Topaz (1969)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Leon Uris (novel)
Samuel A. Taylor (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Hitchcock takes you behind the actual headlines to expose the most explosive spy scandal of the century!

Plot:

A French intelligence agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis, and then back to France to break up an international Russian spy ring.

Plot Keywords:

Agent | Spy | Cold War | Mistress | Cuba

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Frederick Stafford	...	Andre Devereaux
Dany Robin	...	Nicole Devereaux
John Vernon	...	Rico Parra
Karin Dor	...	Juanita de Cordoba
Michel Piccoli	...	Jacques Granville
Philippe Noiret	...	Henri Jarre
Claude Jade	...	Michele Picard
Michel Subor	...	Francois Picard
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Philippe Dubois
Per-Axel Arosenius	...	Boris Kusenov
John Forsythe	...	Michael Nordstrom
Edmon Ryan	...	McKittreck
Sonja Kolthoff	...	Mrs. Kusenov
Tina Hedström	...	Tamara Kusenov (as Tina Hedstrom)
John Van Dreelen	...	Claude Martin
Donald Randolph	...	Luis Uribe (as Don Randolph)
Roberto Contreras	...	Muñoz
Carlos Rivas	...	Hernandez
Roger Til	...	Jean Chabrier
Lewis Charles	...	Pablo Mendoza
Sándor Szabó	...	Emile Redon (as Sandor Szabo)
Anna Navarro	...	Carlotta Mendoza
Lew Brown	...	American Official
John Roper	...	Thomas
George Skaff	...	Rene d'Arcy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henri Attal	...	Man on boat (scenes deleted)
Dominique Zardi	...	Man on boat (scenes deleted)
Fidel Castro	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rita Conde	...	Dolores (uncredited)
John Dehner	...	Official (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Mrs. Forsyth (uncredited)
Abel Fernandez	...	Cuban Guerrilla Fighter (uncredited)
Gregory Gaye	...	Meeting Co-Ordinator (uncredited)
Trent Gough	...	UN Visitor (uncredited)
Ernesto 'Che' Guevara	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man in wheelchair at airport (uncredited)
John Holland	...	(uncredited)
Ray Kellogg	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
John Stephenson	...	State Department interrogator (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Ambassador (uncredited)
Ben Wright	...	French Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Leon Uris		(novel)
Samuel A. Taylor		(screenplay) (as Samuel Taylor)

Produced by
Herbert Coleman	....	associate producer
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler

Production Design by
Henry Bumstead

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Leonard Engelman	....	makeup artist
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Nellie Manley	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fred Surin	....	production manager: Paris
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager (as Wallace Worsley)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Green	....	assistant director
James A. Westman	....	assistant director (as James Westman)
Cassius Weathersby	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Wright	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert R. Bertrand	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
William Dodds	....	camera operator
Bill Johnson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Sherman Kunkel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Pierre Zucca	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peter V. Saldutti	....	costume supervisor: men (as Peter Saldutti)

Editorial Department
Jeff Gourson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor

Other crew
Odette Ferry	....	technical advisor: France
J.P. Mathieu	....	technical advisor: Cuba
Hal Mohr	....	photographic consultant
Peggy Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Hitchcock
Trudy von Trotha	....	script supervisor (as Trudy Von Trotha)
Orin Borsten	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1969) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1970) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Väinän Filmi (1970) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Home Video (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pierre Balmain, Paris  costumes

Runtime:

143 min | 127 min (edited version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Spain:18 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 | UK:A (original rating) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1970) | Peru:14 | Sweden:11 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The shop that the Kusenovs visit just before their defection is Den Permanente, a permanent exhibition of Danish Arts and Crafts. It was founded in 1931 as a cooperative by some Danish artists and craftsmen.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Whilst the Mendozas' picnic is being prepared, the kitchen table can be seen to be built in two halves that split down the centre, necessary for the trick shot only a moment later when the camera pushes forwards through the table.

Quotes:

Francois Picard: I've been shot...Just a little.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'Topaz': An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin (2001) (V)

Atypical Hitchcock

Like so many Hollywood talents, Hitchcock was stereotyped. Also like so many Hollywood talents, whenever he tried to escape stereotyping, he would get criticized. That certainly was the case with TOPAZ. Although not as humorous, nor as romantic, nor even as exciting as the director's best films, the movie is nonetheless an intelligent and intriguing spy drama, one that compares more to a motion picture like DAY OF THE JACKYL than usual Hitchcock fare.

His other spy dramas, like NORTH BY NORTHWEST, may be more fun, but none of them are as realistic. In fact, very few spy films have the authenticity as TOPAZ. The story is based on fact. In 1962, a Russian top-level KGB defector informed the U.S. that some very high-level French diplomats, in a group called "Sapphire", were selling secrets to the Soviet Union. TIME Magazine printed this story in April 26, 1968, and did so using the same source that Leon Uris did: the U.S. sympathizing (and exiled) former Chief of French Intelligence, Philippe Thyraud de Vosjoli.

Incidentally, a viewer needs to know the chronology and key events surrounding the 1962 Cuban Missile Crises as background, or else the film will be confusing. I suspect many critics condemn it because it's easier for them to dismiss the film rather than confront their own ignorance.

Not that this movie is without weaknesses. Hitchcock was no realist, and the grim world of films like THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is probably the type of ambiance it should have presented, but doesn't. However, I definitely join the camp of those who consider it underrated. I read writers on Hitchcock who unthinkingly rank TOPAZ with his worst stuff, and yet many of us prefer it over THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, MR. AND MRS. SMITH, and other Hitchcock works that don't get castigated as nearly as much. I can't help but suspect they receive less criticism because they are more typical Hitchcock. This film is atypical Hitchcock, so readjust your expectations accordingly.