While it's a '60s spy film in the same vein as THE IPCRESS FILE (the same sort of ingredients), it in no way matches the wit or intelligence of that particular espionage film. It moves a little too sluggishly under the direction of Michael Anderson, though it does have a wind-up that proves satisfying at the conclusion. Nor is it overly complicated, often the ruin of many a spy film. But the central performance by GEORGE SEGAL is played with the sort of humor and charm that would have worked better in a different kind of story--not an espionage film.
Segal's job is to find the identity of a Nazi group in post-war Berlin. He works without cover and is soon captured by MAX VON SYDOW and his henchmen who try to pry information from him. Unexplained, he makes his getaway and the movie turns into a spy chase with lots of plot loopholes that are never cleared up.
A distinctively inappropriate soundtrack by John Barry is off the mark even during the opening credits. His main theme, "Wednesday's Child", is nice enough but does nothing to add to what ought to be the suspenseful mood of this kind of thriller. Another shortcoming of the film is that Segal's character never seems bright enough to be involved in clever espionage. For a man on a delicate spy mission, Segal seems too laid back to be believable. Nor is the script by Harold Pinter anything special with less than crisp dialog. ALEC GUINESS manages to be intriguing in a small role but GEORGE SANDERS is completely wasted.
SENTA BERGER is lovely as the German schoolteacher who gets involved with Segal, largely due to physical attraction. There's a wistful "Third Man" kind of ending striven for, but it never has the same effect it had in the Carol Reed film. Nor, as I mentioned previously, is John Barry's score more than ordinary--surprisingly so, since he was capable of wonderful music for the James Bond films.
All told, a fairly routine spy story given nothing special in the way of treatment with the overall effect being one of quiet disappointment.
Segal's job is to find the identity of a Nazi group in post-war Berlin. He works without cover and is soon captured by MAX VON SYDOW and his henchmen who try to pry information from him. Unexplained, he makes his getaway and the movie turns into a spy chase with lots of plot loopholes that are never cleared up.
A distinctively inappropriate soundtrack by John Barry is off the mark even during the opening credits. His main theme, "Wednesday's Child", is nice enough but does nothing to add to what ought to be the suspenseful mood of this kind of thriller. Another shortcoming of the film is that Segal's character never seems bright enough to be involved in clever espionage. For a man on a delicate spy mission, Segal seems too laid back to be believable. Nor is the script by Harold Pinter anything special with less than crisp dialog. ALEC GUINESS manages to be intriguing in a small role but GEORGE SANDERS is completely wasted.
SENTA BERGER is lovely as the German schoolteacher who gets involved with Segal, largely due to physical attraction. There's a wistful "Third Man" kind of ending striven for, but it never has the same effect it had in the Carol Reed film. Nor, as I mentioned previously, is John Barry's score more than ordinary--surprisingly so, since he was capable of wonderful music for the James Bond films.
All told, a fairly routine spy story given nothing special in the way of treatment with the overall effect being one of quiet disappointment.