Torn Curtain (1966)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writer:

Brian Moore (written by)

Release Date:

14 July 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Suspense! Azione! Sorpresa! [Suspense! Action! Surprise!]

Plot:

An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin and then figuring out a plan to escape back to the West.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Germany | Leipzig | Europe | Director Cameo

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Professor Michael Armstrong
Julie Andrews	...	Sarah Sherman
Lila Kedrova	...	Countess Kuchinska
Hansjörg Felmy	...	Heinrich Gerhard (as Hansjoerg Felmy)
Tamara Toumanova	...	Ballerina
Ludwig Donath	...	Professor Gustav Lindt
Wolfgang Kieling	...	Hermann Gromek
Günter Strack	...	Professor Karl Manfred
David Opatoshu	...	Mr. Jacobi
Gisela Fischer	...	Dr. Koska
Mort Mills	...	Farmer
Carolyn Conwell	...	Farmer's Wife
Arthur Gould-Porter	...	Freddy - the Bookseller
Gloria Gorvin	...	Fräulein Mann

Runtime:

128 min | Germany:126 min | France:126 min | Netherlands:118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Swedish | Norwegian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

France:U | Spain:18 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Germany:12 (re-rated) (video) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

According to the book "Hitch: The Life and Times of Alfred Hitchcock", Hitchcock was unsatisfied with Brian Moore's Screenplay. So Hitchcock brought in Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall to do a rewrite job on it. Their contribution to the Screenplay was considerable enough for Hitchcock to feel strongly that they should receive screen credit. But Brian Moore disputed this, and an adjudication by the Screenwriters Guild gave him sole credit, to Hitchcock's irritation.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Or their shadow, anyway. On the road-level shot of Armstrong's taxi leaving the farm (Gromek's motorbike is visible on the left of the screen), just at the very bottom of the image can be seen the shadow of the camera (4:3 television version only).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Professor Karl Manfred: Are they ever going to get the heating fixed?
Norwegian crewman: They are working at it, Professor. Perhaps some of you scientists would like to give us a helping hand!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Unrequited Love (2006)

Soundtrack:

Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32

Film with potential falls short.

This film looks as if it had potential but seems to miss the mark. The story of an American scientist (Paul Newman) who is supposedly defecting to East Germany is engaging and is now dated. Newman's performance is capable. Julie Andrews who plays Newman's wife is mediocre at best - there just isnt much of a character to develop here. As far as a Hitchcock signature on the movie - the death of the policeman, "Grommek" is the highlight of the movie. The films turns into a harrowing escape adventure from East Germany. Finally, the things that disappointed me are the vastly cheap rear-projection that was used in making this film. And finally, the decision to scrap Bernard Herrmann's score and replace it was another composer could have made the film more exciting.