The High Commissioner
List Price:
Our Price: $3.40
You Save: $0.58 (15%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.85 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Camilla Sparv, Christopher Plummer, Daliah Lavi, Lilli Palmer, Rod TaylorBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 101 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-02
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of The High Commissioner
DVD Review: Excellent political thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
To start with, since the previous reviewer asked - the cast includes:
Rod Taylor as Scobie Malone
Christopher Plummer as Sir James Quentin
Lilli Palmer as Lady Sheila Quentin
Camilla Sparv as Lisa Pretorius
Daliah Lavi as Maria Cholon
Clive Revill as Joseph
And now on to the movie itself - a political thriller set in London in the 1960s, when tensions between East and West were at a dangerous high. The plot revolves around Sir James Quentin, the Australian high commissioner to London, played with elegance and style by Christopher Plummer, who is the chairman of an international conference that attempts to bridge political divides through trade. "Peace through plenty" is how one of the conference participants puts it. But although Sir Quentin is quite successful in his negotiations, not all is well. Someone close to him is leaking confidential information, trying to discredit the conference. Shadowy assasins have an eye on the commissioner and the politics around the conference are a tangled web.
On top of that, in the middle of the conference sergeant detective Scobie Malone (a great tough-but-good-guy portrait by Rod Taylor) flies in from Australia, sent by Quentin's political rival, the premier of New South Wales, to arrest him for the alleged murder of his former wife. But did he do it? Malone himself and his boss at the CID don't think so. The inquiry was made by the politically motivated premier's people and not by the CID. However, a mandate of arrest was issued and Malone is supposed to bring the commissioner back to Australia. Quentin asks for more time to finish the conference - a few days that see two assasination attempts, Malone becoming Quentin's private security agent, and endless deception and intrigue, spearheaded by the charming and dangerous Maria Cholon, an underworld queen who has an interest in seeing Quentin dead and the conference aborted. I won't tell you how it all ends because thrillers you know the ending of beforehand aren't that much fun ;).
Although the tone of the movie is mostly serious, there are enough moments of levity provided by the interactions between true-blue Australian Malone and Sir Quentin's stuffy British butler Joseph, delightfully played by Clive Revill. Cast performances are excellent across the board, including Lilli Palmer as Sir Quentin's sensitive, worried wife (Lilli Palmer and Christopher Plummer had played another ill-fated couple before: she had played Jocasta to his Oedipus in "Oedipus King"). Camilla Sparv plays Sir Quentin's smart, sharp and protective secretary with just the right combination of professionalism and feistiness. Daliah Lavi is suitably langurous, seductive and revengeful as the "evil beauty", and Burt Kwouk of "Pink Panther" series fame makes an appearance as her lieutenant.
As for the DVD quality, the video is crisp and beautifully toned, much improved over the VHS version which is out of print now (under the name "Nobody Runs Forever"). The sound is Dolby mono but of good quality.
Based on the novel eponymous novel by Jon Cleary. Recommended!
Description of The High Commissioner
A policeman is sent to return a sensitive case: an australian citizen currently acting as high commissioner for peace talks who is wanted for an old charge - murder. He then discovers that some people want the peace talks to fail badly enough to try & kill he australian. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 11/02/2004 Starring: Rod Taylor Christopher Plummer Run time: 101 minutesBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
ArabesqueUNI; Release date: 2011-04-05; DVD
Best price: $8.30
Price in other shops:
MirageUNI; Release date: 2011-04-05; DVD
Best price: $8.21
Price in other shops:
Time MachineWHV; Release date: 2010-11-09; DVD
Best price: $5.88
Price in other shops:
The McKenzie BreakSony; Release date: 2000-01-18; DVD
Best price: $0.82
Price in other shops:
Cry of the InnocentWESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC; Release date: 2003-08-17; DVD
Best price: $2.40
Price in other shops:
Dark Of The Sun (Remastered)Release date: 2011-08-01; DVD
Best price: $14.66
Price in other shops:
36 HoursWarner Brothers; Release date: 2007-06-05; DVD
Best price: $16.65
Price in other shops:
Murder by DecreeLions Gate; Release date: 2009-12-15; DVD
Best price: $4.67
Price in other shops:
Do Not DisturbFox; Release date: 2007-01-30; DVD
Best price: $10.45
Price in other shops:
HotelWarner; Release date: 2011-07-08; Published: 2010; DVD
Best price: $14.74
Price in other shops: