The List of Adrian Messenger

Star Review

It’s fair to say that any film which buries some of Hollywood’s most famous faces under layers of prosthetics so they can play unrecognisable cameos doesn’t take itself entirely seriously. The List of Adrian Messenger is a romp whose improbable plot is strongly scented by red herrings. Trying to spot Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra encased in latex is only one of its charms.

Adrian Messenger’s list has eleven names on it, all of dead men. Soon, he’ll be added to it himself, another victim of a dastardly master of disguise (Kirk Douglas, under yet more rubber). It’s up to Messenger’s friend Anthony Gethryn (Scott) to untangle the mystery and to stop the villain claiming his prize.

John Huston’s movie is the missing link between Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Avengers, a droll mystery of English eccentricity. Huston’s direction is sure-footed and while it’s not quite as glorious as his Beat The Devil, it’s spirited entertainment that’s nearly as much fun to watch as it must have been to make.

James Oliver on 4th March 2008

View all 34 of James Oliver’s reviews

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Film Description

A murder mystery directed by John Huston. Soon after he asks his good friend, British colonel Anthony Gethryn, to find the eleven men named on a list, Adrian Messenger is killed when the plane on which he is travelling is blown up. Digging into the mystery, Gethryn discovers that all the men are being killed off one by one and needs to discover why. As the killer works his way through the list, helped by being a 'master of a thousand disguises' (Kirk Douglas), Gethryn has a race against time on his hands to find the killer.

A number of cameos in the film were played by heavily disguised Hollywood stars, including Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, George C Scott, Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra.

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Film Details

Cast

Robert Mitchum, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Frank Sinatra, George C. Scott, John Merivale

Technical Details