House of Cards | |
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Poster for House of Cards (1968)
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Directed by | John Guillermin |
Produced by | Richard Berg |
Written by | Harriet Frank, Jr. |
Edited by | J. Terry Williams |
Release date
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Running time
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105 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
House of Cards is a 1968 mystery film directed by John Guillermin, starring George Peppard, Inger Stevens, and Orson Welles, and distributed by Universal Pictures. Filmed in France and Italy, it marked the second time that Peppard and Guillermin worked together (they had previously collaborated on the 1966 film The Blue Max).
Reno Davis (George Peppard) is an American writer who has recently retired from boxing. Now unemployed and broke in France, he finds the wealthy widow of a French general. Anne de Villemont (Inger Stevens) is attracted to Reno's stoicism and they become lovers. She also hires him to tutor her eight-year-old son Paul (Barnaby Shaw).
Reno is led to believe Anne's husband was killed in the Algerian conflict and is troubled by Anne's intense fear that Paul will be kidnapped. He then discovers the family has ties to a fascist organization that plans to take over all of Europe. He takes on the shady psychiatrist Morillon (Keith Michell) and mysterious family friend Leschenhaut (Orson Welles), both of whom scare Anne whenever they are around.
Reno is framed for his best friend's murder as he and Anne become the targets of the ambitious and maniacal schemers who wish to rule the entire European continent. Reno and Anne are hunted and chased around France while protecting Paul from being abducted. The chase ends at the Coliseum in Rome, where Reno and the villains engage in a showdown.
This film has never been released in North America on VHS or DVD.