The Last Grenade – 1969 | 94 mins | War, Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Adventure story involving two mercenaries fight to the death from the John Sherlock novel ‘The ordeal of Major Grisby’. Director Gordon Flemyng misses a real chance for a character study of the career mercenary and instead decides on action – and there’s plenty of it. There are shoot-outs, chases and explosions galore, but the flat script is filled with predictable sequences, unrealistic dialog and a ludicrous romantic subplot. The cast could do little to overcome these weaknesses but try their best. There’s a forceful performance by Stanley Baker and the terrific supporting cast of familiar crew of British actors, including Richard Attenborough and a pre-Sweeney John Thaw add substance to a tale of revenge.

Maj. Harry Grigsby (Stanley Baker) and Kip Thompson (Alex Cord) are mercenary comrades fighting in the Congo. Thompson jumps sides and during a helicopter pick-up turns his guns on Grisby’s troops, wiping out most of them. Whilst back in England recovering from tuberculosis, the 42yr-old Grigsby is approached by a Whitehall official and requested to go on an undercover mission in Hong Kong to hunt down Thompson; who has recently set up camp there and is causing political friction with China by instigating cross-border raids.

Grigsby’s initial forays into the jungle end in failure, with Thompson proving a wily adversary. Whilst recovering again in hospital, Grisby is visited by Katherine Whiteley (Honor Blackman), the frustrated wife of pompous Gen. Charles Whiteley (Richard Attenborough).Grigsby falls in love with Katherine as the two spend much of his convalescence time together, but she is subsequently killed in a car blown up by Thompson. Grigsby vows revenge on his traitorous ex-colleague, and this time sets off alone to gain retribution.