DEAD BODY ON BROADWAY

George Nader and Heinz Weiss

DEAD BODY ON BROADWAY (aka Broadways Deadly Gold aka Todesschusse am Broadway/1969.) Director: Harald Reinl. 

FBL agent Johnny Peters (Hans Heyde) infiltrates a gang run by Joe Costello (Miha Baloh), but manages to hide the three million in gold they stole before he is murdered. Costello has his face altered, kills off the surgeons, and tries to get ahold of Peters' girlfriend, Cindy (Heidy Bohlen), thinking she knows where the loot is hidden. Having always suspected that her Johnny was on the side of the angels, she bravely decides to work with Jerry Cotton (George Nader) and Phil Decker (Heinz Weiss) as a decoy. Another player is wealthy Woody Davis (Horst Naumann), who runs his own gang and is also out to find Cindy -- and the loot. His niece, Alice (Michaela May), is innocently embroiled in the intrigue. 

Miha Baloh

This is the eighth and last in the West German Jerry Cotton film series starring George Nader as Cotton. As usual, it has a fast pace, a lot of running around, lots of fist fights and gun shots, and some exciting sequences, although it isn't the best of the series. Joe Costello is such an utterly loathsome villain that at one point he kidnaps a young boy, then later hands him a loaded grenade hoping to blow the child up -- fortunately Jerry saves the boy's life. Costello gets his just desserts but his death isn't nearly horrible enough. The flick, shot in West Germany, features second unit work in New York and Las Vegas, where Jerry takes a brief detour. Locations of shattered ruins, garbage-strewn back alleys, and dank tunnels add much to the atmosphere. Two times during the film Cindy sings one of the most dreadful pop numbers I've ever heard, "See You Later, Alligator." 

Apparently Nader was dubbed for these German productions, but fortunately his real voice is used for the English-dubbed versions. His performances as Cotton are always on the money, adding a soupcon of humor and style to his square-jawed characterization. German actor Weiss is never given as much to do, but is also effective. 

Verdict: The last of the sixties Cotton movies. **3/4. 

TIP NOT INCLUDED

Jerry dives off and grabs the bottom rungs of copter!

TIP NOT INCLUDED (aka Die Rechnung --eiskalt serviert/1966). Director: Helmuth Ashley. 

FBI agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) is enjoying a drink when he tries to help a man, Thomas (Christian Doermer), who is dragged out of the club by thugs. Thomas is one of several men who is participating, perhaps unwillingly in his case, in a plot to rob the U.S. Treasury. Thomas' friend Phyllis (Yvonne Monlaur) is kidnapped by the gang when it is suspected that she knows more about his activities than she really does. Jerry affects a rescue of her, and tries to warn Clark (Walter Rilla), head of the Treasury, about the upcoming robbery, but he doesn't listen, and the mint is robbed of millions. Now it's up to Jerry to round up the gang and get the moolah back!

George Nader as Jerry Cotton

This is another entertaining West German Jerry Cotton movie with Nader essaying the role in his usual slick and heroic style. At one point Jerry launches himself off a high rooftop and miraculously grabs hold of the bottom rungs of a helicopter taking off. (The process work in this exciting sequence is very well done.) Heinz Weiss appears as Jerry's partner, Phil Decker, but he doesn't get much to do in this entry. There's an interesting development when Jerry takes the blame for letting the robbery occur to spare Clark, who blames himself and is on the verge of suicide. Jerry winds up being suspended but, true to form, stays in action. 

Verdict: Handsome Nader does the derring-do with flair. **3/4. 

THE TRAP SNAPS SHUT AT MIDNIGHT

Jerry Cotton (George Nader) goes into action!

THE TRAP SNAPS SHUT AT MIDNIGHT (aka Um Null Uhr schnappt die Halle zu/1966). Director: Harald Philipp.  

A small-time operator named Hatton (Gert Gunther Hoffmann) steals a truck and is alarmed to discover it is stuffed with vats of nitroglycerine. The cool blonde Maureen (Dominique Wilms of OSS 117 -- Panic in Bangkok) acts as go-between for him and big-time operator Larry Link (Horst Frank of Eye in the Labryinth), but Hatton isn't in the picture for long. Link contacts the authorities and threatens to use the nitro to blow up Manhattan if he isn't paid one million smackers. FBI agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) and his partner Phil Decker (Heinz Weiss) are assigned to get the crooks and find the nitro -- before a summer heat wave causes it to explode! 

Dominique Wilms and George Nader

This is the third of the West German Jerry Cotton films starring George Nader, and as usual it's entertaining and well-played. The film is distinguished by two exciting action scenes: when Jerry masquerades as a window washer and nearly falls to the sidewalk far below; and a tense sequence on the Manhattan Bridge when Jerry has to fight off a thug and get rid of a bomb attached to one of the nitro canisters at one and the same time. The editing manages to blend Jerry and the other characters into the New York City exteriors quite well, and the irritating theme music is used sparingly for a change. 

Verdict: More than decent action film from West Germany. ***. 

MANHATTAN NIGHT OF MURDER

Heinz Weiss and George Nader

MANHATTAN NIGHT OF MURDER (aka Mordnacht in Manhattan/1965). Director: Harald Philipp. 

In New York a group of thugs called The Hundred Dollar Gang are terrorizing business owners who don't pay the monthly protection fee of $100. During an attack on a restaurateur, the man is shot to death, but apparently not by any of the gang members. FBI agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) and his partner, Phil Dekker (Heinz Weiss) investigate, and obtain the help of gas station owner Sophie (Elke Neidhart) while doing their best to protect little Billy (Uwe Reichmeister) who witnessed the shooting. Jerry and Phil eventually arrive at the Goldfish Club, where there are "mermaids" in a tank and a cool blonde named Wilma (Silvia Solar of Death and Diamonds) advises the gang members. But she is not the true leader -- that is something Jerry and Phil have to determine before they can put this case to bed.

George Nader

This is the second of eight German action films starring Nader as Cotton, and it is generally entertaining and fast-paced although it drags in some spots. The musical score, featuring the Carnival-like Jerry Cotton theme, becomes pretty annoying, however. Nader makes a good Cotton and the other performances are also adept. There is a terrific scene when one of the thugs, who screwed up, is tied to a chair with a bomb that will go off if anyone opens the door, and Jerry has to enter the room another way to prevent both of them from being killed. There are some fairly exciting fight and chase sequences. The identify of the ultimate gang leader is a small surprise. There are enough location shots to preserve the illusion that this actually takes place in New York City, although one suspects that this was filmed mostly in Germany. This follows The Violin Case Murders and is preceded by The Trap Snaps Shut at Midnight. 

Verdict: 2nd entry in an interesting series. **3/4.