Night Of The Following Day (1969)

Set in France, the daughter (Pamela Franklin, PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE) of a wealthy businessman (Huques Wanner) is kidnapped and held hostage until a ransom is paid. The kidnappers consist of a man (Marlon Brando) who begins to have second thoughts about the kidnapping, a sadist (Richard Boone), an unstable junkie (Rita Moreno) and her brother (Jess Hahn). Unfairly dismissed by the critics when it opened (or rather dumped by Universal), it's something of a cult film today. As directed by Hubert Cornfield (who also co-wrote the script), it's a rather taut little thriller with a nasty bent. Its rather European in atmosphere and style, like something Rene Clement might have directed. It's rather aloof and "artsy" approach to a kidnapping for ransom film doomed it for mainstream audiences. My only quibble is the ending which is "oh no, they didn't!" infuriating. Brando was still acting rather than slumming and brings his usual intensity to his character, Boone's sadistic pervert makes your skin crawl but the film's best performance belongs to a blonde haired Rita Moreno as the nervous coke addict. There's a nice jazz score by Stanley Myers. With Al Lettieri, Jacques Marin and Gerard Buhr.