That Lucky Touch (1975)
Review by Remco Admiraal

After the success of Gold, Roger Moore and Susannah York once more teamed up for That Lucky Touch in 1975. A European playboy annex arms dealer Michael Scott (Moore) meets a liberated divorced woman journalist (York) with principles and a young son. York is writing a story about the ridiculous things men do with arms during a NATO war games meeting. During war games, Michael attempts to sell weapons to NATO forces by trying to interest NATO general Steedman (Lee J. Cobb) in his wares. Opposing Scott's weapons deal with NATO, while trying not to fall in love with him, York's real nature is revealed through a remark by her son: Mother makes news happen where she wants to be. In the end she ends up giving up her values and she falls in love with Scott. The way to her heart is by means of her son and of course through the irresistible charms of Scott.

The film was directed by Christopher Miles. It was shot totally in Belgium, is set for most part in Brussels and features a lot of tourist Brussels locations. The film's climax was shot in the forest of the castle of Rumbeke. The film is a romantic comedy but unfortunately there is too much desperately protracted humour and the plot comes down to a rather simple love story. The scenes of Brussels in the 70s are great however and it's good to see the individual actors try hard to make up for a thin script and some awkward dialogues. A lot of familiar faces turn up. Lee J. Cobb stars in his last movie, Shelley Winters plays his hysteric wife and some of the supporting cast have familiar TV faces as well: Linda Gray (from "Dallas") and Takis Emmanuel (from "Who Pays the Ferryman?") appear as well.

That Lucky Touch didn't do well at the box office and has been scarcely seen on television. It was released on video in the UK in the 80s, but that video release is a scare piece of memorabilia. Its release on DVD in recent years has been restricted to Denmark and the Netherlands (Region 2) at least to my knowledge. Both countries have released the movie in it original version with optional subtitles. The Dutch release of the DVD can be ordered from online retailers (like www.bol.com), as well as the Danish DVD release (available from retailers like www.haushoej.dk). The Dutch release was published by company A-Film in December 2003 and has some nice animated menu's, but doesn't contain any extra's, the picture quality is adequate.

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