BasicLogic
Don't know why, but this so-called espionage thriller is one of the worst films in this genre. Lot of A-list had beens, but the dramatically staging bland, loosely knitted screenplay almost killed all of them. The early Barbara Parkins didn't show any acting talent, she looked like a robot, was so terrible to watch. The opponent side of the Russian intelligence guys looked more like working for the British or American, they all acted and more likely living in the West, except the snowy winter scenes tried to give you how Russian's winter was so bitterly cold, all these guys didn't give any realistic feeling as Russians. The Americans in this so-called thriller, all looked like having a dinner party, waltzed through the whole film by just delivering the deadbeat, poorly pre-arranged theater-like dialog, making this film so impatiently to watch along. If the Cold War spies vs spies battles were like what we saw in this film, then they were just made-up jokes.
Bladerunner101
Majestically directed by Huston, stuffed with great performances including Richard Boon, John O'Shea, Nigel Green, and especially Max Von Sydow who is in compelling form. Bibi Andersson is a revelation, so full of tenderness, anger and despair.Full of engaging characters, unexpected scenes, and plenty of twists this is a neglected classic of the genre.It needs a proper DVD release with plenty of extras, before all those involved pass away (Bibi Andersson and Barbara Parkins are the only principals still with us) Despite being central to the plot Orson Wells has little more than a cameo. O'Shea is little known now but deserves a larger entry in the footnotes of the secret agent roll.
lexyladyjax
An incredibly complicated plot requires one's full attention to comprehend this amazing film . It's full of human beings with all their human failings: greed, lust, terror, regret, rage and evil. The plot is thick with significant elements.It's possible this film was too innovative for its time. The dialogue was unusual: the actor begins in Russian is dubbed over in their own voice into English. The finger-snapping code of the agents is peculiar and jarring. The sole gadget in the entire film is a listening device in a curtain rail. The photographic style also has a flavour of documentary style, and lacks glamour in its gritty style. One imagines this as a realistic portrayal of post WWII espionage: less dependence on technology, and more on people. It took three viewings before the connections became apparent to this viewer. It's possible that unsophisticated 1970 audiences expecting another Jame Bond flick were unprepared for such a brilliant tour de force.The film is worth watching for the dynamic performance from Richard Boone alone. He never puts a foot wrong as the folksy mentor of the new spy. The post WWII generation breaking in a new spy is hyper-realistic. Only the extreme torture is left to the imagination. It's no wonder the audience of 1970 was unable to take in this brilliant film. See it now for its star-studded performances. Richard Boone's acting, as always, is a treat in store. He never disappoints.There's a pervasive homosexual undertone for many of the main characters. It is certainly there for the discerning viewer. This, too, could have had an effect on audiences and critics of 41 years ago when homophobia was omnipresent. This may be the sole role in his life in which Richard Boone portrayed a homosexual. Watch for the subtle hint in the distribution of the two-bedroom apartment's sleeping arrangements.
elgrego
This movie got bad reviews for a good reason--it is mediocre at the very best in spite of a stellar cast. Folks who like the movie claim it is an accurate portrayal of cold war espionage. Not likely, and how would they know? As a thriller it fails on most counts. None of the characters are likable. The plot is so twisted that it is hard to follow. At the end of the movie I thought, "who cares", and was irritated that I wasted two hours.The sexual politics were also offensive. Gay people are treated particularly poorly and women are mostly silly. Barbara Parkins is one exception but her part is fairly small.
AD
