A Lovely Way to Die

THIS IS THE TYPE OF ROLE FOR WHICH KIRK DOUGLAS IS RENOWNED. SUBMITTING HIS BADGE AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF POLICE BRUTALITY, DOUGLAS IS HIRED BY PROMINENT ATTORNEY ELI WALLACH TO PROTECT WEALTHY SYLVA KOSCINA FOLLOWING THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF HUSBAND WILLIAM ROERICK WHICH IS BEING SHADED AS A MURDER INVESTIGATION. DIRECTOR DAVID LOWELL RICH SHREWDLY SPICES A THROW-AWAY MOOD WITH THIS SUSPENSEFUL MIX OF INTRIGUE, DECEPTIONS, TREACHERY AND BLACKMAIL ACROSS A DIVERSE SHOWCASE OF CHARACTERS, FROM PLAYBOY KENNETH HAIGH IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH KOSCINA, SEDUCTIVE SHARON FARRELL, MYSTERY FIGURE RALPH WAITE, MILLIONAIRE MARTYN GREEN AND ASSOCIATE PHILIP BOSCO. RICH CONCEIVES AN UNDENIABLE SENSE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN DOUGLAS AND KOSCINA FOR THE PULSATING CLIMAX UNIFYING ALL OF THE FILM'S EXPLOSIVE ELEMENTS. THE BODYGUARD OF THE WEALTHY FEMME WAS A COMMON THEME OF MANY OF THE 1960S CRIME EFFORTS, MODST NOTABLY ANOTHER 1968 UNIVERSAL THRILLER, P.J., STARRING GEORGE PEPPSRD, GAYLE HUNNICUTT AND RAYMOND BURR. LOOK FOR ALI MCGRAW IN A BRIEF EARLY ROLE.