London airport - people arriving. A passport is checked - it's someone born in Melbourne, Australia. There's a handsome photo of clean-shaven George Lazenby - credits: "George Lazenby in Universal Soldier". We cut to George - he's got shaggy hair and a mo. He's pulled into customs to be checked out - his character's name is Ryker. Ryker leaves the airport. People are waiting for him. They take him to a firing range - Ryker is respected on this. He goes to a cinema and watches ads for British arms being used in Vietnam.
Then he goes to field where hovercrafts are being trialled - people talk about working in the private sector. Ryker takes a hovercraft for a spin. He crashes into another hovercraft. (At this stage of the film other actors are driving the dialogue more than Lazenby.) He visits firing ranges. Gets in a car with an African (Rudolph Walker) who knows about Ryker's last performance. Ryker has come out of retirement for two years. The CIA are bankrolling the operation and have approved Ryker (a bit of satire). "People? Come on you know what happens to people in revolutions - they just get shot".
Ryker is to pick mercenaries. He goes to hotel. Lies in bed with towel and has flashes of various war atrocities - mainly news photos of them and images of guns, they don't seem like his POV. The film uses jump cuts and flash forwards. Ryker goes to an arms shop. Talk about getting appropriate export licences. They visit a plush Playboy club. Ryker listens to a fat businessman talk with lack of morality about arms deals.
Drives along in a car. Song on soundtrack "Oh Ryker/ You've still got a long way to go." He is pulled over by a cop. Cops ask them to open boot. They drive off. They escape. Go out to the country. Fire off some guns. Practising shooting Ryker accidentally wounds a dog collecting a stick in a lake - his American mate finishes off the dog, then Ryker blows his top and shoots at the American's feet (doesn't hit him) then walks off. Then cut to driving in a car, all tense.
Ryker heads off on his own. He walks the streets while another song plays on soundtrack. Back at hotel his American friend tries to thaw the ice but Ryker isn't keen. They are going to meet other arms dealers. Their British friend arrives. The British guy offers to go to Africa.
Ryker drives around London a bit. Arrives at a house - looking for a place to rent - he meets an American expat who has lived in London 18 years since been kicked out of country for being "unfriendly". Played by Cy Endfield, who looks seedy and disreputable and mutters. Enfield shows him around flat. Ryker agrees to take it. Endfield asks "Did you ever read Deer Park by Norman Mailer?"
Enfield's wife comes home - it's Germaine Greer. She talks about her day - her students turned up with an obscene poem. He tells Greer that Ryker is renting the room. Friends of Endfield and Greer arrive - they are hippies.
Go to a political workshop. Some actors where masks and do a piece on British police force. They argue that American police should disarm and there would be no war. (One guy who says a bit and gets close ups I think is Rohan O'Reilly, Lazenby's manager.) People say various political things (montage of it) - chat about selling arms to South Africa, Germaine says a bit. Ryker watches. At drinks after he meets and flirts with some girls. He hits it off with a blonde (Chrissy Townsend) who is Greer's step daughter? Someone's step daughter. He asks to see her.
American friend Jesse says Ryker has left even though he has a lot of people to meet. Ryker goes for a stroll in the park. (Too many scenes in this film of him walking around or going for a stroll.)
Jesse (Ben Carruthers) and British guy worried about Ryker. Whole deal might fall over. Ryker walks around with blonde. Blonde gives beggar money. He tells her about a guy he knew in Africa who would give beggars money, be followed by others, get annoyed and kick them to death. "What sort of friend is that?" she asks. "A solider" he says. He goes home. Girl is in his bed. He gets into bed with her.
There is a montage scene where he mucks arond with girl Chrissy and smokes drugs. Jesse tracks him down. We are millions of dollars out, he says. We have to turn up and train. Ryker doesn't seem interested. Jesse "They said take him back or take a piece of them back."
Ryker and Jesse chucking a frisbee, Ryker tells them to duck. They do. Someone is out to kill him.
That night they go down to the docks where the guns are held. They hold up a security guard and take the trucks.
Then he breaks into house of African man and points a gun at him. We have a deal, Ryker. Ryker blackmails him. (It's confusing what happens.) Ryker wants $125,000.
Next day the African turns up with the money. They exchange money. They are $100,000 short - but Ryker says he didn't give back the guns. Jesse is furious. "I don't know what it is myself, you know," says Ryker. "Even if you had the money you'd still have nothing... You're asleep. You're on the short end of everything and so am I but we don't realise it. We're on the wrong side." Jesse understandably punches Ryker (some flashy slow mo and cutting). Ryker annoyed but doesn't hit back despite Jesse's taunts. Jesse trips him over. Ryker then trips Jesse over (in slow motion). Ryker helps up Jesse saying "some poeple just have to learn peace the hard way." A mysterious car drives past. Drives past two of them - shots ring out. Freeze frame
Summary - a decent story done in by poor handling. Confusing as what is happening and why. Little excitement. Unsympathetic protagonist.
Greer and O'Reilly are special guest stars.
Final credits: screenplay by Endfield with additional dialogue by Kevin Duggan, Kenneth Fueurman and George Lazenby - based on a story by Derek Marlowe and Joe Massot
Production companies of film were Appaloosa Pictures and Ionian. Derek Marlowe, an experienced writer, is credited with the story.
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