“Evening in Byzantium” is an exciting 1978 made-for-television movie that features all kinds of drama at a film festival on the French Riviera. The excellent four hour film was expertly directed by Jerry London (“Wheels” 1978 miniseries) and well penned by Glen A. Larson and Michael Sloan, adapted from Irwin Shaw’s 1973 novel of the same name.
The story tells of a movie producer and writer (played by Glenn Ford) who has a new script about terrorists attacking three America cities with airplanes containing nuclear bombs. At the film festival, he shares the screenplay with his agent (Eddie Albert). Several people find out about the subject matter, and word soon leaks out to actual terrorists who are planning a similar attack. It causes them to hold the film festival attendees hostage at gunpoint. Shades of the September 11, 2001, situation are eerily and unmistakably prophetic here.
The large supporting cast behind Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert includes Vince Edwards. Shirley Jones, Erin Gray, Gregory Sierra, Harry Guardino, Patrick Macnee, Gloria DeHaven, Christian Marquand, Michael Cole, George Lazenby, Marcel Hillaire, Lee Bergere, and Edward James Olmos in an early role.
The watchable “Evening in Byzantium” was originally aired in syndication Aug. 14-15, 1978, as a four hour TV movie (three hours without commercials), produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Pictures, and Glen A. Larson Productions.
Evening in Byzantium (1978)
cinema
My Review
“Evening in Byzantium” is an exciting 1978 made-for-television movie that features all kinds of drama at a film festival on the French Riviera. The excellent four hour film was expertly directed by Jerry London (“Wheels” 1978 miniseries) and well penned by Glen A. Larson and Michael Sloan, adapted from Irwin Shaw’s 1973 novel of the same name.
The story tells of a movie producer and writer (played by Glenn Ford) who has a new script about terrorists attacking three America cities with airplanes containing nuclear bombs. At the film festival, he shares the screenplay with his agent (Eddie Albert). Several people find out about the subject matter, and word soon leaks out to actual terrorists who are planning a similar attack. It causes them to hold the film festival attendees hostage at gunpoint. Shades of the September 11, 2001, situation are eerily and unmistakably prophetic here.
The large supporting cast behind Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert includes Vince Edwards. Shirley Jones, Erin Gray, Gregory Sierra, Harry Guardino, Patrick Macnee, Gloria DeHaven, Christian Marquand, Michael Cole, George Lazenby, Marcel Hillaire, Lee Bergere, and Edward James Olmos in an early role.
The watchable “Evening in Byzantium” was originally aired in syndication Aug. 14-15, 1978, as a four hour TV movie (three hours without commercials), produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Pictures, and Glen A. Larson Productions.