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The Hostage Tower

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The film marked Douglas Fairbanks Jnr's return to screen acting after a long absence, although he had regularly appeared on stage. As Douglas recalled: "I've been away so long that nothing feels tempting. But this one has a quality team and a sense of sharing that is really creative".
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In 1977 Leider and Snell suggested MacLean write some story ideas for a series. The author prepared eight outlines which dealt with the activities of a crime fighting group, the United Nations Anti-Crime Organization (UNACO).
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about top executives of various oil companies travelling in Air Force One when it is hijacked. The idea was turned down by NBC. MacLean then pitched a number of new ideas to networks, each with a 25-30 page treatment.
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Filming took twelve weeks starting in October 1979. The entire film was shot in Paris with three weeks shooting on the tower itself. Filming dates were arranged so the Tower scenes were shot during the slow season.
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Rachel Roberts was in a great deal of personal turmoil during filming and was worried she would be able to perform. She got through the film with minimal trouble, but she committed suicide not long after filming.
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Mr. Smith demands a ransom of $ 30 million without which he will blow up the tower and the President's mother. He has protected the tower from infiltration by stealing four high-power
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was approved by CBS. The network requested the Eiffel Tower be changed to the Statue of Liberty but MacLean refused, feeling the tower was essential, and CBS ultimately agreed.
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Smith draws together a team for a heist including weapons expert Mike Graham (ex-CIA) and thieves Sabrina and Clarence. Sabrina and Clarence secretly work for Philpott.
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In the early 1970s, a series of films based on MacLean novels had not performed well at the American box office, including
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Ex-Swashbuckler Before TV Cameras: SWASHBUCKLER SWASHBUCKLER Hall, William. Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan 1980: e14.
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Fontana Books expressed interest in publishing a novelised version of the story. MacLean was busy writing
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THE TUBE TONIGHT: ESCAPE VIA 'HOSTAGE TOWER', Brown, James. Los Angeles Times, 13 May 1980: h6.
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so John Denis did the job. The results were well received and Denis then did a novelisation of
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Alistair MacLean's Eiffel Tower Drama By DAVID LEWIN. New York Times, 11 May 1980: D37.
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which will shoot anyone entering who is not equipped with a protective device.
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The roles of Mike Graham and Sabrina Carver are later reprised by
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called it "a preposterous but rather charming piece of escapism".
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Denis, John (1980). "Introduction by Alistair MacLean".
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Films about fictional presidents of the United States
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Whitlock and 14: 1329: 595: 405:were previously seen together as 1293:Films about terrorism in Europe 1167:(1995) (with Alastair MacNeill} 1161:(1993) (with Alastair MacNeill) 1155:(1992) (with Alastair MacNeill) 1149:(1991) (with Alastair MacNeill) 1143:(1990) (with Alastair MacNeill) 1129:(1989) (with Alastair MacNeill) 463:novels written for the screen. 238:Criminal mastermind Mr. Smith ( 1137:(1990)(with Alastair MacNeill) 582: 549: 540: 536:. Ballantine Books. p. 1. 258:President of the United States 256:and kidnaps the mother of the 164:USD 4 million or USD 5 million 1: 1283:Films based on British novels 487: 329: 16:1980 American television film 1313:1980s English-language films 1208:(1994) (with Simon Gandolfi) 1202:(1993) (with Simon Gandolfi) 1196:(1992) (with Simon Gandolfi) 906:All About Lawrence of Arabia 564:. Harper & Row. p.  434: 422: 252:When Mr. Smith captures the 7: 1288:Films about hostage takings 412:The Man with the Golden Gun 10: 1334: 1258:1980 crime thriller films 1186: 1179:(1998) (with Hugh Miller) 1173:(1997) (with Hugh Miller) 1098: 967: 924: 897: 662: 173: 168: 160: 152: 144: 136: 126: 116: 102: 97: 89: 81: 71: 57: 47: 39: 30: 23: 1121:(1981) (with John Denis) 1113:(1980) (with John Denis) 156:Jerry Leider Productions 1303:Eiffel Tower in fiction 1243:Terrorism in television 478:A mini-series based on 274: 233: 1080:The Way to Dusty Death 1032:Force 10 from Navarone 799:The Way to Dusty Death 767:Force 10 from Navarone 177:May 13, 1980 1233:1980 television films 1147:Time of the Assassins 1118:Air Force One Is Down 1088:Air Force One Is Down 949:When Eight Bells Toll 751:When Eight Bells Toll 727:The Golden Rendezvous 481:Air Force One is Down 475:as Malcolm Philpott. 