Mirage (1965)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Howard Fast (novel)
Peter Stone (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 October 1965 (Sweden)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Is The Key In His Mind...Or In Her Arms?

Plot:

A New York man suffers amnesia. He soon learns that he's mixed up in a life-and-death situation, but what exactly is it?

Plot Keywords:

Amnesia | Flashlight | Psychiatrist | Private Detective | Military Officer

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	David Stillwell
Diane Baker	...	Shela
Walter Matthau	...	Ted Caselle
Kevin McCarthy	...	Sylvester Josephson
Jack Weston	...	Lester
Leif Erickson	...	The Major - Crawford Gilcuttie
Walter Abel	...	Charles Stewart Calvin
George Kennedy	...	Willard
Robert H. Harris	...	Dr. Augustus J. Broden
Anne Seymour	...	Frances Calvin
House Jameson	...	Bo - Old Man in Stairway
Hari Rhodes	...	Det. Lt. Franken
Syl Lamont	...	Benny - Apartment Attendant
Eileen Baral	...	Irene
Neil Fitzgerald	...	Joe Turtle
Franklin Cover	...	Tour Group Leader (as Franklin E. Cover)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Florence Anglin	...	Bit (uncredited)
Walter Arnold	...	Bit (uncredited)
Russell Baker	...	Bit (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	...	Banquet Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
Roxane Berard	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Maurice Brenner	...	Bit (uncredited)
Jeff Brown	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Robert Brubaker	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	...	Converted Extra (uncredited)
Toni Covington	...	Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)
John Crowther	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Tenant in Apartment 3R (uncredited)
Jerry Dunphy	...	TV Newscaster (uncredited)
Douglas Evans	...	Customer (uncredited)
Harry Fleer	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Rian Garrick	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Gerald Gordon	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Myron Healey	...	Bar Patron Discussing Watermelon (voice) (uncredited)
Philip Kenneally	...	Bit (uncredited)
George Lambert	...	Bit (uncredited)
Louise Lawson	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Karen Norris	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Bob O'Connell	...	Bit (uncredited)
Damian O'Flynn	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Barbara Perry	...	Dr. Broden's Receptionist (uncredited)
Bill Quinn	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Joe Quinn	...	Man's Voice (uncredited)
Allan Ray	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Walter Reed	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John Richards	...	Bit (uncredited)
Pat Ripley	...	Bit (uncredited)
Victor Romito	...	Bit (uncredited)
Ann Staunton	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Robert Swan	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Aline Towne	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Nancy Tribush	...	Bit (uncredited)
Howard Wendell	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits
Howard Fast		(novel "Fallen Angel") (as Walter Ericson)
Peter Stone		(screenplay)

Produced by
Harry Keller	....	producer

Original Music by
Quincy Jones

Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent

Art Direction by
Frank Arrigo
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin
John McCarthy Jr.

Costume Design by
Jean Louis

Makeup Department
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence Nelson	....	assistant director
William S. Gilmore	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Corson Jowett	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	matte supervisor

Stunts
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Léo L. Fuchs	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Gary Kent	....	electrician (uncredited)

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Film (1965) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1965) (Vietnam) (theatrical)
• Universal (1965) (France) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc) (widescreen)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | Netherlands:6 | USA:Approved | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Quotes:

[Josephson is considering whether to side with David or the Major]
David Stillwell: Dammit, Josephson, commit! If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Remington Steele: Altered Steele (#2.4)" (1983)

Ahead-Of-Its-Time Thriller- One Of The Best

I've always had great affection for this film, ever since seeing it in a theatre as a teenager.

First, a major innovation in thrillers - flashbacks done as direct jump-cuts into the actual flow of the film (no wavy lines or warped visuals to announce to the audience that they're seeing a flashback) This movie demanded that you keep up with what was unfolding and trusted you to figure out what was past and present.

Peter Stone's script - sharp, thrilling and funny, very much like Ernest Lehman's work on "North By Northwest" and Stone's own work on "Charade" and "Arabesque".

The villains...priceless...the grumpy, elderly hit-man who accosts Peck in Central Park...brilliant idea. Jack Weston's wisecracking hit-man..(a seemingly jolly joker, who lets his mask drop briefly in a pivotal scene with Peck) And of course, George Kennedy as Willard, a rampaging psycho who nurses grudges against victims who dare to defend themselves. I almost forgot Kevin McCarthy as the quintessential sniveling corporate toady.

A true classic....and a total crime and injustice that it's not on DVD yet.