The Assassination Bureau Limited - Film - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)
Genre
Released
Creators
Stars
Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Curd Jürgens, Philippe Noiret, Warren Mitchell, Beryl Reid, Clive Revill and more
Writers
Michael Relph and Wolf Mankowitz
Director
Producers
Michael Relph and Charles Orme
Company
The late Queen Victoria may have been the longest-reigning of any British monarch to date, but in early 20th Century Britain there are still a great many avenues firmly closed to women. For Sonya Winter, her burning passion - and one such closed door - is journalism. A systemic boys' club, any female hoping to break down its walls needs her wits about her and the luck of a lifetime.
Sonya, however, believes she has just the thing.
Having noticed a pattern in a number of high-profile deaths and disasters, Miss Winter believes she has uncovered the existence of a top-secret international agency offering killers for hire. Seeking out Lord Charles Bostwick, the American-born proprietor of the most respected newspaper in the land, she sets about convincing him to commit to her story - and when he accepts the proposal, immediately sets about securing a most fascinating tale.
Through a blind street-hawker and a genteel Mayfair milliner, Sonya soon finds herself in the presence of the suave Ivan Dragomiloff, chairman of The Assassination Bureau (Limited), and international association of ruthless - but apparently principled - killers: they will take on any case as long as a sound moral argument can be made against the target.
A man of charm and effortless cunning, Dragomiloff is never the less taken aback to discover the victim Miss Winter has in mind: himself! Quickly deducing the commission would be an excellent task to challenge and trial his company's various international players, he accepts the job - and so begins a cat-and-mouse chase that leads both Ivan and Sonya across Britain and continental Europe.
In the process they unveil a horrifying scheme to bring about an unimaginably destructive war that will have every country of the civilised world fighting with each other. If Ivan can ensure Sonya's co-operation to first save himself, they may also be able to save Europe, and the rest of the planet.
Stream and download
Additional details
UK certificate
A
Duration
109 minutes
Produced
1968
Distributors
Also known as
- The Assassination Bureau
Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour
Soundtrack
Music composed by Ron Grainer with lyrics by Hal Shaper.
Website links
Broadcast details
Most recent repeats
- Sunday 13th October 2024 at 8:15am on TPTV
- Tuesday 2nd July 2024 at 8:35am on TPTV
- Friday 5th April 2024 at 2:00am on TPTV
Recording details
- Cliveden and Black Park - Locations
- Pinewood Studios