The Black Windmill (1974)

Production poster- Michael Cane with his hands on his stomach in front of a purple background, Michael Cane The Black Windmill written in white

The Black Windmill poster © Universal Pictures

Director: Don Siegel
Writer: Leigh Vance (screenplay), Clive Egleton (novel)
Starring: Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Delphine Seyrig
Production Company: Universal Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate Hover port, Pegwell Bay

The Black Windmill (1974) is a thriller about British agent Tarrant (Michael Caine) whose son has been kidnapped and is being held ransom for diamonds. Tarrant finds out that the people he thought he could trust are no longer on his side to help his son and desperately works to do all he can to get him home safely.

 

The screenplay was adapted by Leigh Vance (The Saint – Season 5 (1967), Switch), based on Clive Egleton‘s novel, ‘Seven Days to a Killing’.

The film is directed by Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz) with Michael Caine (Battle of Britain (1969), Last Orders (2002)) taking the lead role along Donald Pleasence (Halloween, The Great Escape) and Delphine Seyrig (The Day of the Jackal, Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles).

The production visited Ramsgate Hover port at Pegwell Bay to film the scene where Tarrant makes his way across the channel and sneaks onto a bus on board the hovercraft.

Formerly the home of Ramsgate Hover Port, Pegwell Bay is now a National Nature Reserve offering distinctive sea cliffs, parking, toilets, a cafe/restaurant and picnic areas.

The Thanet area has featured in a variety of productions such as EastEnders (2015), True Love (2012) and The Big Sleep (1978).

The Black Windmill (1974) was released on Friday 2nd of August 1974 and is now available on DVD and online.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.