The Executioner (1970 film)

The Executioner
Film poster
Directed by	Sam Wanamaker
Produced by	Charles H. Schneer Columbia Pictures
Written by	Jack Pulman
Starring	George Peppard Joan Collins Keith Michell Judy Geeson Oscar Homolka Charles Gray Nigel Patrick George Baker Peter Bull Ernest Clark Peter Dyneley
Music by	Ron Goodwin
Cinematography	Denys N. Coop
Edited by	R. Watts
Production company	Ameran Films
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	3 June 1970 Dallas
Running time	107 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Executioner is a 1970 Technicolor cold war spy thriller British film in Panavision, starring George Peppard as secret agent John Shay who suspects his colleague Adam Booth, played by Keith Michell, is a double agent. In the film, Peppard's character tries to prove the double role of his colleague to his spy-masters and when he fails to do so he kills him. It was produced by Charles H. Schneer for Columbia Pictures and filmed in Panavision and Technicolor.

John Shay (George Peppard), a British MI5 agent, had grown up in the United States, and who was nearly killed while on assignment abroad. Convinced that he was framed, he returns to London to uncover the mole responsible for the set-up. John Shay suspects that his colleague Adam Booth (Keith Michell) is a Russian spy. The action takes place in London, Athens, Istanbul and Corfu, where Shay goes in his investigation trying to gather evidence that Booth is a double agent. When Shay's superiors are not convinced, and even after a special hearing clears Booth of any wrongdoing, he takes matters into his own hands and executes Booth.

Shay assumes the identity of Booth, and, with the assistance of Booth's widow Sarah (Joan Collins) and his own girlfriend Polly (Judy Geeson), he launches into an investigation to uncover Booth's connections. Shay maintains a romantic relationship with both women. Booth's wife is the romantic interest of Shay and British scientist Philip Crawford (George Baker), who provided information to Shay about Booth being a double agent. Shay's superiors are Col. Scott (Nigel Patrick) and Vaughan Jones (Charles Gray). Polly assists him in his investigations by providing him with information apparently confirming his suspicions.