The Disappearance

Based on a Derek Marlowe thriller, this well-cast, but so-so scripted, spy story is being re-released by Rhino after a long moratorium. Mallory (Donald Sutherland), a top hit man comes home one day to find his wife (Francine Racette--Sutherland's real life wife) has disappeared. At the same time, he's given an assignment to kill a man named Deverell (Christopher Plummer), whom Mallory eventually learns has been having an affair with his wife. A pounding overwrought musical score is set in direct contradiction to the plodding storyline (in two separate scenes, Sutherland spends a couple of minutes just walking around his apartment). A wonderful supporting cast (David Hemmings, David Warner, John Hurt, and Plummer) adds a touch of class (or, in some cases, camp) to the proceedings, but eventually viewers are left with a jigsaw puzzle that has too many missing pieces (originally, the film was 100 minutes long, and some key scenes may have been dropped). All in all, The Disappearance is a dated thriller whose reappearance on home video wasn't really necessary. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)