Who? (film)

Who?
Who?
Directed by	Jack Gold
Written by	John Gould
Based on	Who? by Algis Budrys
Produced by	Barry Levinson; Kurt Berthold (co-producer)
Starring	Elliott Gould; Trevor Howard; Joseph Bova
Cinematography	Petrus R. Schlömp
Edited by	Norman Wanstall
Music by	John Cameron
Production; companies	Lion International; Hemisphere
Distributed by	British Lion Films
Release dates	19 April 1974 (United Kingdom); August 1975 (United States);
Running time	93 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom; United States; West Germany
Language	English

Who? is a 1974 British science fiction film based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Algis Budrys. It was directed by Jack Gold and stars Elliott Gould, Trevor Howard and Joseph Bova. Some video releases were retitled The Man in the Steel Mask or Roboman.

Synopsis

An enigmatic individual with a metal face is returned from East Germany and claims to be Lucas Martino, an American scientist who was working on a top-secret project but was severely injured and scarred in a car crash. American authorities hold him in custody while they try to establish whether the man is the real Martino or an impostor looking for secret information about the ultimate rocket project developed in the West.

Cast

Elliott Gould as Sean Rogers
Trevor Howard as Colonel Azarin
Joseph Bova as Lucas Martino

Release

Although one 1983 British source stated that the film was shelved for five years after its completion in 1974,^[1] contemporary sources indicate the film was screened theatrically in the U.S. in 1975,^[2]^[3] and broadcast on British television in 1976.^[4]

Reception

Contemporary U.S. reviews were mixed to negative. The Iowa Gazette described it as "distinctly average but better than mediocre".^[2] The Kentucky Courier-Journal dismissed it as a "clinker", calling it an "inane... funereal mess".^[3]

References

^ Selway, Jennifer (6 February 1983). "The Week in View". The Observer. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Halliday, Doc (12 June 1975). "Who? Conventional Spy Plot, but its Ending is Imaginative". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids: Iowa – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Dietrich, Jean (27 September 1975). "After watching 'Who?' you start wondering why". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. p. A11 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Weekend Television/Radio: BBC1". The Guardian. 24 July 1976. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Who? at IMDb

[Selway-1] Selway, Jennifer (6 February 1983). "The Week in View". The Observer. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com.

[Halliday-2] Halliday, Doc (12 June 1975). "Who? Conventional Spy Plot, but its Ending is Imaginative". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids: Iowa – via Newspapers.com.

[Dietrich-3] Dietrich, Jean (27 September 1975). "After watching 'Who?' you start wondering why". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. p. A11 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Weekend Television/Radio: BBC1". The Guardian. 24 July 1976. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.

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