Original French title: Le Silencieux. Never released in the U.S.A. or Australia. U.K. release through Variety Film Distributors: floating from May 1974. London opening at Studio-1: 9 May 1974 (ran 3 weeks). Original running time: 118 minutes. English dubbed version: 113 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Murderous KGB agents chase an unwilling Russian defector all over Europe.
COMMENT: The print under review is the English-dubbed version and for once it's pleasing to report that the dubbing has been executed with a great deal of expertise. Of course there are still some infelicities - oddly enough it's Leo Genn who has the greatest trouble matching his own dialogue to his own lip movements - but by and large it's all pretty convincing. Even the minor players are dubbed with care and skill. The movie itself is a top-class chase thriller which will not only please lovers of this genre no end, but should appeal to a more general audience as well, particularly armchair travellers and train buffs. All the standard realistic spy thriller ingredients are here with our harassed hero making lots of hair's breadth escapes from trains, cars, hotels, cafes, apartment blocks, concert halls and hospitals. Lots of tight corners and clever stratagems. Ventura makes both a fascinating yet sympathetic hero. He really looks the part. The other players, particularly Lea Massari in a small but important role, are equally convincing. Aided immeasurably by Collomb's superlative photography, director Pinoteau makes superlative use of his real locations. The scenes in Grenoble and the climactic episode in the Austrian Alps have a pictorial beauty, a wonderfully apposite autumnal richness that lift the film from the highly professional to the stylishly dramatic. Great music score too, and forceful film editing.
OTHER VIEWS: A tense, edge-of-the-seat thriller, appealingly acted, lavishly produced and excitingly photographed. The pace never lets up; but though the action comes thick and fast, Ventura still manages to etch a powerful, vivid study of an innocent amateur caught up in a deadly pursuit with few rules and no mercy. -- JHR writing as George Addison.
SYNOPSIS: Murderous KGB agents chase an unwilling Russian defector all over Europe.
COMMENT: The print under review is the English-dubbed version and for once it's pleasing to report that the dubbing has been executed with a great deal of expertise. Of course there are still some infelicities - oddly enough it's Leo Genn who has the greatest trouble matching his own dialogue to his own lip movements - but by and large it's all pretty convincing. Even the minor players are dubbed with care and skill. The movie itself is a top-class chase thriller which will not only please lovers of this genre no end, but should appeal to a more general audience as well, particularly armchair travellers and train buffs. All the standard realistic spy thriller ingredients are here with our harassed hero making lots of hair's breadth escapes from trains, cars, hotels, cafes, apartment blocks, concert halls and hospitals. Lots of tight corners and clever stratagems. Ventura makes both a fascinating yet sympathetic hero. He really looks the part. The other players, particularly Lea Massari in a small but important role, are equally convincing. Aided immeasurably by Collomb's superlative photography, director Pinoteau makes superlative use of his real locations. The scenes in Grenoble and the climactic episode in the Austrian Alps have a pictorial beauty, a wonderfully apposite autumnal richness that lift the film from the highly professional to the stylishly dramatic. Great music score too, and forceful film editing.
OTHER VIEWS: A tense, edge-of-the-seat thriller, appealingly acted, lavishly produced and excitingly photographed. The pace never lets up; but though the action comes thick and fast, Ventura still manages to etch a powerful, vivid study of an innocent amateur caught up in a deadly pursuit with few rules and no mercy. -- JHR writing as George Addison.