some promise in the concept there is not much in this film to be proud of either. The story centers on Patrick McGoohan who appears as John Kingsley, an abrasive but popular radio talk show host. While he is on the air, his family is taken captive by terrorists and so, in a way, is he when they invade his studio. To save his family he is forced to play the part of host to a bizarre trial. And so we have Kingsley and desperate men. The terrorists he confronts wish to debate the plight of one of their comrades imprisoned for manslaughter, live on the airwaves. And the listening audience must decide the verdict as an elite special force mounts a rescue operation to save the hostages. While this sounds like pretty exciting stuff, the film falls flat in many areas. Patrick McGoohan, confined to a small space like a radio studio, is totally over the top in this film. Filmed in Montreal, there were rumors at the time that the director had not shot enough footage and the film languished for months and months because it could not be effectively edited into a cohesive story. When it was ultimately released that seemed to be the case and the film suffers because of the editing, and by extension, poor direction. Of note is the fact that the wife of Patrick McGoohan’s character is played by Margaret Trudeau, but there is little of her on screen.

Kings and Desperate Men, movie, poster,

Crew:

Producer:

Alexis Kanner

Associate Producer:

Saul Kwiat
Robert Ménard

Director:

Alexis Kanner

Screenwriter:

Edmund Ward
Alexis Kanner

Cinematographer:

Alexis Kanner
Paul Van der Linden

Editor:

Alexis Kanner

Composer:

Pierre F. Brault
Michel Robidoux

Art Director:

William McCrow

Costume Designer:

Luc Le Flaguais
Diane Paquet

Cast: Roles:

Patrick McGoohan
Alexis Kanner
Andrea Marcovicci
Margaret Trudeau
Budd Knapp
Neil Vipond
Peter MacNeill
Dave Patrick
Robin Spry
August Schellenberg
Jean-Pierre Brown
Kevin Fenlon
Jane Hooper
Frank Moore
Kate Nash
Andrew Semple
Frederic Smith
Bob Lepage
Andre Koudsey
Normand Roy
Andrew Theodoses
Marcel Beaulieu

John Kingsley
Lucas Miller
Terrorist
Elizabeth Kingsley
Judge MaManus
Henry Sutton
Kidnapper
Grant Gillespie
Harry
Stanley Aldini
Chris Kingsley
Laz
Girl with Radio
Pete Herrera
Mrs.McPhearson
Waiter
Bolton
Special Squad member
Special Squad member
Special Squad member
Special Squad member
Special Squad member