Just an assumption...

"Who Dares Wins" is/was the motto of the English SAS elite. Since this is the only link to the film plot (and only English people would/could know that), the US distributors must have thought it was too "out there" a title for a film about an occupied embassy and terrorists, whereas "The Final Option" refers directly to the storming of said embassy and therefore refers directly to the plot and would need no "inside knowledge" to understand.

Just a guess.

Best,
Burnie


blinddoc, November 20, 2009; 7:01 PM

I worked on this movie & just as the post above states.

The Who Dares Wins logo being the motto of the SAS was not thought to be known world wide, at the time there were a number of titles being considered including my favorite, The Tip Toe Boys? makes very little sense, just like the title.

So as the SAS are used by the UK government as a final option, it was considered ideal to call the film in the international markets that.

Simple but that is the way some things go.

enjoy your cd

regards

andy b

ajbjmdb, November 20, 2009; 10:14 PM

This CD rules!!! I saw this movie when I was young in the 80s. Now why is it not releaed on dvd in North America???????

I need this to be a Special collectors edition DVD!! who agrees??

eezeestar, November 21, 2009; 1:34 AM

Who agrees? Me not. A boring film and a mediocre score.

coma, November 21, 2009; 11:54 AM

I agree with you Coma. The worst score on the MGM treasury box. Don´t know the film but the fact that Lewis Collins is playing a main role says all. Why didn´t Bruce Kimmel release Million Dollar brain together with Funeral in Berlin?. The other is a twofer that doesn´t fit

peter-anselm, November 21, 2009; 5:13 PM

In my opinion this coupling works far better than the one in the MGM Box. To me "Shake Hands With the Devil" was the MGM Box' weakest. Final Option is a guilty pleasure for those like me who do not contempt altogether 1970s and 1980s contemporary music. It's catchy, but not among Budd's best works and yes, certainly a bit dated. I don't like the songs.

While I really love FUNERAL IN BERLIN, it would not have fit better musically, in my opinion. All three Harry Palmer scores are very different from each other. On the other hand, FUNERAL is now a rare CD, so I would have welcomed it nevertheless (although I was lucky to pick up the Spanish CD some years ago).

Regards,

Urs

handstand, November 21, 2009; 6:21 PM

Thanks for that Andy B.

phil_milsom, November 23, 2009; 3:38 AM