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Three Days of the Condor | Year: 1975 Classification: Drama Directed: - Sydney Pollack Actors/Actresses: - Faye Dunaway - Robert Redford Superb Spy Thriller; Best Of Genre! I first saw this suspense/spy thriller when it was first released in the theaters sometime in the late 1970s, while living in London and working for the American government. There's nothing that compares with the paranoia associated with seeing a taut spy thriller, only to exit the theater into a cold, foggy late evening in downtown London. The picture it paints of a murderous renegade network operating within the Central Intelligence Agency is both frightening and plausible, and is delivered by Robert Redford and his production team in a tight, well-developed tale with a convincing thread of interconnecting events that spins way out of control as the protagonist tries desperately to figure out who is at the center of the plot and why he and his cohorts at a special studies institute sponsored by the Agency are targets. For me, this movie is a nonstop roller-coaster ride, with Redford trying in vain to jump off the damn thing before it crashes below! The level of paranoia as well as the multiple levels of deceit and deception depicted in the film seemed a bit outlandish at the time, but given the temper of the times, it somehow seemed much more plausible in the backwash of Watergate and all that was revealed about the machinations of the so-called "invisible government" then. The hero's ability to parse together the facts and learn and adapt as he progresses makes the movie work especially well, and one can relate to his growing frustration as he realizes there just may not be any way out alive. And between the margins of the scenes lie some intriguing questions regarding the role of secrecy in an open and supposedly democratic society that add a measure of intellectual acumen and "gravitas" to the tale. So popular was this movie at the box office that it spawned a number of other spy thrillers in its wake. The film's cast included not only Redford as the hero, but also starred Fay Dunaway, and Cliff Robertson. This movie makes for an absorbing evening of entertainment, and a surefire way to escape the humdrum of everyday life with a stunning tale of murder, mayhem, and betrayal. I highly recommend this flick. Enjoy! PARANOID Here are the seventies again ! At that time, Hollywood was ruled by such directors as Alan J. Pakula, John Frankenheimer or Sydney Pollack. The bad guys were the C.I.A., the F.B.I., the Big consortiums or the Army and the good guys had the face of Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Warren Beatty or John Doe. It was one of the only periods in the history of cinema during which Hollywood was the champion of morality. Alas, times change... THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR stands very well the test of time with a solid plot involving a Faye Dunaway smiling for the first and last time in a motion picture, a Robert Redford gaining with this role a star status and a Max Von Sydow impersonating an official hitman. Nevertheless, there are a few gaps in the screenplay ; for instance, Robert Redford can a little bit too easily enter the Bell Central building and Faye Dunaway hasn't any difficulty to meet one of the C.I.A. big bosses. But, after all, it's only cinema ! THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is a classic political thriller of above-average quality which deserves a place in every serious movie lover's library. Sound is very well balanced and clear and images reflect the sadness of an early winter. The invisible government! Where? Whenever I see this movie I always hear Roger Daltry's voice singing, 'can you see the real me?' Which is what a less loquacious Robert Redford tries to do after what may be one of the top ten movie opening scenes of all time, 70's, 80's, 90's or beyond. Earlier reviews have fairly well constructed and described the plot but what's interesting is the unbelievability of it. Sydney Pollack keeps the heat on and the emotional cul de sacs plentiful as Redford tries to whittle down not so much the who killed all his coworkers but the why. I believe alongside "Bullit," "French Connection," "Body Heat" and a few others, this is an essential movie both for it's time and our time. In light of Vietnam and Watergate, we just didn't blindly trust Uncle Sam anymore and were frequently reminded of the protest idiom, 'love your country; fear your government.' And for a captivating two hours, Redford is 'everyperson' ever profiled, searched, audited, traffic stopped, drafted and perhaps far worse. We didn't have to read George Orwell to know big brother was and is watching. Cliff Robertson, a gifted actor denied his peak years because of pseudo-administration influence (do you remember 'Flowers for Algernon/Charley?), ironically plays the government role, as you would expect, brilliantly, and Max Von Sydow, is as always, superlative. I agree with some of the criticism of Faye Dunaway. She did better in other roles than she did here. It could have been Meryl Streep or Glenn Close as well, possibly better. Essential movie if you want to know what you're talking about. Larry Scantlebury. 5 Stars. 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