The High Commissioner (aka Nobody Runs Forever)

This one is a brilliant little time capsule, London in the Sixties, Australia, a New South Wales Premier acting like most of the Aussie pols of the day, Rod Taylor, Australian, as Scobie Malone, Australian cop, based on a book by Jon Cleary, tight little plot that holds together remarkably well, and could have been the base for a wider series of films if they'd thought about it, since the Malone books have been going strong for close on forty years.

have always enjoyed Rod Taylor and Christopher Plummer. a real bonus seeing them playing side by side. This was a great old movie. Bit of politics and some underhandedness of politicians and all that. Really pleased to see all these old movies coming out on DVD and with Subtitles for we hearing impaired folks. plenty of excitement and espionage in this great movie.

To start with, since the previous reviewer asked - the cast includes:Rod Taylor as Scobie MaloneChristopher Plummer as Sir James QuentinLilli Palmer as Lady Sheila QuentinCamilla Sparv as Lisa PretoriusDaliah Lavi as Maria CholonClive Revill as JosephAnd now on to the movie itself - a political thriller set in London in the 1960s, when tensions between East and West were at a dangerous high. The plot revolves around Sir James Quentin, the Australian high commissioner to London, played with elegance and style by Christopher Plummer, who is the chairman of an international conference that attempts to bridge political divides through trade. "Peace through plenty" is how one of the conference participants puts it. But although Sir Quentin is quite successful in his negotiations, not all is well. Someone close to him is leaking confidential information, trying to discredit the conference. Shadowy assasins have an eye on the commissioner and the politics around the conference are a tangled web.On top of that, in the middle of the conference sergeant detective Scobie Malone (a great tough-but-good-guy portrait by Rod Taylor) flies in from Australia, sent by Quentin's political rival, the premier of New South Wales, to arrest him for the alleged murder of his former wife. But did he do it? Malone himself and his boss at the CID don't think so. The inquiry was made by the politically motivated premier's people and not by the CID. However, a mandate of arrest was issued and Malone is supposed to bring the commissioner back to Australia. Quentin asks for more time to finish the conference - a few days that see two assasination attempts, Malone becoming Quentin's private security agent, and endless deception and intrigue, spearheaded by the charming and dangerous Maria Cholon, an underworld queen who has an interest in seeing Quentin dead and the conference aborted. I won't tell you how it all ends because thrillers you know the ending of beforehand aren't that much fun ;).Although the tone of the movie is mostly serious, there are enough moments of levity provided by the interactions between true-blue Australian Malone and Sir Quentin's stuffy British butler Joseph, delightfully played by Clive Revill. Cast performances are excellent across the board, including Lilli Palmer as Sir Quentin's sensitive, worried wife (Lilli Palmer and Christopher Plummer had played another ill-fated couple before: she had played Jocasta to his Oedipus in "Oedipus King"). Camilla Sparv plays Sir Quentin's smart, sharp and protective secretary with just the right combination of professionalism and feistiness. Daliah Lavi is suitably langurous, seductive and revengeful as the "evil beauty", and Burt Kwouk of "Pink Panther" series fame makes an appearance as her lieutenant.As for the DVD quality, the video is crisp and beautifully toned, much improved over the VHS version which is out of print now (under the name "Nobody Runs Forever"). The sound is Dolby mono but of good quality.Based on the novel eponymous novel by Jon Cleary. Recommended!

Aussie cop Scobie Malone (Rod Taylor)is pulled from arresting drunks in the outback Northern Territory, and sent to London to arrest the Australian High Commissioner for the ancient murder of his first wife. Inconvenient, as he is in the middle of saving the world at the UN, so Scobie gets to extend his first-ever visit to Pommieland, conduct a couple of romances, save the H.C. from attacks on his life, and resolve the paradox of the killer in the great man. Interest is enhanced by the question of how his lovely loving second wife will take it all.Rod Taylor acting as Scobie is as usual uptight, judgemental of everyone, corny and cringeworthy. He's not helped by the script, which shares the last two adjectives. Christopher Plummer, whom I regard as a great actor, does his usual smooth job in a (for him) fairly undemanding role as the H.C., likewise Lilli Palmer who for me is also one of the more delightful acting personalities, always a pleasure to watch.I give it 3 stars for those who have enough interest in the other features of this "cracking good story" (as quoted on the blurb) to tolerate the negative aspects. For general audiences, two stars only would be more appropriate.The original story was a book by the same name by Australian author Jon Cleary. He must surely have been disappointed (if not cringing and wincing) at the script. If you liked the story, read the book, it's much better. Even then see the movie again, as I did. And try the other Scobie Malone stories, as well as Cleary's others, they're all good.

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this movie but I found it to very good.

Very enjoyable movie, as we find most Christopher Plummer films. Great color video and sound quality.

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A very nicely done A- thriller starring the often under-rated Rod Taylor as Jon Cleary's Scobie Malone. He and the equally excellent Christopher Plummer play well off each other as, respectively, the unsophisticated NSW (Australia) police sergeant, and the Australian High Commissioner in London. A fine supporting cast includes Lilli Palmer, Camilla Sparv, Daliah Lavi and Lee Montague as a Scotland Yard detective. As for Derren Nesbitt, it is difficult to tell whether it is his acting or his over-applied eye-make up that is more over-the-top. As for the plot, it is a nice blend of a long-unsolved murder mystery that is now being used by a vindictive NSW Premier (ie State Government leader) to undermine a political rival, and a pseudo-political thriller involving a major conference. Author Jon Cleary was reportedly unhappy with the film because of the changes made to the plot: but in fairness the broad plot-line is well adhered to and the changes involve the adding of extra incidents to make it more "cinematic". I have read the book, and frankly I prefer the film. Not a classic, but very well done. (Footnote: there was a second (eponymous) Scobie Malone film, starring Jack Thompson. It should be avoided at all costs.)

I read the book long before I saw the movie. I have read all the Scobie Malone books and I wish more were made into movies if they were as well done as this one. Rod Taylor seemed a perfect Scobie and the screenplay stuck pretty well to the book. I had not seen the movie for years and have been waiting for the DVD. No disappointment with the movie or the quality of the DVD.

The High Commissioner is a good Australian novel, the film is not bad, all actors do a good job. Fast paced for this 60's type of film, see Sydney before the high rise and opera house in early stage of construction. Have enjoyed this movie.