Rosebud

VHS, PG, 126 minutes, MGM

Producer-director Otto Preminger, renowned for his craftsmanship, controversial themes and legendary temper, takes on the topic of international terrorism in this globe-trotting thriller scripted by his son Erik and based on the best-selling novel by Joan Hemingway and Paul Bonnecarrere. With slouch hat and dangling cigarette, Peter O'Toole stars as a CIA agent assigned to rescue five teenage girls who have been kidnapped from the "Rosebud" (a yacht, not a sled) by the Palestine Liberation Organization. O'Toole's cocky, aloof, gently mannered performance is a treat. Assisting him are Cliff Gorman ("The Boys In The Band") as a hard-bitten Israeli secret service agent, and Richard Attenborough ("Jurassic Park") as O'Toole's mysterious and megalomaniacal adversary. Also included in the large, international cast are Isabelle Huppert ("Heaven's Gate"), Peter Lawford and former New York City mayor John Lindsay. Boasting exotic locations throughout Europe and the Middle East and showcasing more accents than the United Nations General Assembly, "Rosebud" rates as a handsome piece of topical entertainment.