Amsterdam Affair


Amsterdam Affair is a 1968 British crime film directed by Gerry O'Hara and starring Wolfgang Kieling, William Marlowe, Catherine Schell and Pamela Ann Davy. It was written by Edward Ward based on the 1968 novel Love in Amsterdam by Nicolas Freeling.

Plot

Dutch policeman Van Der Valk investigates a novelist who is accused of murdering his mistress.

Cast

Production

Gerry O'Hara was under contract to Sydney Box when signed to direct. He also wrote the script. He said the producers tried to remove him from the film as a director, but could not as O'Hara had written the script and was not under contract as a writer. "It's a film I like enormously," said O'Hara.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Despite its rather wordy script and the time it takes to get under way, this thriller is not altogether without style. The copious dialogue is well enough written to sustain interest, the Amsterdam locations are attractively photographed, and Wolfgang Kieling is engagingly quizzical as the Maigret-like police inspector."
Kine Weekly wrote: "An ingenious and well-written mystery, this is drawn out a little too long, but should commend itself in most situations. ...The film contains far more talk than action, but it is well-constructed, natural- sounding dialogue and all the main characters are well drawn. There is, perhaps, too much use of memory flashbacks and some of the incidentals are given far more time than their iinterest deserves; but the mystery and tension are on at a reasonable pitch throughout by playing om the duel of personalities between Martin and Inspector Van der Valk."
Variety wrote: "William Marlowe gives a sound, convincing performance as the bewildered, slightly arrogant suspect, and Catherine Von Schell as the wife, Pamela Ann Davy as the victim and Lo Van Hensbergen as the unctuous magistrate shape well together with a predominately Dutch cast. But the most interesting thesping comes from Wolfgang Kieling as the sardonic, sadistic but painstaking detective. A neat score by Johnny Scott and other technical credits measure up."
Leslie Halliwell wrote "Tolerable roman policier."