Leigh Vance

The Black Windmill (1974)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
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.

The Saint – Season 5 (1967)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Roger Moore as The Saint sits behind the wheel of a vintage racing car. He is in a grey jumpsuit and wears a black helmet with a white vizor, grey goggles and white gloves.

Roger Moore as the Saint in “The Fast Women” © ITC

Director: Leslie Norman
Writer: Leslie Charteris, Leigh Vance
Starring: Roger Moore, Jan Holden, John Carson, Kate O’Mara
Production Company: Bamore, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
Kent Locations Used: Brands Hatch

The Saint (1962-1969) is an ITV spy thriller series following Simon (The Saint) Templar, a wealthy adventurer who travels the world solving mysteries. Season 5 Episode 16, The Fast Women, sees the Saint at Brands Hatch racing circuit, where he meets famous racing rivals Cynthia Quillen and Teresa Montesino, who both have plans to assassinate the other.

The episode is written by Leslie Charteris (The Saint (1997), The Saint’s Double Trouble) and Leigh Vance (The Black Windmill (1974), Mission: Impossible) and directed by Leslie Norman (Dunkirk (1958), X the Unknown). The episode stars Roger Moore (The Carer (2016), Moonraker) as Simon Templar “The Saint”, Jan Holden (Casanova ’73, Agony) as racing driver Cynthia Quillen, John Carson (Doomsday, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter) as her cheating husband Godfrey Quillen, and Kate O’Mara (The Vampire Lovers, Doctor Who) as her racing rival Teresa Montesino.

Episode 16 is set at Brands Hatch in Fawkham, Sevenoaks and filming took place on the racing circuit and in the pits.

Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit with views across almost the entire Indy Circuit. Surrounded by woodland, the site also contains a rally course and off-road 4×4 course which are available for filming. Other productions to have filmed there include Grand Prix (1966), CI5 The New Professionals (1999) and Rush (2013).

The Saint first aired on ITV between 1962 and 1969. Season 5 Episode 16, The Fast Women, aired Friday 13th January 1967. Seasons 5 and 6 are available to stream on ITVX.

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