Hunted

One of my gifts to myself arrived in the mail just now. I've posted before about the pleasure I receive from Geoffrey Household's suspense novels, especially Watcher in the Shadows and Rogue Male. I have two film versions of the latter, Man Hunt (1941) and a BBC version for television, Rogue Male (1976), the closest to the book. There were rumors a couple of years ago that Benedict Cumberbatch wanted to film it, but so far as I know it didn't happen. The DVD that arrived today is of the 1976 version starring Peter O'Toole in the title role. That version has only been available in the US with very imperfect picture and sound. This one may be better. I'll find out tonight. It is a Blu-ray. I had to go to Britain to find it but fortunately I own a "region-free" Blu-ray player acquired when I realized there were films available abroad that weren't here.

The DVD description:

In early 1939 with war looming, English aristocrat Sir Robert Hunter (Peter O'Toole) embarks on a 'sporting stalk' of the deadliest of prey: Adolf Hitler. Captured by the Gestapo and left for dead. Sir Robert soon becomes the hunted on a chase from the Bavarian mountains to the wilds of the English countryside, where he will need all his sportsman's wit and guile to survive. Based on Geoffrey Household's cult 1930s thriller. Rogue Male is a suspenseful action adventure featuring an exceptional lead performance from O'Toole and a superb supporting cast, including Alastair Sim, Harold Pinter and John Standing.