Villain

1971
X
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

2.1K

YOUR RATING

In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.

Play trailer2:44

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45 Photos

Crime Drama Thriller

In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

2.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 2:44

Trailer

Photos45

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
A sex scene between Richard Burton and Ian McShane was cut from the original theatrical release.

Goofs
There is a clear overdub when Wolfe and Venetia arrive at the country house for the party. As they are walking up the drive they both survey the front of the mansion. Wolfe describes the house as, "fit for a king". Venetia responds, "I bet the bathrooms are freezing", but if you watch her mouth movements closely, she actually completes Wolfe's sentence with the phrase , "or queen" .

Quotes
[last lines]
[Vic Dakin has shot and killed Edgar Lowis because he thinks he has betrayed him. He tries to run but realises that the police have got the place surrounded so he walks up to Inspector Matthews and throws down his gun]
Bob Matthews: See them?
[camera shows shots of various onlookers]
Bob Matthews: And them. And them. You can't put the frighteners on *all* of them. Not all the time.
Vic Dakin: Why not?
Bob Matthews: You call 'em punters. We call 'em witnesses.
Vic Dakin: You know, if I looked at one of them, they'd piss in their pants. Because I'm Vic Dakin.
Bob Matthews: Used to be.
Vic Dakin: And who are you? What do *you* do? Keeping Britain clean on thirty quid a week. Respect! Respect! You don't know what it is. Unless you're Vic Dakin. Tell 'im, someone, tell 'im.
[no-one says anything to support Vic]
Vic Dakin: A hundred witnesses. But only twelve men on the jury. You remember that. Only twelve men on the jury.
[more shots of various onlookers and policemen, none of them looking scared]
Vic Dakin: [shouting angrily at the onlookers] Who are you looking at?

Connections
Featured in The French Sex Murders (1972)

User reviews75

Review

Featured review

Unfairly underrated, this is a great little gangster film. Worth a look.

This film may not be a classic but it is one of my favourite films of the early 1970s and is worth watching if only for the great cast. Richard Burton's portrayal as a vicious, homosexual mother-fixated, career-criminal psychopath is superb (the Kray twins had only recently been sentenced and comparisons can be drawn). It would have been easy to portray Vic Dakin-great villain name- as an American-style, one dimensional cardboard villain. Instead it is a study of intelligent evil. His character carries an air of menace made all the more frightening by his eloquence and intellect. The film has a good British cast (watch out for a scene-stealing Nigel Davenport as the police officer in charge), gritty 1970s locations and all the usual formula: the planning and execution of a robbery, torture scene, blackmail and even a hospital kidnap! What more could you ask from an old potboiler gangster film? Go on, watch the

film and make up your own mind. A strong British film and a must for fans of Richard Burton.