North Sea Hijack
Encyclopedia
North Sea Hijack is a British action film from 1979
starring Roger Moore
, James Mason
, Anthony Perkins
, and Michael Parks
. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted by Jack Davies
from his novel Esther, Ruth and Jennifer.
This film was a vehicle for both Moore and Perkins to try to escape typecasting. Previously Moore had been practically typecast as a womanising, happy-go-lucky playboy
in such series as The Saint
, The Persuaders!
and James Bond
. In contrast to those parts, he is shown here as a bearded, eccentric, arrogant cat-loving, misogynist, yet he does show heroic qualities and is a master strategist
. Moore once said in an interview that he preferred this film to all the James Bond
movies he had starred in, despite acknowledging he was miscast in the lead role.
consultant Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (Roger Moore
) is asked by Lloyd's of London
to develop a contingency plan should any of the North Sea
oil installations they insure be threatened.
Months later, "Esther", a North Sea
supply ship, takes on board a group of men posing as reporters who are visiting the oil production platform "Jennifer". The leader of this group, Lou Kramer (Anthony Perkins
), along with his second-in-command (and possible lover), Harold Schulman (Michael Parks
), hijack the ship, and two scuba diving
henchmen attach limpet mine
s to the legs of "Jennifer" and its oil drilling rig, "Ruth". From the bridge of "Esther", Kramer issues a ransom demand for GBP 25 million or he will blow up "Ruth"; then, if the ransom is still not paid, he will destroy "Jennifer". For good measure, he rigs "Esther" with explosives and has all the charges wired to a control panel that never leaves his side.
Lord Privy Seal
Dennis Tipping (Jeremy Clyde
) informs the British
Prime Minister
(Faith Brook
) of the situation. The choice of a female Prime Minister character is likely to have been prompted by the fact that Margaret Thatcher
was Prime Minister when the film was released. The British government is opposed to conceding to terrorist blackmail, but Tipping suggests that, as a compromise, Lloyd's
could pay the ransom. After Lloyd's is consulted, the Prime Minister is shown a video of ffolkes practising a rescue mission aboard a mock-up ship. He anticipated terrorists might hijack a supply ship and has worked out a plan. Flying out to "Jennifer", ffolkes first proposes that, to buy time, a large explosion lights up the night sky, fooling Kramer into thinking "Ruth" has exploded by accident so he won't push the button at the deadline. ffolkes and Admiral Sir Francis Brindsen (James Mason
) are to meet with Kramer onboard "Esther". ffolkes makes Brindsen practice accidentally dropping cigarettes on the floor, the idea being that the admiral distracts Kramer, giving ffolkes the opportunity to kill him before he sets off the bombs; his team of commandoes will in the meantime take out the guards posted on the vessel.
A sub-plot involves the imprisoned crew trying to poison their captors using the ship's medicine supply. A reporter who came with Kramer's men offers to do this, but the crew quickly suspects him to be a plant, so they tie him up. Unfortunately, Kramer has been spying on them, and when the food is delivered he forces one of the 'conspirators' to drink the poisoned coffee; Sanna, the other main participant and the only woman on board, flees and allegedly falls overboard.
Later, Kramer demands that Brinston and King (David Hedison
), "Jennifer's" manager, join him on "Esther", unintentionally going along with ffolkes' plan. However, Kramer doesn't trust ffolkes when he meets him and orders him to leave the ship. The reporter who had got the blackmailers onto the ship gets cold feet and wants to leave, so Kramer agrees to release him. At the last moment, Kramer shoots him in the back as he is being winched aboard the helicopter.
With time running out, the Prime Minister considers paying the ransom, but ffolkes replies angrily that that would send a message that "anyone with a rowing boat and a stick of dynamite could hold this country to ransom." ffolkes still thinks he can rescue the hostages. However, to save the lives of the 1,200 men and women aboard "Jennifer", ffolkes urges to obliterate "Esther" with a bomb if his team cannot rescue the hostages in time.
ffolkes' men storm "Esther", bringing down the guards. ffolkes joins them wearing a borrowed vermilion scuba suit, but is forced to throw his second-in-command overboard who has mistaken him for a terrorist; Sanna, who had been hiding in a lifeboat, manages to take out one of the terrorists who tries to take a shot at ffolkes. ffolkes races for the bridge as the helicopter carrying the bomb approaches. At the allotted time, Brindsen offers a cigarette to Kramer, drops them on the floor and bends down to pick them up. ffolkes appears at the window and shoots the distracted Kramer with a spear gun, pinning him to his seat. Seeing armed men running by, Schulman races for the detonator switch, but he gets impaled at the controls with a spear in each side. Just as the Royal Navy
helicopter
drops the bomb down its rear loading-ramp, ffolkes fires his signal flare into the sky and the helicopter pilot pulls away just in time so that the bomb falls down away from "Esther".
However, Kramer isn't quite dead, and he slowly reaches for the detonator. ffolkes pulls the wires out and watches Kramer die. "I ... still ... don't ... like ... your ... face" are his last words.
