Trying to remember a movie

maxmordon · Aug 24, 2011

I saw it as a child, so it's quite fuzzy.

It focused on an older reporter who I think was also a mystery writer and had a younger female assistant. The plot revolved around a mysterious mastermind who I think was copying something from one of his old books.

The villain was trying to rob a sword from a museum and to taunt him, he put a billboard with a counter to show him at what time he was going to steal it.

Manuel Royal · Aug 24, 2011

Drawing a blank. Do you remember what decade it came out?

maxmordon · Aug 25, 2011

I think its from late 80's to mid 90's.

Manuel Royal · Aug 25, 2011

See, that's helpful. Not knowing how old you are, I thought about when I was a child, which would be the 1960s and '70s. So now I have to think of my 20s and 30s when I'm trying to remember.

Still drawing a blank. (1964's Topkapi was actually the first movie that came to mind, but it doesn't fit all the elements you remember.)

amyashley · Aug 25, 2011

This sounds familiar to me, but I'm not remembering more. Can you think of who any of the actors were? The book angle and the billboard ring a bell.

amyashley · Aug 25, 2011

This dates all of us. Now everyone will know we aren't young hipsters skipping about in skinny jeans sipping lattes and sexting on our i-phones. *le sigh*

maxmordon · Aug 25, 2011

Sorry, no idea who was there.

maxmordon · Aug 25, 2011

If memory serves me right, I believe the criminal mastermind believed he was a member of a branch of the British throne and that is why he claimed the sword.

amyashley · Aug 25, 2011

It sounds suspiciously reminiscent of the old Highlander series on TV. I know it isn't that.

Maryn · Aug 25, 2011

Max, I posted a summary of what you remember on another site. We'll see if anybody knows it. Usually they're astonishingly good.

Maryn, all helpful

Maryn · Aug 31, 2011

Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding! We have a winner.

Apparently you are seeking The Man Who Wouldn't Die. One of the handful of people at the other site who remembers every movie she's ever seen identified it.

The summary at IMDb doesn't mention billboards, but the user who replied has never been wrong, to my knowledge.

Go forth and rent!

Manuel Royal · Aug 31, 2011

Maryn, you rock.

Maryn · Aug 31, 2011

Why, yes, I do! I thought no one had noticed.

Maryn, who also classics and jazzes

amyashley · Aug 31, 2011

Yay! Now I remember it too. I remember seeing the previews.

maxmordon · Aug 31, 2011

Thank you, thank you, thank you! If you wish any favor, Maryn, I am at your service. Ask anything!

Maryn · Aug 31, 2011

Hmm, allow me to ponder...

Maryn, using ellipses (gasp!)

Maryn · Aug 31, 2011

For the handful who've asked, it's not a secret site, nor a competing writing site. It's just IMDb, where I cyber-know a handful of people who know so many movies by description that I wonder about them--and admire them. Who needs a database, huh? I just shot messages to a few, and one knew it. And a made-for-TV movie to boot. Awesome.

Maryn, grateful for them identifying scads of movies based on one remembered scene or detail

Trying to remember a movie

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Manuel Royal

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Manuel Royal

amyashley

Stunt-Writer

amyashley

Stunt-Writer

maxmordon

Penúltimo

maxmordon

Penúltimo

amyashley

Stunt-Writer

Maryn

I Tried

Maryn

I Tried

Manuel Royal

Maryn

I Tried

amyashley

Stunt-Writer

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Maryn

I Tried

Maryn

I Tried