The List of Adrian Messenger Reviews

"The List of Adrian Messenger" is a superb mystery thriller starring Kirk Douglas and George C. Scott. Adrian Messenger (John Merivale) is mysteriously killed in a plane crash and Anthony Gethryn (George C. Scott) who is a friend of the family is asked to investigate. Gethryn had been given a list of names by Messenger at the house prior to Messenger's fatal plane journey. The men named on the "list" are all being murdered one by one and Gethryn has to use all his investigative powers to try and track down the killer and stop him before others on the list are also murdered. Unfortunately, more murders do take place and Gethryn is assisted by Raoul LeBorg (Jacques Roux) and Lady Jocelyn Bruttenholm (Dana Wynter) to help him solve the mystery. Your enjoyment of the film is enhanced by the appearance of several famous stars in cameo roles (all heavily disguised) and part of the fun is to identify who they all are before the "unmasking" at the end of the movie! Kirk Douglas also appears in several disguises throughout the film and seemed to be enjoying his various roles. The fine supporting cast includes Herbert Marshall, Clive Brook and Gladys Cooper. The film was proficiently directed by John Huston who also appeared in the climatic hunting scene. "The List of Adrian Messenger" could be favourably compared with the old fashioned mystery thrillers of the forties and is none the less enjoyable for that. It is almost like having Alfred Hitchcock and Agatha Christie combined in the one film. Now here is a puzzle for you "movie buffs" to ponder over. Although we are led to believe that Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra and Burt Lancaster appear in disguise during the film (and indeed these stars are "unmasked" at the end) I have a sneaking suspicion that we were fooled into thinking that all these stars were really in the film and I am convinced that neither Frank Sinatra or Burt Lancaster actually took part in the film at all but only appeared right at the end for the final unmasking! If you look closely it would seem very likely that other actors were used to stand in for Sinatra and Lancaster. Take a look for yourself and see what you think! There is no doubt that Tony Curtis and Robert Mitchum were in the film as they could easily be recognised through their disguises. Apart from this little deception "The List of Adrian Messenger" is an absorbing and unusual film with a first rate cast and is well worth seeing.
Favourite lines:
John Merivale (to George C. Scott): "Anyway, if I'm right about this it's a far older sin than politics".
Herbert Marshall (to Scott): "If you really think that all these deaths were tied together it would involve a mass murder plot so preposterous as to defy belief".
Scott (to Jacques Roux): "When you count yourself in - you really mean in, don't you?".
Kirk Douglas (to audience): "Ladies and gentlemen - the end".