Fear Is the Key

Fear Is the Key (1972)

Runtime: 105 minutes

Directed by: Michael Tuchner

Starring: Barry Newman, Suzy Kendall, John Vernon, Dolph Sweet, Ben Kingsley!

From: Paramount

Thank you, Criterion Channel’s ‘70’s Car Movies collection. I may have heard about this elsewhere but for certain it was discussed on the Pure Cinema Podcast. They offered high praise yet made sure not to really give any details as to why. As Letterboxd mutuals even say that going into this blind is preferable-and please don’t read the description provided by the Criterion Channel-I’ll try to tap-dance around certain details while at the same time explaining my rating. While this was released on Blu by Imprint in Australia, (legal) American streaming options are scarce, and only Criterion Channel has the 1080p print.

The basic description: Barry Newman-somehow I missed the news that he passed away just this past May-hears his family killed over the radio; long story, but he is a “deep sea salvage expert.” He doesn’t take the news well… in Louisiana, things happen and I discovered why this is considered “a 70’s car movie.” I also discovered that Newman’s character in the first act wasn’t what you’d call “a likable protagonist.” But, I’ll say a bit more about that later. The highlight of the picture is the vehicle action; now that was a blast. Between what is done with those hunks of metal, how it was filmed and a gloriously 70’s score from Roy Budd, it was a treat. Then again, the conclusion was memorable for wholly different reasons.

The film has various surprises which I definitely won’t spoil. I will mention the other famous faces in the cast: Suzy Kendall, 70’s actor Dolph Sweet, John Vernon (does he play a villain? Usually, yes but no comment), and… Ben Kingsley, WITH HAIR. This was in fact his movie debut. Otherwise, he did British TV shows and appeared on stage from the late 60’s up to Gandhi. By now, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this was a British production partially filmed in the United States which was picked up for distribution in the United States by Paramount. It was based on a novel by Alistair MacLean, after all.

What the film turns into after the opening act was rather, ahem, interesting. You should stick with the movie past the first act (and the car chases) no matter what you think of the protagonist. Even I am unsure of the overall plot; what a curious film this proved to be. Unbeknownst to me, this was an apt choice to watch yesterday with all the rain and thunder in the area.

Despite some carps that could be made, this contained several aforementioned elements that made this journey worthwhile.