A ceremony is held at ffolkes' castle to celebrate the end of the hijack. Among those present are the former hostages, the oil rig staff and the commandoes. ffolkes has expressed his disdain for medals, so the Prime Minister presents the cat-loving eccentric with a new litter of kittens, named Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer. For once moved, and a little lost for words, ffolkes leaves amidst a round of applause to give his new kittens a saucer of milk.
, near the village of Kinvara
, County Galway
in Ireland
, was used as a filming location for the Scottish castle home of ffolkes. The dockyard scenes were filmed in Galway City. Other scenes, including the airfield, may also have been filmed in County Galway.
1979 in film
The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released....
starring Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
, James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
, Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
, and Michael Parks
Michael Parks
Michael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted by Jack Davies
Jack Davies
Jack Davies may refer to:*Jack Davies , English cricketer, rugby union player and psychologist*Jack Davies , English screenwriter, producer, editor and actor...
from his novel Esther, Ruth and Jennifer.
This film was a vehicle for both Moore and Perkins to try to escape typecasting. Previously Moore had been practically typecast as a womanising, happy-go-lucky playboy
Playboy (disambiguation)
Playboy is a men's magazine.Playboy may also refer to:* Playboy * The Playboys, 1992 film starring Robin Wright* Jeremy Klein, nicknamed Playboy, American professional skateboarder...
in such series as The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
, The Persuaders!
The Persuaders!
The Persuaders! is a 1971 action/adventure series, produced by ITC Entertainment for initial broadcast on ITV and ABC. It has been called "the last major entry in the cycle of adventure series that had begun eleven years earlier with Danger Man in 1960", as well as "the most ambitious and most...
and James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
. In contrast to those parts, he is shown here as a bearded, eccentric, arrogant cat-loving, misogynist, yet he does show heroic qualities and is a master strategist
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
. Moore once said in an interview that he preferred this film to all the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movies he had starred in, despite acknowledging he was miscast in the lead role.
Story outline
Misogynist freelance marine counter-terrorismCounter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
consultant Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
) is asked by Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
to develop a contingency plan should any of the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
oil installations they insure be threatened.
Months later, "Esther", a North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
supply ship, takes on board a group of men posing as reporters who are visiting the oil production platform "Jennifer". The leader of this group, Lou Kramer (Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
), along with his second-in-command (and possible lover), Harold Schulman (Michael Parks
Michael Parks
Michael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
), hijack the ship, and two scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
henchmen attach limpet mine
Limpet mine
A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
s to the legs of "Jennifer" and its oil drilling rig, "Ruth". From the bridge of "Esther", Kramer issues a ransom demand for GBP 25 million or he will blow up "Ruth"; then, if the ransom is still not paid, he will destroy "Jennifer". For good measure, he rigs "Esther" with explosives and has all the charges wired to a control panel that never leaves his side.
Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
Dennis Tipping (Jeremy Clyde
Jeremy Clyde
Michael Thomas Jeremy Clyde is an English actor and musician. The son of Lady Elizabeth Wellesley, he made his first public appearance as a pageboy at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1953...
) informs the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
(Faith Brook
Faith Brook
Faith Brook is an English actress who has appeared on stage, in films and on television.Her father was the actor Clive Brook, and her brother Lyndon Brook was also an actor. Her first credited film appearance was The Jungle Book in 1942...
) of the situation. The choice of a female Prime Minister character is likely to have been prompted by the fact that Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
was Prime Minister when the film was released. The British government is opposed to conceding to terrorist blackmail, but Tipping suggests that, as a compromise, Lloyd's
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
could pay the ransom. After Lloyd's is consulted, the Prime Minister is shown a video of ffolkes practising a rescue mission aboard a mock-up ship. He anticipated terrorists might hijack a supply ship and has worked out a plan. Flying out to "Jennifer", ffolkes first proposes that, to buy time, a large explosion lights up the night sky, fooling Kramer into thinking "Ruth" has exploded by accident so he won't push the button at the deadline. ffolkes and Admiral Sir Francis Brindsen (James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
) are to meet with Kramer onboard "Esther". ffolkes makes Brindsen practice accidentally dropping cigarettes on the floor, the idea being that the admiral distracts Kramer, giving ffolkes the opportunity to kill him before he sets off the bombs; his team of commandoes will in the meantime take out the guards posted on the vessel.
A sub-plot involves the imprisoned crew trying to poison their captors using the ship's medicine supply. A reporter who came with Kramer's men offers to do this, but the crew quickly suspects him to be a plant, so they tie him up. Unfortunately, Kramer has been spying on them, and when the food is delivered he forces one of the 'conspirators' to drink the poisoned coffee; Sanna, the other main participant and the only woman on board, flees and allegedly falls overboard.
Later, Kramer demands that Brinston and King (David Hedison
David Hedison
Albert David Hedison, Jr. is an Armenian-American film, television, and stage actor. He was billed as Al Hedison in his early film work. In 1959, when he was cast in the role of Victor Sebastian in the short-lived espionage television series Five Fingers, NBC insisted that he change his name...
