Movie Type: Police Detective Film, Political Thriller
Themes: Conspiracies, Star Detectives, Murder Investigations
Main Cast: George C. Scott, Marthe Keller, Marlon Brando, John Gielgud, John van Dreelen, Calvin Jung, G.D. Spradlin
Release Year: 1980
Country: US
Run Time: 117 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
With George C. Scott and Marlon Brando heading the cast, The Formula should have been far better than it is. Adapted by Steve Shagan from his own best-selling novel, the film is predicated on the concept that a formula for synthetic fuel had been developed by the Nazis during WW II. In the intervening 35 years since the war's end, the formula has disappeared and several people connected with it have died under mysterious circumstances. Also during this period, oil magnate Adam Steiffel (Marlon Brando) had commiserated with one of the decedents. Police officer Barney Caine (George C. Scott), a friend of the dead man, hopes to solve the mystery, and in so doing gets mixed up in a wide-ranging conspiracy to manipulate worldwide fuel prices. Reportedly, The Formula underwent a great deal of editing-room surgery before its release. If so, the editors certainly erred in retaining so many of the film's interminable "steadicam" sequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Richard Lynch - Kladen/Tedesco; Beatrice Straight - Kay Neeley; Robin Clarke - Maj. Neeley; Ike Eisenmann - Tony; Alan North - Nolan; Ferdy [Ferdinand] Mayne - Siebold; Gerry Murphy - Chauffer; David Byrd - Obermann; Wolfgang Preiss - Franz Tauber; Martin Brandt - Concierge (German); Jim Brewer - Security Guard; Albert Carrier - Butler; Stephanie Edwards - Reporter; René Kolldehoff - Reimeck; Werner Kreindl - Schellenberg; Ric Mancini - Printman; Craig T. Nelson - Geologist #2; Jan Niklas - Gestapo Captain; Lavelle Roby - Secretary; Marshall Thompson - Geologist; Dieter Schidor - Assassin; Ernie Fuentes - Pool Man; Tom Hall - Reporter; Louis Basile - Vince Rizzo; Weston Gavin - U.S. Army Captain; Herb Voland - Geologist #3
Credit
Hans-Jurgen Keibach - Art Director, Ken Swor - Associate Producer, Caro Jones - Casting, Bill Thomas - Costume Designer, Dwight Williams - First Assistant Director, John G. Avildsen - Director, John G. Avildsen - Editor, David Bretherton - Editor, John Carter - Editor, Bill Conti - Composer (Music Score), Del Acevedo - Makeup, Hasso Von Hugo - Makeup, Michael Benson - Camera Operator, Herman A. Blumenthal - Production Designer, Holger Gross - Production Designer, James A. Crabe - Cinematographer, Dieter Meyer - Production Manager, Steve Shagan - Producer, Lee Poll - Set Designer, Al Overton - Sound/Sound Designer, Steve Shagan - Screenwriter, Steve Shagan - Book Author
A detective investigating the strange murder of a friend, discovers a formula created by the Nazis during World War II to create gasoline out of synthetic products, eliminating any need for oil or the oil company. The detective's life is endangered when the oil company sets out to destroy all those with knowledge of the formula's existence.
