Strong performance by George Peppard
“The Groundstar Conspiracy” is a Cold War-era spy thriller about terrorism and national security with nods to “North By Northwest,” “Saboteur,” and ”Ministry of Fear.” A hard-as-nails security chief determined to get to the bottom of a treasonous plot to undermine the United States must get essential information from a suspect who may or not be suffering from amnesia.<br /><br />In the film’s explosive opening sequence, we see a computer research complex named Groundstar blown up, a top-secret tape stolen, several scientists killed, and the perpetrator thrown clear of the conflagration. Badly injured, his face burned and horribly disfigured, he barges into a nearby house and terrifies its owner, Nicole (Christine Belford).<br /><br />Groundstar is a joint venture of the Air Force and the private sector and has the backing of a U.S. senator.  Its head of security, Tuxan (George Peppard), has complete jurisdiction and makes that clear when representatives turn up to assert their authority.<br /><br />The saboteur, Welles (Michael Sarrazin, “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”), says he has no memory of committing the terrorist act, stealing vital information, or killing six men. He claims not to know who hired him or even his own name. Tuxan soon tracks him down, takes him into custody, questions him and subjects him to torture, but to no avail.<br /><br />The film becomes a battle of wills between Tuxan and Welles with the security expert focused on learning who hired the saboteur. With access to a seemingly unlimited budget and resources, Tuxan relies on know-how, instinct, and experience to discover and follow clues. Welles slips out from his grasp but Tuxan still contrives to keep him under surveillance, convinced he will lead him to the terrorist mastermind.<br /><br />George Peppard (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “How the West Was Won”), a big star in the first half of the 1960s, was offered less-than-stellar roles in later years. “The Groundstar Consiracy” is an exception. Peppard fits the role perfectly. His Tuxan conveys strength and a “don’t mess with me” bravado  exemplified by how he deals with high-ranking officials early in the film. Neither intimidated nor deflected from his purpose, the character is arrogant, impatient with interference, and clearly the most powerful presence in the film.<br /><br />Welles is reminiscent of Roger Thornhill in “North By Northwest.” Both characters find themselves in the midst of deadly spy intrigue and seem to have no idea why. Sarrazin has a boyish quality that makes him look more like a high school coach than an international spy. When he claims he has amnesia, is he telling the truth or is it a ruse to cover his tracks? His wide-eyes and innocent manner might conceal a masterful spy or they might reflect his true self.<br /><br />The screenplay by Matthew Howard is engaging, mostly because<br />Peppard’s Tuxan is the film’s most interesting character. Though the plot revolves around Sarrazin’s Welles, the script and Peppard’s strong screen presence make his the starring role. The stolen tape is merely a McGuffin. The real story is how Tuxan uses Welles to discover who is the head bad guy.<br /><br />Nicole, who goes from hostage to helper, manages the unlikely task of falling in love with Welles, a dumb cliche that’s impossible not to see coming. This plot contrivance is an obvious way to tie Nicole to the espionage intrigue.<br /><br />Despite the otherwise good script, the film has the look of a made-for-TV movie rather than a studio feature. The opening sequence is very brief and rushed, with little suspense. People run, fires break out, alarms go off, but it all happens so quickly that the impact is ho-hum rather than Wow! This is an opportunity missed, and there are others. Many scenes are staged with little movement and excessive dialogue, which slow the pace. When Peppard is on screen, everything moves fast, which reflects the ability of his character to get things done fast. Sarrazin’s scenes, by comparison, often drag.  Locations are limited, and director Lamont Johnson often uses traditional camera set-ups rather than interesting compositions. The payoff of the film is its ending, which does offer a surprise.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the PG-rated Blu-ray release include an audio commentary and several theatrical trailers.
The movie title "The Groundstar Conspiracy [Blu-ray]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.2 from 103 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Action & Adventure. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Genre": "Mystery & Suspense", "Format": "Anamorphic, NTSC, Subtitled", "Contributor": "Christine Belford, George Peppard, Michael Sarrazin", "Language": "English", "Number Of Discs": "1"}

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