Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Tacticalin An absolute waste of money

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

aramis-112-804880 A powerhouse cast (well, for the time) was put in play for "The High Commissioner" (as I saw it) or "Nobody Runs Forever." Rod Taylor (using his native Australian accent and making it sound phony) chases fugitive (for murder--allegedly) Christopher Plummer, who is now some bigwig politico in London. The catch? Plummer's character has a wonderful new idea for peace in the world and if he goes to jail it may be lost.Taylor and Plummer only scratch the surface. Dahlia Lavi, who seemed to be in every Bond-imitation going (especially the spoofs, since she had a flair for comedy) shows up with lots of decolletage; hers is the only character that gives the piece any life and she seems to have mistaken it for another comedy role. Clive Revill does a turn as a butler whose bona fides may be shaky, but though he has a few good double-takes he doesn't pull out all his stops. Camilla Sparv (who got lots of meaty roles about this time, and always seemed out of her depth in them) plays . . . well, a pretty face who keeps showing up.Unfortunately, the whole shebang is fairly run of the mill, slow and talky with it. Even the explosive climax takes its time to unfold, and it's telegraphed far too early in advance. I saw this in a double feature with Taylor's spy spoof "The Liquidator" and that seems to be the best way to approach it. Hung out to dry on its own, it doesn't amount to as much as it might have been.

Leofwine_draca NOBODY RUNS FOREVER is a fairly engaging and likeable little British thriler from 1968, virtually forgotten about today but worth taking a look at thanks to a genial performance from lead actor Rod Taylor, for once getting a chance to play an Aussie. He's flown over to the UK to arrest and take back to Australia a politician, played by Christopher Plummer in his usual slightly sleazy way. Taylor becomes Plummer's unwitting bodyguard when it becomes apparent that someone is determined to see him dead. This film boasts some fine fight and chase sequences, although it's a little slower in between during some of the romantic, sub-Bond style moments. The strong supporting cast includes a typically loathesome Derren Nesbitt, an alluring Daliah Lavi, Calvin Lockhart as a tough agent, and Clive Revill as Plummer's butler.

JohnHowardReid In my opinion, a previous reviewer, Charles Joe Agnes, submitted a splendid account of this movie. I agree with his conclusions entirely and have little to add. Based on an excellent thriller by Jon Cleary, his detective, Scobie Malone, was most engagingly brought to the screen by Rod Taylor in "The High Commissioner" (1968). Also known as "Nobody Runs Forever", the movie failed to impress the traditional press and magazine reviewers. In fact, the film earned an unwarranted but almost universal thumbs down from critics on both sides of the Atlantic and even in Australia itself on first release.But in my opinion, the film actually stands up rather well on the M- G-M DVD. Admittedly, I think the movie is even better than the book, thanks to a number of factors, but particularly its superior support cast led by Christopher Plummer, Clive Revill and Lilli Palmer. Director Ralph Thomas also contributes to what I regard as the film's success. Thomas keeps the action moving fast enough to keep interest alive through all the plot's unlikely twists and turns. They come so fast, only professional critics would have the time and audacity to suggest that they lacked verisimilitude!Also contributing - at least in my view - to the film's success as a tense thriller are a number of other factors, including Ernest Steward's bright-as-night color cinematography, Tony Woollard's dripping-with-opulence sets and Yvonne Caffin's glorious costumes. These factors reinforce each other and, in my opinion, they give the movie not only just the right over-luxurious setting but contribute to its wholly engaging atmosphere.

bamptonj One can't help but think that at some times the story is a little stretched. A high percentage of Taylor's dialogue is un-needed, which isn't to say he doesn't perform well.Taylor plays an outback police-sergeant sent by the Premier of New South Wales to place an indictment on the Australian Ambassador in London and bring him safely to custody. However, his arrival in London coincides the same time as the ambassador (chris plummer) seems to be making a breakthrough in middle-eastern diplomacy. Taylor is persuaded by Plummber to wait until the summit is completely before talking him back. However, predictably there are certain foreign powers at play who would not want to see the summit reach any peaceful negotiations. And so the ambassadors life is at risk. Of course, Taylor is there to make sure that he is brough safely back to Australia - to stand trial and face the allegations which even he begins to find a bit suspect.Yeah, rent it watch it on tv. It's enjoyable. Nothing brilliant. The end is particularly reminiscent of Sabotage, when you think of it.