MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Political Thriller/Stars: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow, John Houseman, Addison Powell, Walter McGinn, Tina Chen, Michael Kane, Don McHenry, Michael Miller, Jess Osuna, Dino Narizzano, Helen Stenborg, Patrick Gorman, Hansford Rowe, Carlin Glynn, Hank Garrett, James Keane, Sal Schillizzi/Runtime: 117 minutes
Among the many jobs that I can most assuredly see causing an individual a more than plentiful amount in the way of either stress, galloping paranoia, just plain unease, or all of the above to the point that they might become the next spokesperson for Tums it would not surprise me if the job of operative for an intelligence agency was on that list near the top. Of course, I would be lying if I said that should come as a surprise by any stretch. I mean not only are you constantly having to look over your shoulder to say nothing of always left with an overwhelming desire to know where the exits to any building that you walk into are, but even worse you don’t exactly have a lot of people in your life due to the fact that you are constantly left with a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that there really is no one out there you can fully trust. Suffice it to say then that the work of an intelligence operative, whilst potentially rewarding to the country that they operate for, is definitely one that can be quite psychologically taxing on the individual in question. Yet what if a person who worked for an intelligence agency as an analyst found themselves swiftly and tragically being dropped face-first into that particular side of their chosen career world with no warning whatsoever? More to the point: Would that person’s degree of idealism to say nothing of their psyche handle the transition smoothly or would it, the more the individual in question found themselves immersed in that distinct arena, find itself slowly but surely being chipped away due to the overwhelming tidal wave of deceit and uncertainty that is a key ingredient to that world and the people who live in it 24/7? Incidentally the reason I ask you these questions dear reader is not to inspire any kind of constructive and creative debate (though I am sure each and every one of you have your own distinct and well-thought-out answer to those questions), but because those questions are at the heart of a movie from 1975, and slice of cinema I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known as Three Days of the Condor. A film that might not be everyone’s distinct cinematic brew, but which also happens to be, for what it’s worth, a movie that I enjoy quite immensely dear reader. To be sure it’s not a flawless effort by any stretch of the imagination, but at the same time there is also no denying that, with the aid of highly skilled work both behind and in front of the camera, Three Days of the Condor is definitely one slow-burning and yet quite intriguing spy thriller that is sure to keep you hooked from beginning to end time and time again.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of a novel called Six Days of the Condor (apparently nothing of any real significance happens in at least three of those days) by James Grady, Three Days of the Condor takes us first to the iconic locale known as New York City. It is here where we quickly meet our intrepid hero in the shape and form of a guy by the name of Joe Turner. A man who, among other attributes worth knowing about him, is a highly intelligent, fairly laid-back albeit with a maverick streak about him yet genuinely good guy all-around who spends his days looking over manuscripts of a wide variety from newspapers and magazines to everything in between with his tight-knit group of work colleagues at the American Literary Historical Society. Or at least that’s usually what he would be doing right about now. I say that because today Lady Fate has other plans in store for Mr. Turner. Plans that, I don’t think too much of a spoiler to tell you, are not going to be of the good and/or wholesome variety. This is because not too long into his workday we witness as Joe is assigned by his boss to go and pick up lunch for the office at a place the team usually gets their food from and that is fairly close by. Yet, upon his return with lunches in hand, we see that Joe makes a ghastly discovery. That being that someone has come in and proceeded to viscerally murder every single person in the office. At this point in time, I guess I should let the other shoe drop and reveal one fairly big thing about Joe that I “conveniently” forgot to mention earlier. That being that the place in which he works is a bit of a façade or cover if you prefer for an installation of a distinct little American intelligence outfit that you may or may not have heard of called the CIA. Even so however, the fact remains that why on Earth a highly skilled assassination squad would go to this one particular lowly outpost and murder nearly everyone inside except for our hero, who just so happened to be out of the office, is very much a complete mystery. At any rate, we soon watch as our hero, the titular “Condor” since that happens to be his designated codename within the agency, makes contact with the CIA’s HQ in New York City and is promptly told to sit tight before linking up with his department head who will get him to safety. Yet when even that goes topsy-turvy, it soon becomes clear that our hero has inadvertently stumbled into a quite perilous game. One that will not only see him match wits with both a deputy director by the name of Higgins and a mysterious gun-for-hire called Joubert, but where the prize for winning might be uncovering why he and his team were targeted yet the price for losing could wind up being no more or less than his life. As for how this particular game plays out however I think I will let you see that for yourself….