), "Jennifer's" manager, join him on "Esther", unintentionally going along with ffolkes' plan. However, Kramer doesn't trust ffolkes when he meets him and orders him to leave the ship. The reporter who had got the blackmailers onto the ship gets cold feet and wants to leave, so Kramer agrees to release him. At the last moment, Kramer shoots him in the back as he is being winched aboard the helicopter.
With time running out, the Prime Minister considers paying the ransom, but ffolkes replies angrily that that would send a message that "anyone with a rowing boat and a stick of dynamite could hold this country to ransom." ffolkes still thinks he can rescue the hostages. However, to save the lives of the 1,200 men and women aboard "Jennifer", ffolkes urges to obliterate "Esther" with a bomb if his team cannot rescue the hostages in time.
ffolkes' men storm "Esther", bringing down the guards. ffolkes joins them wearing a borrowed vermilion scuba suit, but is forced to throw his second-in-command overboard who has mistaken him for a terrorist; Sanna, who had been hiding in a lifeboat, manages to take out one of the terrorists who tries to take a shot at ffolkes. ffolkes races for the bridge as the helicopter carrying the bomb approaches. At the allotted time, Brindsen offers a cigarette to Kramer, drops them on the floor and bends down to pick them up. ffolkes appears at the window and shoots the distracted Kramer with a spear gun, pinning him to his seat. Seeing armed men running by, Schulman races for the detonator switch, but he gets impaled at the controls with a spear in each side. Just as the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
drops the bomb down its rear loading-ramp, ffolkes fires his signal flare into the sky and the helicopter pilot pulls away just in time so that the bomb falls down away from "Esther".
However, Kramer isn't quite dead, and he slowly reaches for the detonator. ffolkes pulls the wires out and watches Kramer die. "I ... still ... don't ... like ... your ... face" are his last words.
A ceremony is held at ffolkes' castle to celebrate the end of the hijack. Among those present are the former hostages, the oil rig staff and the commandoes. ffolkes has expressed his disdain for medals, so the Prime Minister presents the cat-loving eccentric with a new litter of kittens, named Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer. For once moved, and a little lost for words, ffolkes leaves amidst a round of applause to give his new kittens a saucer of milk.
Cast
- Roger MooreRoger MooreSir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
as Rufus Excalibur ffolkes - James MasonJames MasonJames Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
as Admiral Brindsen - Anthony PerkinsAnthony PerkinsAnthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
as Lou Kramer - Michael ParksMichael ParksMichael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
as Harold Shulman - David HedisonDavid HedisonAlbert David Hedison, Jr. is an Armenian-American film, television, and stage actor. He was billed as Al Hedison in his early film work. In 1959, when he was cast in the role of Victor Sebastian in the short-lived espionage television series Five Fingers, NBC insisted that he change his name...
as Robert King - Jack WatsonJack Watson (actor)Jack Watson , was an English actor who appeared in many British films and television dramas from the 1950s onwards....
as Captain Olafsen - George BakerGeorge Baker (actor)George Baker, MBE was an English actor and writer. He was best-known for portraying Tiberius in I, Claudius, and Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries.-Personal life:...
as Fletcher - Jeremy ClydeJeremy ClydeMichael Thomas Jeremy Clyde is an English actor and musician. The son of Lady Elizabeth Wellesley, he made his first public appearance as a pageboy at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1953...
as Lord Privy Seal Dennis Tipping - David WoodDavid Wood (actor)David Wood OBE is an English-born actor and writer, called "the National Children's Dramatist" by The Times.He was educated at Chichester High School For Boys and Worcester College, Oxford....
as Herring - Faith BrookFaith BrookFaith Brook is an English actress who has appeared on stage, in films and on television.Her father was the actor Clive Brook, and her brother Lyndon Brook was also an actor. Her first credited film appearance was The Jungle Book in 1942...
as British Prime Minister - John WestbrookJohn Westbrook (actor)John Westbrook was an English actor.Born in Teignmouth, Devon, John Westbrook worked mainly in theatre and in radio. He also made occasional film and television appearances. His most famous role was as Christopher Gough in Roger Corman's The Tomb of Ligeia...
as Dawnay - Jennifer HilaryJennifer HilaryJennifer Mary Hilary was a British actress of stage, film and television...
as Sarah
Filming locations
Dunguaire CastleDunguaire Castle
Dunguaire Castle is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland, near Kinvarra. The castle's 75-foot tower and its defensive wall have been restored to excellent condition, and the grounds are open to tourists during the summer...
, near the village of Kinvara
Kinvara
Kinvara is a sea port village located in the south of County Galway in the province of Connacht on the west coast of Ireland. Kinvara is also the name of the parish in which the village is situated. Kinvara is occasionally spelled Kinvarra in English; this may be seen on some maps and road signs,...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, was used as a filming location for the Scottish castle home of ffolkes. The dockyard scenes were filmed in Galway City. Other scenes, including the airfield, may also have been filmed in County Galway.