447:in TV adaptations of 393:Air Force One is Down 366:Air Force One is Down 337:When Eight Bells Toll 287:Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 244:Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 216:Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 66:Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 1308:1980s American films 1263:American heist films 976:The Guns of Navarone 679:The Guns of Navarone 301:as Clarence Whitlock 1016:Caravan to Vaccarès 783:Caravan to Vaccarès 319:as Sonya Kolchinski 289:as Malcolm Philpott 103:Executive producers 1268:American spy films 1238:Films set in Paris 1187:Golden Girl novels 839:Goodbye California 687:South by Java Head 484:came out in 2012. 356:and Jerry Leider. 299:Billy Dee Williams 218:, and directed by 153:Production company 1215: 1214: 1110:The Hostage Tower 1048:The Hostage Tower 1024:Golden Rendezvous 1000:Ice Station Zebra 941:Puppet on a Chain 933:Where Eagles Dare 775:Puppet on a Chain 759:Where Eagles Dare 743:Ice Station Zebra 719:The Dark Crusader 703:Night Without End 695:The Last Frontier 614:The Hostage Tower 603:The Hostage Tower 534:The Hostage Tower 429:Los Angeles Times 372:The Hostage Tower 343:Puppet on a Chain 295:as Sabrina Carver 192:The Hostage Tower 188: 187: 90:Original language 82:Country of origin 43:Robert Carrington 25:The Hostage Tower 1325: 1206:Golden Vengeance 656:Alistair MacLean 648: 641: 634: 625: 624: 589: 586: 580: 579: 563: 553: 547: 544: 538: 537: 529: 520: 517: 508: 505: 224:Alistair MacLean 184: 182: 169:Original release 35: 21: 20: 1333: 1332: 1328: 1327: 1326: 1324: 1323: 1322: 1218: 1217: 1216: 1211: 1182: 1094: 1008:Fear Is the Key 984:The Secret Ways 963: 957:Breakheart Pass 920: 893: 823:The Golden Gate 807:Breakheart Pass 711:Fear Is the Key 658: 652: 598: 593: 592: 587: 583: 576: 554: 550: 545: 541: 530: 523: 518: 511: 506: 495: 490: 473:Patrick Stewart 437: 425: 349:Fear Is the Key 332: 277: 236: 208:television film 180: 178: 140:Ronald J. Fagan 109: 64: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1331: 1321: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1305: 1300: 1295: 1290: 1285: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1265: 1260: 1255: 1250: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1213: 1212: 1210: 1209: 1203: 1197: 1190: 1188: 1184: 1183: 1181: 1180: 1174: 1168: 1162: 1156: 1150: 1144: 1138: 1130: 1122: 1114: 1105: 1103: 1096: 1095: 1093: 1092: 1084: 1076: 1068: 1060: 1056:River of Death 1052: 1044: 1036: 1028: 1020: 1012: 1004: 996: 988: 980: 971: 969: 965: 964: 962: 961: 953: 945: 937: 928: 926: 922: 921: 919: 918: 910: 901: 899: 895: 894: 892: 891: 883: 875: 867: 859: 855:River of Death 851: 843: 835: 827: 819: 811: 803: 795: 787: 779: 771: 763: 755: 747: 739: 731: 723: 715: 707: 699: 691: 683: 675: 666: 664: 660: 659: 651: 650: 643: 636: 628: 622: 621: 610: 597: 596:External links 594: 591: 590: 581: 574: 548: 539: 521: 509: 492: 491: 489: 486: 467:also featured 445:Alexandra Paul 441:Pierce Brosnan 436: 433: 424: 421: 331: 328: 327: 326: 325:as Mrs Wheeler 320: 317:Rachel Roberts 314: 308: 302: 296: 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1153:Dead Halt 1141:Red Alert 887:Santorini 871:Floodgate 863:Partisans 847:Athabasca 654:Works by 435:Follow-up 423:Reception 409:girls in 388:Athabasca 210:starring 199:American 831:Seawitch 619:AllMovie 205:thriller 117:Producer 72:Music by 58:Starring 459:, both 313:as Leah 230:books. 179: ( 174:Release 93:English 1102:novels 1059:(1989) 1043:(1979) 1035:(1978) 1027:(1977) 1019:(1974) 1011:(1972) 1003:(1968) 995:(1965) 987:(1961) 979:(1961) 960:(1976) 952:(1971) 944:(1971) 936:(1968) 917:(1972) 909:(1962) 890:(1986) 882:(1984) 874:(1983) 866:(1982) 858:(1981) 850:(1980) 842:(1978) 834:(1977) 826:(1976) 818:(1975) 815:Circus 810:(1974) 802:(1973) 794:(1971) 786:(1970) 778:(1969) 770:(1968) 762:(1967) 754:(1966) 746:(1963) 738:(1962) 730:(1962) 722:(1961) 714:(1961) 706:(1959) 698:(1959) 690:(1957) 682:(1957) 674:(1955) 663:Novels 572:  269:lasers 161:Budget 137:Editor 1100:UNACO 461:UNACO 228:UNACO 195:is a 608:IMDb 570:ISBN 453:and 443:and 427:The 407:Bond 401:and 346:and 275:Cast 234:Plot 214:and 203:and 197:1980 617:at 606:at 566:164 201:spy 1224:: 568:. 524:^ 512:^ 496:^ 415:. 395:. 340:, 647:e 640:t 633:v 578:. 260:( 183:)

Index


Claudio Guzmán
Peter Fonda
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
John Scott
Jerry Leider
Peter Snell
Burt Nodella
Jean Boffety
1980
spy
thriller
television film
Peter Fonda
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Claudio Guzmán
Alistair MacLean
UNACO
Keir Dullea
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Eiffel Tower
President of the United States
Celia Johnson
lasers
Peter Fonda
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Maud Adams
Billy Dee Williams
Keir Dullea
Britt Ekland

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