The Chairman

Gregory Peck was at a weird stage in his career in 1969. "To Kill a Mockingbird" had been released in 1962, so it had already been several years since that high acclaim. Although he wasn't to find a similar role again in his career, Peck proved sufficient at the kind of edge-of-your-seat action thrillers that littered theaters at the time. That isn't to say that many of them are without merit, but it's an interesting career progression given that he went from capital-P prestige dramas to actioners that'd rather just be that than explore the political implications of its plot. Again, not a bad thing whatsoever. Such is the case of "The Chairman," a crisply shot and clumsy story directed by J. Lee Thompson.

"The Chairman" marked the fourth and last collaboration between Thompson and Peck. For those of you who have seen "Cape Fear," then you're probably familiar with Peck's physicality and brooding stature. It's not villainous as much as it comes off like a persona of an everyman that can handle his own when called upon. Luckily for the viewer, the film relies heavily on this.

Nobel Prize-winning professor John Hathaway (Peck) receives an email from an old colleague who resides in China that causes some alarm. Almost immediately, he's swept up in a plot to steal a game-changing agricultural enzyme formula from Communist China before they're able to fully realize its power. Implanted in his neck is an explosive transmitter that will detonate if anyone catches on to Hathaway's plan or if he fails. Hathaway has to go up against Chairman Mao himself to secure this enzyme.

J. Lee Thompson proved himself worthy of navigating heavy action and convoluted narratives, while also letting his performers run free. Just look at Robert Mitchum's performance in "Cape Fear" and you'll see an actor working at the height of his power with a director that rises to the occasion. While "The Chairman" may be a lesser case of when an actor and director find harmony, it's not without merit. In particular, Jerry Goldsmith's score is terrific and imbues a level of dread that's never clearly felt through the plot. It all kind of just comes off as histrionics and slipshod political undertones.

The audio and video presentations on the new Twilight Time Blu-ray do like stellar, as usual. This is a gruff actioner rendered cleanly by Thompson's affinity for visual crispness, and this release does that skill justice. Pick this up if you're a fan of Peck or Thompson, but don't expect this to be top-tier work from the duo. The audio commentary with Eddy Friedfeld and Lee Pfieffer is a pleasure to listen to, as they dig deep into the film and Peck's acting. Special features include:

� Isolated Music Track
� Audio Commentary with Film Historians Eddy Friedfeld and Lee Pfeiffer
� "The Chairman" Mini-Film
� Two Alternate Scenes from International Version
� Original Theatrical Trailer

"The Chairman"
Twilight Time Blu-ray
$29.95
https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/chairman-the-blu-ray/