Verdict
Summary
The film remains entertaining and reminiscent of a Bond film with fast cars, assassins, fistfights, exotic locales, and sexy girls. Even the score by Klaus Doldinger (who’d later co-compose the score to The Neverending Story) is really good. It’s short too at less than 90 minutes, so overall the film is a solid watch, especially if you’re into pulpy thrillers in the Bond vein.
Plot:
Swiss bank accounts are compromised, prompting an investigation by a private security consultant who is up against … a conspiracy!
Review:
A prominent Swiss banker is assassinated in broad daylight. Five Swiss bank accounts are compromised by the same blackmailer, who promises to reveal where the clients’ dirty money came from. It’s all connected! A private security consultant is called in to oversee a top-secret under-the-radar investigation. His name is David Christopher (David Janssen from the original TV series The Fugitive), and he used to work for the U.S. Department of Justice. He’s good. Real good. But as soon as he lands in Switzerland, his life is in danger with two hit men (played by Arthur Brauss and David Hess) on his trail. It doesn’t help that Christopher drives around in a hot red Ferrari. When one of the accounts he investigates ends up with the grisly death of the client (played by John Saxon who ends up crammed into the trunk of a car), Christopher realizes that there’s some kind of conspiracy afoot. He crosses paths with a foxy rich local (played by Senta Berger) who drives around in a white Ferrari, so they’ve got something in common! Romancing the local beauty somehow puts him at the forefront of an exchange where he’s handed a pouch full of diamonds that he must trade at the top of the Swiss Alps, but anyone who’s seen a 007 movie knows that getting into a ski lift headed for the sky is going to end up in the scope of a sniper’s rifle. Get ready for The Swiss Conspiracy!
Nicely produced on a modest budget, the very scenic and never boring The Swiss Conspiracy might’ve benefited by casting a different, more agile lead actor, as Janssen looked tired and worn out and to be in his mid-60s, despite only being about 45 or so when he made this. He smoked four packs of cigarettes a day and died a few years after this from a massive heart attack, so yeah: He doesn’t look like he was up for this very physical role. Despite that, the film remains entertaining and reminiscent of a Bond film with fast cars, assassins, fistfights, exotic locales, and sexy girls. Even the score by Klaus Doldinger (who’d later co-compose the score to The Neverending Story) is really good. It’s short too at less than 90 minutes, so overall the film is a solid watch, especially if you’re into pulpy thrillers in the Bond vein. Veteran filmmaker Jack Arnold (Creature From the Black Lagoon) directed.
Film Masters recently released a premium Blu-ray for The Swiss Conspiracy, and it looks and sounds pristine in a new 4K scan. Special features include a new audio commentary by film historians, a video essay, and liner notes in an insert booklet.
