Running Blind

Cold War thriller set in Iceland – a British agent and his Icelandic fiancee try to protect an electronic device from falling into the clutches of the KGB.

I saw this only very recently again, after more than forty years since it was screened in the UK by the BBC. It is based on the eponymous Desmond Bagley thriller and features Stuart Wilson as "Alan Stewart", co-opted (reluctantly) by former boss "Slade" (George Sewell) to carry out the simple delivery of a package to a character in Iceland. Yeah, right - well that was what was supposed to happen, but before long he is on the run from former Bond villain Vladek Sheybal ("Kennikin"). Originally spread over three episodes, "Stewart" must keep ahead of his pursuing nemesis, discover just what "Slade" is up to, and - of course - keep himself and the young "Elin" (Ragnheiõur Steindórsdóttir) from being captured and maybe worse. The pacing is good, the sense of peril and the suspense build well across the episodes and pretty much right until the end we are unsure of just what exactly is going on... The BBC made some wonderful dramas in the 1970s; many to much broader acclaim than this one - but this, though certainly dated, very much emphasises a quality of production and acting that still makes for an intriguing thriller to watch. The volcanic scenery lends greatly to the look of the film, too.