MASQUERADE

United Artists, 1965.  Directed by Basil Dearden.  Camera:  Otto Heller.  With Cliff Robertson, Jack Hawkins, Marisa Mell, Michel Piccoli, Bill Fraser, Christopher Witty, Tutte Lemkow, Keith Pyott, José Burgos, Charles Gray, John Le Mesurier, Roger Delgado, Jerold Wells, Felix Aylmer, Denis Bernard, Ernest Clark, David Nettheim, Anthony Singleton, Norman Fisher, Eric Blyth, James Mossman.

Vital oil-concession talks between Britain and the Middle Eastern state of Ramaut have broken down, and the Foreign Office sends for Colonel Drexel, wartime liberator of Ramaut.  Drexel's assignment is to kidnap the young heir to the throne, Prince Jamil, and keep him hidden until he ascends the throne and signs an agreement favorable to the British.  Despite official objections, Drexel insists on hiring a wartime comrade, David Frazer, as his assistant.

A daring soldier of fortune, Frazer follows his instructions and goes to a villa in Spain to be met by Drexel and the prince.  Shortly after encountering the beautiful Sophie and her suspicious-looking companions, Frazer is knocked unconscious and Prince Jamil disappears.  British officials suspect Frazer of duplicity, but Drexel staunchly defends him.  Frazer soon learns, however, that Drexel is behind the kidnapping and plans to sell the prince back to his uncle.  When Frazer confronts him with his knowledge of the facts, Drexel offers to include Frazer in the arrangement, but Frazer refuses the offer.

Drexel then departs with the prince and is pursued by Frazer.  They cross a canyon by means of a rope-suspension bridge; the bridge collapses; and Frazer saves both Drexel and Prince Jamil from death.  British authorities watching the scene from a helicopter assume that both men have done their jobs well.

The Prince is restored to his throne, Drexel is awarded a commendation and a lucrative oil company job, and Frazer receives a modest check.

American Film Institute Catalog