The Trygon Factor
The Trygon Factor | |
---|---|
Directed by | Cyril Frankel |
Written by | Derry Quinn Stanley Munro based on a novel by Edgar Wallace |
Produced by | Ian Warren Horst Wendlandt |
Starring | Stewart Granger Susan Hampshire Robert Morley |
Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
Edited by | Oswald Hafenrichter |
Music by | Peter Thomas |
Production company | Rialto Film |
Distributed by | J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (UK) Warner Bros.-Seven Arts (US) Constantin Film (West Germany) |
Release dates | December 1966 (West Germany) May 1967 (UK) |
Running time | 88 minutes |
Countries | United Kingdom West Germany |
Languages | English, German |
Box office | 73,066 admissions (France) 605,412 admissions (Spain) 1.6 million (West Germany)[1] |
The Trygon Factor (German title: Das Geheimnis der weißen Nonne / Mystery of the White Nun) is a 1966 British-West German crime film directed by Cyril Frankel and starring Stewart Granger, Susan Hampshire and Robert Morley.[2] It is based on the 1917 Edgar Wallace novel Kate Plus Ten.[3]
Plot
A Scotland Yard inspector is called to investigate a series of unsolved robberies. Inspector Cooper-Smith arrives at the country manor of a respectable English family. He discovers Livia Emberday, the mistress of the house, has turned to crime in order to bolster the family's flagging fortunes. With assistance from an order of bogus nuns, stolen goods end up in the warehouse of Hamlyn, purportedly a respectable businessman.[4]
Cast
- Stewart Granger as Superintendent Cooper-Smith
- Susan Hampshire as Trudy Emberday
- Robert Morley as Hubert Hamlyn
- Cathleen Nesbitt as Livia Emberday
- Brigitte Horney as Sister General
- Sophie Hardy as Sophie
- Diane Clare as Clare O'Connor (Sister Clare)
- James Robertson Justice as Sir John (voice: English version)
- Siegfried Schürenberg as Sir John – German Version
- Eddi Arent as Emil Clossen
- James Culliford as Luke Emberday
- Allan Cuthbertson as Detective Thompson
- Colin Gordon as Dice
- Caroline Blakiston as White nun
- Richardina Jackson as Black nun
Production
Cast member Susan Hampshire called the film "another B picture. Very often I did films because of tax demands" and said Stewart Granger had a big ego, but felt "we had a very interesting director in that film, Cyril Frankley, and I think it was one of the best acting performances I've ever given."[5]
Release
The film premiered in West Germany on 16 December 1966.[6]
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Take one of England's statelier homes, serving as headquarters for a ruthless criminal conspiracy by a sisterhood of nuns engaged in smuggling, bank-robbery and murder; add a matriarch behaving like a genteel Doctor Mabuse, whose son is kinky for French girls' blonde hair, and whose daughter displays marked transvestite tendencies; throw in Robert Morley pouting petulantly, and you should have the ingredients for an entertaining thriller. Apparently you don't. The film is confused, rambling, and almost entirely lacking in humour or real tension. However, it is mostly agreeable to look at, thanks to the photography and art direction. Susan Hampshire and James Culliford adequately portray mental imbalance, and there is an excellent performance by Cathleen Nesbitt, of whom one would happily have seen much more."[7]
The Radio Times called it a "farcical British crime drama."[8]
Variety noted, "a complicated Scotland Yard whodunit which the spectator will find taxing to follow ... Script is pocketed with story loopholes and attempts to confuse, plus certain motivations and bits of business impossible to fathom. Granger still makes a good impression."[9]
Allmovie wrote, "there are plenty of twists in the storyline of this often complex mystery feature."[10]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack composed by Peter Thomas was released in 1968 on a library music LP Jazz Graphics / The Spy Set (KPM 1042)[11] without any reference to the film. Parts of the soundtrack can be found on the 2000 CD – Peter Thomas – Kriminalfilmmusik (Prudence 398.6533.2).[12]
References
- ^ Box office information for Stewart Granger films in France at Box Office Story
- ^ "The Trygon Factor". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ TRYGON FACTOR, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 34, Iss. 396, (Jan 1, 1967): 111.
