Three Days of the Condor (1975) / Thriller

MPAA Rated: R for violence, brief nudity, and language
Running Time: 117 min.

Cast: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow, John Houseman
Director: Sydney Pollack
Screenplay: Lorenzo Semple Jr., David Rayfiel (based on the novel, "Six Days of the Condor" by James Grady)
Review published September 29, 1997

The plot: A book-reader (Redford, The Candidate) for the CIA steps out to lunch; upon his return he finds all of his colleagues gunned down for reasons unknown. He informs his superiors, who want him to come in for his protection, but Condor (his codename) isn't a trusting fellow and ends up trying to protect himself rather than leave his fate to CIA operatives he knows nothing about.

With a snappy Hitchcockian plot and some great acting by Redford, Three Days of the Condor is top-drawer filmmaking in the suspense department. Although the film doesn't revolutionize the genre, it is, nevertheless, very competently handled in every department. Director Sydney Pollack (Tootsie, The Firm) heightens the peril by letting us know early on who the bad guys are, which makes Condor's situation all the more suspenseful as we wonder how Redford will get away from an organization that seems to know his every move.

If you love man-on-the-run thrillers like The Fugitive, you definitely won't be disappointed with this one.

 Qwipster's rating:

©1997 Vince Leo