Now right off, it should be said that the work done behind the camera on this particular cinematic outing is extremely well-done. Without a doubt in my mind this starts with the work done at the helm by iconic director Sydney Pollack (1993’s The Firm, 1972’s Jeremiah Johnson, and 1974’s The Yakuza among others) and this is definitely one of the more underrated efforts of his career. Indeed perhaps the key element that Pollack brings to the film is a skill in being able to conjure up for audiences an atmosphere that is equal parts ominous and anxiety-inducing which he instills into the film right from frame one before then proceeding to ensure that not once does that atmosphere ever let up for either the main character or us as movie goers. As a result, not only does the film effectively get its hooks into you right from the start, but it also ensures that you are very much in the paranoid headspace of the main character and consistently wondering who, if anyone, really is telling the truth to say nothing of is really on his side or not. Along with that, we see that Pollack does a brilliant job of really instilling in the film a tempo that is slow yet intelligent and methodical. As a result, if you are the kind of person who loves when their spy thrillers are fast paced with bullets firing seemingly every 5 minutes or so then I’m sorry, but this film is not going to be for you. On the other hand, if you are ok with one that favors taking its time to say nothing of being genuinely suspenseful and intelligent over any kind of fisticuffs/gun battles then this is definitely going to be your cup of tea. In addition to the brilliant work done by Pollack, this slice of cinema also manages to possess a terrifically penned screenplay from the dynamic screenwriting duo Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel respectively. Indeed not only does this duo a terrific job at making this film as refreshingly realistic as they possibly could, but they also succeed at synching up with the work done by Pollack from the director’s chair in regards to ensuring the film is able to do effectively merge together solid work in the character construction department whilst also giving movie goers a series of twists and turns as the story goes on that are gripping yet also delightfully not too implausible either. As a result, not only does the work on the script ensure you able to care about the main character and the plight he finds himself faced with, but it also leaves you riveted from beginning to end and every gripping minute in between. Lastly, I think that this section would be very much lacking if I didn’t take some to praise the work done by Dave Grusin (The Graduate, On Golden Pond, and Tootsie) on this film’s musical accompaniment. Indeed not only does Grusin’s score here brilliantly capture the tension, suspense, and paranoia-tinged atmosphere of the film with just the right hint of melancholy, but it also feels delightfully in synch with the era in which the film was made as well. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in solid work from both the cinematography department in ensuring the film is consistently taut (with particular regard to a scene between Redford and Sydow in an elevator) and wonderfully authentic due to actually filming in Washington D.C., New York City among other places as well as the editing department as headed by Don Guidice among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema might not be for everyone, but for those able to get on its distinct wavelength the work done behind the camera definitely helps bring it to life in a way that is nothing short of terrific.
