ALL SCI-FI

[Krel]

"The Chairman" is a 1969, Lee Thompson directed espionage movie about a scientist that is recruited to travel to China to try and acquire the formula for an enzyme that allows crops to be grown in any environment. To aid him in his task, he has a microphone/transmitter embedded in his skull so he can be tracked, and his conversations monitored.

The movie stars Gregory Peck as the scientist, and Arthur Hill as the U.S. General that recruits him for the mission.

I have not seen this movie since the early to mid 70's, and my memories of the film are very hazy. So please excuse my cut-and-paste from wikipeda.

WARNING! THIS SYNOPSIS IS ONE LARGE SPOILER!

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, i DON'T WANT ANY GRIEF LIKE WITH MY REVIEW OF "YOU NEVER CAN TELL"!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!




A Western agent is sent to Communist China in order to retrieve an important agricultural enzyme. What he does not know is that there is a bomb implanted in his head; the forces behind his mission will detonate it if he fails to carry out the assignment.

Nobel Prize–winning university professor Dr. John Hathaway's mission begins with Lt. General Shelby's request at the U.S. embassy in London that he travel to China to visit Soong Li, a former professor of Hathaway's who has reportedly developed an enzyme that would permit crops to grow in any kind of climate. The hesitant Hathaway is further urged to go by a phone call from the president of the United States. Hathaway is concerned about the situation, as is a close female friend he knows named Kay in London.

A transmitter is implanted in Hathaway's skull as a tracking device. He is not informed that the device also includes an explosive element in case of emergency that can be triggered by the Americans if necessary. Neither the U.S. nor the Soviet Union wants the enzyme to remain exclusively in Chinese hands.

Shortly after his arrival in Hong Kong, Hathaway is sent to meet a beautiful young Chinese woman, Ting Ling, who introduces him to Security Chief Yin at a nightclub. When Hathaway returns to his hotel room, he finds Ting Ling waiting for him in his bed naked and enticing him to seduce her because it is her duty for the Chairman. She tries to undress him, but when he hears a noise made by an intruder he goes to investigate. He apprehends a male intruder, but Ting Ling picks up a telephone and uses it to knock Hathaway unconscious. Security Chief Yin takes Hathaway by car to meet China's party chairman. They play a game of table tennis and discuss the enzyme, which the Chairman claims he intends to share with the entire world. At this moment, Lt. General Shelby, who is listening in London, considers and discusses with his seniors the possibility of detonating the explosive device in Hathaway's head to kill the Chairman.

Hathaway is then taken by plane to be reunited with Professor Soong Li and also meets Li's daughter, Soong Chu. No one thinks Hathaway is really spying on the Red Chinese regime. Soong Li, possibly betrayed by his daughter Soong Chu, is attacked by guards looking for the formula. Before he dies, Soong Li gives a book to Hathaway containing quotations from the Chairman. The professor flees with the book and a piece of microfilm, trying to reach the Russian border before Yin's men can capture him. He is unable to scale a fence, so Shelby elects to set off the explosive device, but Soviet soldiers arrive at the last minute to help Hathaway cross safely.

Once safe, the professor discovers that the enzyme's formula is hidden in the Chairman's book of quotations. He gets the device removed and is taken aback when it is demonstrated to him that it contained an explosive device that could have been detonated remotely at any time. He then returns to Kay in London.

END OF SYNOPSIS.

Could this movie have been the inspiration for the TV sereies "Search"?

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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Great review, Krel. I haven't seen the movie, so I've added it to my Netflix list. And I do indeed think it might have inspired Search!

By the way, the only person who complained about your review of You Never Can Tell was Orzel-w, and he did it in a funny way, so I don't think he meant to offend.

Besides, after reading the first half of your post it was obvious that if anyone didn't want to know too much about the movie, they should stop reading. Orzel-w chose to read it all.

Post with pride, good sir! We enjoy your comments!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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Based on Krel's recommendation in the thread for Search (1972) and his comment that this movie might have inspired that great series, I got this movie from Netflix and watched it.

By gum, I think Krel was absolutely right!

And besides that, it's a great movie! :

So, I looked at the IMDB trivia items to see if I should include a few with this thread-starting post. Guess what found?
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Was basis for TV show Search (1972), minus video feed, but accurate for implants for Peck.
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That certainly supports Krel's statement that The Chairman inspired Search.

The small electronic device implanted just behind Gregory Peck's left ear sent data to a control room in the U.S. which not only transmitted what he said and heard, the control room also received data related to his physical condition, such as pulse rate, blood pressure, adrenaline level, and emotional state.

And if that isn't high tech enough, before Gregory Peck left on his mission to Asia, the U.S. launched a special satellite into a geosynchronous orbit above China, just to receive and relay the data from the implanted device!

These are exactly the same things that Probe Control did in Search!

Concerning the way this fine movie was made, I was greatly impressed by the creative editing they employed!

There are numerous flashbacks and jump cuts during the first 30 minutes of the movie — and yet none of these caused any confusion about how the events actually progressed chronologically.

Instead, we're presented with the various pieces of "The Big Picture" in a non-linear manner.

In doing so, we get to put the events together in our heads, and this actually creates a better understand of the "what's" and the "why's" and the "how's" of this complex tale. Because of this, we never get bored by scenes showing the characters explaining and discussing things, the kind of "talky" scenes that often slow down a story — especially one that promises exciting espionage action.

Take a look at the poster I included above. Lots of action seems to be going on, and it's well presented by a very fine artist. By Jiminy, I'm going to find out who did that poster, because it's terrific!

_______________ The Chairman (1969) Trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)