The MacKintosh Man (1973)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Walter Hill (screenplay)
Desmond Bagley (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

25 July 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Only Mackintosh can save them now - And Mackintosh is dead!

Plot:

A member of British Intelligence assumes a fictitious criminal identity and allows himself to be caught, imprisoned, and freed in order to infiltrate a spy organization and expose a traitor.

Plot Keywords:

Traitor | Spy | Ireland | Malta | Safe House

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Rearden
Dominique Sanda	...	Mrs. Smith
James Mason	...	Sir George Wheeler
Harry Andrews	...	Mackintosh
Ian Bannen	...	Slade
Michael Hordern	...	Brown
Nigel Patrick	...	Soames-Trevelyan
Peter Vaughan	...	Brunskill
Roland Culver	...	Judge
Percy Herbert	...	Taafe
Robert Lang	...	Jack Summers
Jenny Runacre	...	Gerda
John Bindon	...	Buster
Hugh Manning	...	Prosecutor
Wolfe Morris	...	Malta Police Commissioner
Noel Purcell	...	O'Donovan
Donald Webster	...	Jervis
Keith Bell	...	Palmer
Niall MacGinnis	...	Warder
Eddie Byrne	...	Fisherman
Shane Briant	...	Cox
Michael Poole	...	Mr. Boyd
Eric Mason	...	Postman
Ronald Clarke	...	Attendant
Antony Viccars	...	Salesman
Dinny Powell	...	Young
Doug Robinson	...	Danahoe (as Douglas Robinson)
Jack Cooper	...	1st Motor Cyclist
Marc Boyle	...	2nd Motor Cyclist
Marcelle Castillo	...	Madeleine
Nosher Powell	...	Armed Guard
Terence Plummer	...	Dark Man (as Terry Plummer)
Joe Cahill	...	1st Guard
Gerry Alexander	...	2nd Guard
John McDarby	...	Old Man at Bus Stop
Donal McCann	...	1st Fireman
Joe Lynch	...	1st Garda
Seamus Healy	...	Countryman in Pub
Tom Irwin	...	2nd Fireman
Pascal Perry	...	2nd Garda
Steve Brennan	...	Pub Customer
Vernon Hayden	...	Pub Customer
Brendan O'Duill	...	Pub Customer (as Brendon O'Duill)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Fielder	...	Convict in prison (uncredited)
Leo Genn	...	Rollins [defence lawyer] (uncredited)
Clarissa Kaye-Mason	...	Guest at reception (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Walter Hill		(screenplay)
Desmond Bagley		(novel "The Freedom Trap")
William Fairchild		uncredited

Produced by
John Foreman	....	producer
William Hill	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Russell Lloyd

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(as Weston Drury Jnr.)

Production Design by
Terence Marsh		(as Terry Marsh)

Art Direction by
Alan Tomkins

Makeup Department
George Frost	....	makeup artist
Hugh Richards	....	makeup artist
A.G. Scott	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
M. James Arnett	....	second unit director (as James Arnett)
Colin M. Brewer	....	assistant director (as Colin Brewer)
Chris Kenny	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Peter James	....	set dresser
Michael Redding	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Basil Fenton-Smith	....	sound
Leslie Hodgson	....	sound editor (as Les Hodgson)
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound
Don Sharpe	....	sound editor (as Don Sharp)
Peter Desbois	....	sound (uncredited)
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ron Ballinger	....	special effects
Cliff Richardson	....	special effects

Stunts
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jimmy Turrell	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsa Fennell	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Eunice Beharrell	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor

Other crew
Barbara Allen	....	production secretary
Terence A. Clegg	....	location manager (as Terry Clegg)
Penny Daniels	....	continuity
Robin Douet	....	location manager
Gladys Hill	....	assistant: Mr. Huston
Arthur S. Newman Jr.	....	assistant to producer (as Arthur S. Newman Jnr.)
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Annabelle King	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Newman-Foreman Company

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in "Paul Newman Collection")
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Husqvarna of Sweden  motorcycles in escape sequence furnished by (as Husqvarna)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | UK:AA (cut) (theatrical rating) (1973) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

County Galway, Ireland

Company:

Newman-Foreman Company

Trivia:

During a break in filming, James Mason took a evening stroll around Dublin. He noticed that he was being followed by a woman, obviously someone who recognized him. Eventually she approached him and asked "Excuse me sir, but would you be Mr. James Mason in his later years?"

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Reflected in the side window of the truck when Rearden drives off to meet the airplane at the airfield.

Quotes:

Mrs. Smith: [speaking of the gravely injured Mackintosh] There is a letter. He always writes one. It's to be given to the Prime Minister in case of his death.
Joseph Rearden: Well, who's got it?
Mrs. Smith: His solicitor.
Joseph Rearden: Well, get it! Tell him it's an emergency!
Mrs. Smith: An act of Parliament couldn't open that envelope before he dies.
Joseph Rearden: Fly to London. Smother Mackintosh with his pillow.
Mrs. Smith: No, I wouldn't do that. He's my father.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Poliziotto senza paura (1977)

Well worth a look

This was one of the first films to feature music played almost all the way through, and that changes the experience of this movie. The viewer is taken for a rolling, continuous ride through an imprisonment and escape, the planning of the exercise, and the due consideration each man must make of another he is bringing into his confidences. The music lulls a part of the viewer's psyche to sleep. It is an odd pairing of music and scenes of harsh realities and cruelties. As this soundtrack rolls on, the film lays out beautiful locations in London, the Irish countryside, and Malta. The audience is taken to back alleys and out-of-the-way places, places where the locals know about but not tourists. The spy game is conducted with some discretion.

It contains a few elements common to movies, but somehow they seem both fresh and not overplayed. Paul Newman's character is left to fend for himself, and at one point to try to convince the authorities of the veracity of his accusations, and of his own righteousness. When this fails, he has only one option, and he takes it when he has an opportunity.

Two of the masters of 20th century film came together to create an underemphasized but satisfying thriller that requires both attention and a consideration of morality to be fully enjoyed. It's interesting to note that almost all of Paul Newman's roles contain a certain Newman morality (probably similar to the actor's own) concerning the imperfection of the world, the existence of bad people in it, and the somewhat acceptance, somewhat rejection of this world's conventions by Newman's characters.