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Topaz (1969)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

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2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Despite the odd critical effort to salvage the film's reputation, it has to be said that Hitchcock's lumbering adaptation of Leon Uris' novel, about international espionage at the time of the Cuban missile crisis, has not aged well. The near-incomprehensible plot (something about French and American agents trying to find out more about a Russian undercover group, directly involved with Cuba and working within the French security network) might appeal to devotees of Le Carré et al, but it certainly doesn't make for dramatically exciting cinema, especially given Hitchcock's flat, seemingly uninterested direction. The bland performances don't help much, either.

Author: GA

Time Out Film Guide


User reviews of this film

  • John Murray said...
    Posted on May 07 2009 02:53 An absolutely awful movie, possibly Hitch's worst. The acting is hammy, the fake accents are embarassingly bad and the plot stinks. The film is way too long and it's very boring. By the way, I'm one of Hitchcock's fans.
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  • Eileen said...
    Posted on Nov 17 2007 15:44 This was the worst Hitchcock film I've ever seen. It played more like a TV movie instead of a feature film, especially of those directed by Hitchcock. The acting was flat and the story plot moved slowly. Also, a very poor ending. I was very disappoinnted.
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