- ^ "The Trygon Factor (1969) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ Brian MacFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Methuen 1997 p 278
- ^ "Filmportal: Das Geheimnnis der weißen Nonne". Retrieved 7 February 2017.
- ^ "The Trygon Factor". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 34 (396): 111. 1 January 1967 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Tom Hutchinson. "The Trygon Factor". RadioTimes.
- ^ "Advertisement". Variety. January 1967.
- ^ "The Trygon Factor (1969) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ "Jazz Graphics / The Spy Set". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Peter Thomas – Kriminalfilmmusik". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
External links
- The Trygon Factor at IMDb
- The Trygon Factor then-and-now location photographs at ReelStreets
- v
- t
- e
- The Four Just Men (1905)
- Angel Esquire (1908)
- The Council of Justice (1908)
- Captain Tatham (1909)
- The Duke in the Suburbs (1909)
- The Nine Bears (1910)
- Private Selby (1912)
- The Fourth Plague (1913)
- Grey Timothy (1913)
- The River of Stars (1913)
- The Man Who Bought London (1915)
- The Melody of Death (1915)
- A Debt Discharged (1916)
- The Tomb of Ts'in (1916)
- The Just Men of Cordova (1917)
- The Secret House (1917)
- The Clue of the Twisted Candle (1918)
- Down Under Donovan (1918)
- The Man Who Knew (1918)
- Those Folk of Bulboro (1918)
- The Green Rust (1919)
- Kate Plus Ten (1919)
- The Daffodil Mystery (1920)
- Jack O'Judgment (1920)
- The Book of All Power (1921)
- The Law of the Four Just Men (1921)
- The Angel of Terror (1922)
- The Crimson Circle (1922)
- The Flying Fifty-Five (1922)
- Mr. Justice Maxell (1922)
- The Valley of Ghosts (1922)
- The Clue of the New Pin (1923)
- The Green Archer (1923)
- The Missing Million (1923)
- The Dark Eyes of London (1924)
- Double Dan (1924)
- The Face in the Night (1924)
- Room 13 (1924)
- The Sinister Man (1924)
- The Three Oak Mystery (1924)
- Blue Hand (1925)
- The Fellowship of the Frog (1925)
- The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (1925)
- The Strange Countess (1925)
- The Three Just Men (1925)
- The Avenger (1926)
- Barbara on Her Own (1926)
- The Black Abbot (1926)
- The Northing Tramp (1926)
- The Terrible People (1926)
- The Yellow Snake (1926)
- The Big Foot (1927)
- Terror Keep (1927)
- The Traitor's Gate (1927)
- The Squeaker (1927)
- The Forger (1927)
- Again the Three (1928)
- The Gunner (1928)
- Four Square Jane (1929)
- The Green Ribbon (1929)
- The India-Rubber Men (1929)
- The Calendar (1930)
- The Clue of the Silver Key (1930)
- The Lady of Ascot (1930)
- The Man at the Carlton (1931)
- The Guv'nor and Other Short Stories (1932)
- An African Millionaire (1904)
- M'Lady (1921)
- Double Dan (1927)
- The Terror (1927)
- The Man Who Changed His Name (1928)
- The Calendar (1929)
- Persons Unknown (1929)
- On the Spot (1930)
- The Mouthpiece (1930)
- Smoky Cell (1930)
- The Old Man (1931)
- The Valley of Ghosts (1928)
- The Hound of the Baskervilles (1932)
- King Kong (1933)
J. G. Reeder |
|
---|---|
The Four Just Men |
|
Edgar Wallace Mysteries |
|
Rialto Films |
|
Other |
|
Television |
|
- Mary Jane Richards (mother)
- Marriott Edgar (half-brother)
- Bryan Edgar Wallace (son)