Aust. critic slates ‘Yankee Zephyr’

Press, 21 December 1981, Page 14

Aust. critic slates ‘Yankee Zephyr’

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney An adventure movie, “Race for the Yankee Zephyr,” filmed earlier this year round Queenstown, has been panned in an Australian film review: Meaghan Morris in the "Australian Financial Review” said that the distinguished British actor, Donald - Pleasance, put in one of the silliest performances of his zxxvaAAK rTrkilft T aolfiTT Anno

Warren had one of the most humiliating roles accorded to an actreSs since Candice Bergen’s early films. “As adventure films go, ‘Race for the Yankee Zephyr’ is both crude and strangely old-fashioned,” Ms Morris wrote. “The New Zealand contribution to the actual film consists of a few local faces used for ethnic background, and the scenery, which is rrtorln fr» laaL oc nrrnoh litro

North America as possible.” Ms Morris said the film had some redeeming moments, the acting at times transcending everyday badness “to achieve’, a parodic slapstick charm.” “Donald Pleasance hams up his role delightfully when he isn’t being embarrassing, while the villains arid thugs are quite amusing caricatures of their Hollywood matinee predecessors.” The film was produced by

Anthony Ginane and a New Zealander, John Barnett, and directed by David Hemmings. '■