BY LEE PFEIFFER
Of all the movie streaming services, I find that Amazon Prime is a cut above the others, if only because of its vast catalog of obscure films from the 1960s and 1970s, which, of course, is the main area of focus for Cinema Retro magazine. Browse at random or enter any star's name from this era, and you'll probably be rewarded by discovering a title or two you are not familiar with. Case in point: "Male Rogue" starring Peter O'Toole, a 1976 British production for television that was made on a modest budget and resonated very well with audiences and critics. It was briefly released to theaters but withdrawn due to union disputes over compensation for the theatrical showings. I must confess that I was completely ignorant of the title, despite being conversant in O'Toole's often underrated films and having spent a good deal of time in the UK. In any event, I found it to be one of the best among O'Toole's checkered career accomplishments. He made plenty of commercial duds but that doesn't mean they didn't have artistic merits.
The production is an adaptation of a bestelling novel by Geoffrey Household that had been filmed once before in 1941 under the title "Man Hunt". The story begins in the pre-WWII period of 1939, when Britain still had diplomatic relations with Germany, as Neville Chamberlain continued futile attempts to avert war and make good on his promise that his 1936 treaty with the Nazi government would indeed bring "Peace in our time." The teleplay grabs you from the first intriguing frames. O'Toole plays the appropriately named Sir Robert Hunter, who is known for being a world famous big game hunter who has written the definitive book on the subject. When we first see him, he is sneaking about in the woods near Adolf Hitler's rural retreat. The Fuhrer is playing host to Eva Braun and some of his Nazi paladins for a sumptuous outdoor lunch. Hunter produces a rifle and has Hitler in his sites when his attempted assassination is thwarted by alert security men. He is mercilessly tortured by the Gestapo, who want him to admit that the British government is behind his actions, which would be a pretext for blaming England for an outbreak of war. Hunter manages to effect an incredible escape and makes it back to London- but he is far from safe. His uncle (Alastair Sim in his last film) is an influential MP but he can't provide much help. In fact, he warns Hunter that the British are likely to arrest him and turn him over to German authorities to prove he acted alone. With plenty of money but no allies to rely on, Hunter realizes that German agents in London have marked him for death. He thwarts an assassination attempt, leaving his would-be killer dead and takes off to the bucolic setting of Dorset on the southern coast, but he finds he is being pursued by other German agents as well as British authorities who now consider him to be a murderer.
Much of the engaging screenplay by Frederic Raphael follows the unflappable and ever self-reliant Hunter's narrow escapes and his abilities to use his game hunting skills to survive in dire circumstances. The final section of the film finds him literally living in a hole in the ground in the deep woods, which he has fashioned into a crude survival shelter. It works until it doesn't work and he is located by Major Quive-Smith (John Standing), a racist British "patriot" who favors appeasing Hitler to ensure that both countries can avoid a war he believes will be started by Jews. It may sound implausible to say that extended screen time devoted to a man above ground taunting a man hiding underground makes for compelling viewing, but Standing is terrific as one of those great screen villains: urbane, witty and charismatic. He offers Hunter a deal: he can sign a letter attesting that the British government sent him to kill Hitler. It will only be used if war breaks out so the Germans can blame the British. The cat-and-mouse game never reaches the level of nail-biting suspense, but under the excellent direction of Clive Donner, the film is gripping and believable throughout, thanks in no small part to O'Toole's outstanding performance.
Although "Rogue Male" has been released in a hi-def Blu-ray edition by the British Film Institute, the Amazon print obviously derives from one of the bargain basement "dollar store" videos that had apparently been on the market for years. Consequently, it's a muddy transfer that doesn't do justice to the spectacular Dorset settings. Adding insult to injury, a promotional trailer for the film is presented in Hi Def, which only whets the appetite for a better viewing experience. Nevertheless, beggars can't be choosers and "Rogue Male" is a superior thriller well worth watching, muddy transfer not withstanding. (Look for noted playwright Harold Pinter in cameo role.)