Alongside the solid work that is done by the various departments behind the camera, this slice of cinema is also the blessed recipient of a collection of equally as impressive work done in front of the camera by a game and impeccably chosen cast of talent. Without a doubt in my mind this starts with screen legend Robert Redford as the titular “Condor” and he is fantastic here. Indeed as Joe “Condor” Turner, we see that Redford is able to do a wonderful job of bringing to life a character that feels very much like a precursor to Jack Ryan with regard to the fact that not only is he a more vulnerable character to say nothing of someone who is more likely to utilize his vast intellect more than his brawn in a given situation, but he also is constantly thinking outside the box in a lot of ways that make him quite the formidable adversary for those trying to hunt him down. Unlike Ryan however, we see that Turner is instead stuck in a state made up of equal parts fear, anxiety, paranoia, and uncertainty as he not only tries to get to the bottom of things, but also to find someone he can genuinely trust amidst an ever-changing atmosphere of lies and deceit. Suffice it to say that it’s a remarkable turn from a cinematic icon who has certainly given audiences more than his fair share of those in his career. Along with the work done by Redford, the film also gives audiences a fairly engaging turn by fellow screen icon Faye Dunaway in the role of Kathy Hale. Yes, she might only have 35-45 minutes of screentime tops here, but even so Dunaway does a remarkable job here at bringing what can best be described as a welcome touch of humanity to the otherwise chilly and clinical proceedings at play here. Besides the work done by our dynamic duo, this slice of cinema also presents us with a truly engaging performance by Cliff “Uncle Ben from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man Universe” Robertson in the role of Deputy Director Higgins. Indeed Robertson is an actor I have long admired since his performance in the OG Twilight Zone episode “The Dummy” from 1962 and here he is phenomenal at giving us a character who manages to be a brilliant personification of the shady, duplicitous, and uncertain atmosphere that the film is operating with. Not just in his actions, but also in the dialogue he has with Turner especially at the end with particular regard to his last line which, without going into spoilers, makes for a brilliant final stab of unease for not just Turner, but the audience as well. Lastly, I feel that this section would not be complete if I didn’t take some time to talk about the truly wonderful work done by the always brilliant Max von Sydow in the role of the mysterious Joubert. Indeed Sydow always was an enjoyable screen presence and here he is fantastic as a character that is an intriguing blend of sophisticated, calculated, eerily charming, a touch of ruthless, and yet also honest to say nothing of oddly content with living life on his terms rather than on anyone else’s. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in top-tier support work from such individuals as John Houseman, Addison Powell, Walter McGinn, Michael Kane, Tina Chen, Carlin Glynn, and Hank Garrett (Officer Nicholson on the iconic TV show Car 54, Where Are You?) among others it’s clear that the performances we are given here are all nothing short of fantastic with every person involved bringing their individual A-game to the film no matter how big or small their overall amount of screentime may be.
All in all and at the end of the day is Three Days of the Condor a perfect slice of spy cinema by any stretch of the imagination? Honestly no though not for lack of effort by any means on the part of either the cast or crew involved in the making of it. With that being said, is this the worst thing to happen to the world of spies in any entertainment medium since Leonard Part 6 with Bill Cosby, 2002’s The Master of Disguise, the 1998 cinematic take on the iconic 60s British spy show The Avengers, the Spy vs. Spy video game, or (and perhaps most terrifying of all) that 2009 Disney movie about a group of secret agent guinea pigs that had Nicolas Cage voice a literal mole?! Thankfully no though in all fairness the Spy vs. Spy video game DID get me through a particularly nasty rain storm at a Game Over store one afternoon so I guess that’s something positive you can say about it. All sarcasm aside though dear reader, I have no doubt in my mind that this is a truly enjoyable slice of espionage cinema. To be sure, it is a film that is not going to be one for everyone due to the focus being more so on characters and atmosphere rather than gun battles, fisticuffs, or explosions that would make Michael Bay envious. Should you on the other hand find yourself in the mood for a spy saga that is more intellectually and atmospherically-rooted than anything whilst also still retaining the twists and turns typical for the genre then definitely give this one a try. Suffice it to say therefore dear reader that it might not be for everyone, but with the aid of solid work both behind and in front of the camera, Three Days of the Condor is a taut, tense, and engaging film that fans of old school espionage cinema are sure to enjoy time and time again. Now if you’ll excuse me dear reader I have to make sure that this person who’s been behind me for the past 10 blocks isn’t following me. Not out of a sense of paranoia you understand, but rather because I request that everyone, even government analysts, make an appointment for cinematic consulting. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Three Days of the Condor “75” a solid 4 out of 5.
