IMDb > Topaz (1969)
Topaz
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Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   5,730 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 206% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Alfred Hitchcock
Writers:
Leon Uris (novel)
Samuel A. Taylor (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Topaz on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 December 1969 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Thriller more
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. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Geek Deal: Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece DVD Collection for $54
 (From Slash Film. 28 October 2009, 9:32 AM, PDT)
15 Bloody Box Sets
 (From Fangoria. 19 January 2009, 8:00 AM, PST)
User Comments:
An Interesting Hitchcock more (62 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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)
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)
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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)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
143 min | 127 min (edited version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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 more
Company:
Universal Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to Alfred Hitchcock, this was another of his experimental movies. In addition to the dialogue, the plot is revealed through the use of colors, predominantly red, yellow and white. He admits that this did not work out. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The position and numbers of the pencils in the mug on Jarré's desk, when Picard interviews him, varies between shots. more
Quotes:
Francois Picard: I've been shot...Just a little. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 'Topaz': An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin (2001) (V) more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful.
An Interesting Hitchcock, 13 March 2008
8/10
Author: Cherian from United States

This film would have been better if Hitchcock had enough time to work on the script. One of the major problems was Hitchcock and Samuel A. Taylor didn't get enough time to work on the script properly. Some of the Scenes were written hours before the shooting.

Leon Uris (Writer of Novel "Topaz") told Hitchcock that he wouls like to write the screenplay for Hitchcock. Hitchcock agreed. But when Hitchcock saw the script Leon Uris sent him, he wasn't happy about it. He found the script unacceptable. So he finally called in Samuel Taylor to rewrite the script from scratch. Samuel Taylor and Hitchcock tried their best to write a good script. But there wasn't enough time. Alfred Hitchcock was unhappy with Alec Coppel's script for Vertigo. When Samuel Taylor was hired to work on Vertigo, they had lot of time to work on it. Topaz (1969) was exactly the opposite.

Sean Connery was Hitchcock's original choice for Frederick Stafford's role. But Sean Connery wasn't interested in playing the role. So Hitchcock decided to cast foreign actors and actresses. Hitchcock casted foreign actors in this film because he didn't enjoy working with Paul Newman in Torn Curtain. Hitchcock found Paul Newman's attitude very disrespectful.

Its very interesting that Hitchcock was able to make an interesting film even when he didn't have enough time to work properly on the scripting process. There are Suspenseful scenes in the film.

For Example, check the scene where John Vernon (Rico Parra) finds out his red suitcase is missing. And Hitchcock put some scenes in the film with no dialogue. But you know what is going on when you watch the scene. The death of Juanita de Cordoba was brilliantly shot by Hitchcock.

I think Hitchcock left the relationship between the characters open to the audience.

I think this film will get better by time. When I first watched the film, I thought the film was dull. But when I watched it recently, I liked the film.

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