The List of Adrian Messenger
THE LIST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER (PG)
D: John Huston
Universal (Edward Lewis)
US 1963
98 mins
Mystery/Thriller
W: Anthony Veiller [based on the novel by Philip
MacDonald]
DP: Joe McDonald
Ed: Terry Morse & Hugh S. Fowler
Mus: Jerry Goldsmith
Kirk Douglas (George Brougham / various characters), George C.
Scott (Anthony Gethrin), Clive Brook (Marquois of Gleneyre), Dana Wynter (Lady Jocelyn Bruttenholm), Robert Mitchum (Slattery), Frank Sinatra (Gypsy), Tony Curtis (Organ Grinder)
A
good old-fashioned Holmes vs Moriarty style murder mystery with George C. Scott as the detective and Kirk Douglas as a makeup-laden serial killer.
The narrative tends to be quite slow in places, but makes up
for it with a climax in which many cameo stars appear in heavy makeup.
For its time, the makeup effects are very well crafted and the
gimmick works effectively well. Hitchcock would have made a masterpiece of this.
6/10
