The Southern Star | |
---|---|
Directed by | Sidney Hayers |
Screenplay by | David Pursall Jack Seddon |
Produced by | Roger Duchet Nat Wachsberger |
Starring | George Segal Ursula Andress Orson Welles Ian Hendry Johnny Sekka |
Cinematography | Raoul Coutard |
Edited by | Tristam Cones |
Music by | Georges Garvarentz |
Production companies | Euro France Films Capitole Films |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | 1969 |
Running time | 104 min. |
Countries | United Kingdom France |
Language | English |
The Southern Star (French title: L'Étoile du sud) is a Technicolor 1969 British-French comedy crime film directed by Sidney Hayers and starring George Segal, Ursula Andress and Orson Welles.[1] In French West Africa in 1912, an extremely valuable diamond is stolen. [2]
It was based on the novel The Vanished Diamond (French title L'Étoile du sud) by Jules Verne. The film's opening scenes were anonymously directed by Orson Welles - the last time he would direct scenes in another director's film.
Fortune hunter Dan Rockland (George Segal) comes to West Africa pretending to be a geologist. He is actually employed by Kramer (Harry Andrews), whose business is diamonds. Kramer's workers discover a huge uncut gem, which is named the Southern Star at a party to celebrate the find. However a power blackout leads to chaos and the diamond is gone. Rockland`s African guide Matakit (Johnny Sekka) is thought to be the thief and flees on a pet ostrich. Rockland, thought to be an accomplice, escapes prison with help of his fiancee, Kramer`s daughter Erica (Ursula Andress), and they set out after Matakit.
Capt. Karl Ludwig (Ian Hendry), who is Kramer's intriguing security chief and resents Rockland's interest in Erica, follows the trails as well; as they all come into the sphere of the diabolical Maj. Plankett (Orson Welles).
Plankett gets to Matakit first and takes him prisoner, setting a trap for the others. This eventually leads to a shootout in which Ludwig is killed. Rockland, Erica and Matakit return to Kramer; and it appears the thief was the ostrich. Trying to retrieve it again, more ostriches show up and so one of them just might have it.
In April 1968 it was announced Orson Welles would join the cast.[3]
The film was the 18th most popular movie at the UK box office in 1969.[4]
The New York Times wrote, "The film evolves as a tongue-in-cheek, campy chase through Senegal's bush country, where it was shot in lovely pastel shades...Mr. Welles, looking like Buddha, swilling cognac, speaking in a pseudo-Cockney accent and perspiring in a white hunter's getup, lazily adds to the lampoon. "It's supposed to pull your leg," Mr. Segal explains to Miss Andress as he sets a trap for their pursuers. "The Southern Star" does just that, even if it isn't funny enough during a good deal of the trek";[5]
The Los Angeles Times said the film "wisely plays it for laughs" and was "not particularly well made".[6]
The Radio Times noted a "Splendidly photographed African adventure filmed on authentic Senegalese locations, but alas bearing the curse of the international co-production. Underrated editor-turned-director Sidney Hayers tries to pull together the Jules Verne-inspired plot and a cast that verges on the preposterous, headed by George Segal (far too urban for this type of trek), the ravishingly lovely Ursula Andress, and the great Orson Welles, who was obviously in need of the money. Brits, Ian Hendry and Harry Andrews bring some dignity to a romp that isn't sure whether it's comedy or adventure or both, but it looks good nevertheless."[7]