Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1966
The Poppy Is Also a Flower
Buy The Poppy Is Also a Flower now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'The Poppy Is Also a Flower' is a 1966 American-French-Austrian made-for-television spy and anti-drug film. It was originally made under the auspices of the United Nations as part of a series of television specials designed to promote the organization's work. The film was directed by Terence Young and stars Yul Brynner, Omar Sharif, Eli Wallach, Angie Dickinson, Senta Berger, Stephen Boyd, Trevor Howard, Rita Hayworth and Marcello Mastroianni. Grace Kelly (as Princess Grace of Monaco) narrates.
The film was also known by alternative titles 'Poppies Are Also Flowers', 'The Opium Connection', and 'Danger Grows Wild' (in the UK).
Plot
In an attempt to stem the heroin trade at the AfghanistanIran border, a group of narcotics agents working for the United Nations inject a radioactive compound into a seized shipment of opium, in the hopes that it will lead them to the main heroin distributor in Europe.
Cast
In alphabetical order
* Senta Berger as Maxine
* Stephen Boyd as Benson
* Yul Brynner as Col. Salem
* Angie Dickinson as Linda Benson
* Georges Gret as Supt. Roche
* Hugh Griffith as Tribal chief
* Jack Hawkins as Gen. Bahar
* Rita Hayworth as Monique Markos
* Trevor Howard as Sam Lincoln
* Trini Lpez as Himself
* E. G. Marshall as Coley
* Marcello Mastroianni as Insp. Mosca
* Amedeo Nazzari as Capt. Dinonnio
* Anthony Quayle as Capt. Vanderbilt
* Gilbert Roland as Serge Markos
* Harold Sakata as Martin
* Omar Sharif as Dr. Rad
* Barry Sullivan as Chasen
* Nadja Tiller as Dr. Bronovska
* Eli Wallach as "Happy" Locarno
International crew
Part of the production of this film took place overseas. Iran was the main scene for many desert and border scenes. The crew spent several weeks on location and the local cinematographers joined the team to accomplish the production. Famous Iranian cinematographers cooperated with this project, including Maziyar Partow.
Production
The film is based on an idea by Ian Fleming, the James Bond creator. Funded in part by a grant from Xerox, it was produced by the United Nations and the stars received a salary of $1. Terence Young left the direction of 'Thunderball' to make the film.
'The Poppy Is Also a Flower' was the last of four television movies commissioned by the United Nations, to publicise its missions and roles in world peace and diplomacy. The film was originally 80 minutes in length for its ABC telecast, minus commercial time for the 90-minute slot. It was expanded to 100 minutes for a US theatrical release by Astral Films in 1967.
After its television broadcast on ABC in 1966, Eli Wallach won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his portrayal of drug kingpin "Happy" Locarno. This was the production's only award.
See also
* List of American films of 1966
* List of television films produced for American Broadcasting Company
* United Nations television film series
References
Buy The Poppy Is Also a Flower now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1966