Torn Curtain-1966

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Paul Newman, Julie Andrews

Scott’s Review #109

Reviewed July 15, 2014

Grade: A-

Torn Curtain is an under-appreciated and largely forgotten Cold War political thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock circa 1966.

The film is very good but was troubled from the start, which presumably led to its poor reception and a trip to film oblivion.

The trouble with the film lies with the casting; otherwise, it is a compelling, suspenseful adventure.

Starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews- two enormous stars when the film was made, the studio chose both, and neither did Hitchcock desire on the set.

This led to conflict, especially with Newman, who disliked the script.

His continued script “rewrites” and method of acting annoyed the famous director.

Newman plays Michael Armstrong, an American physicist who is attending a conference in Copenhagen. Andrews plays his assistant and fiancee, Sarah Sherman.

Michael mysteriously flies to East Germany, behind the Iron Curtain, unknowingly with a concerned Sarah in tow. This event sets off political intrigue and espionage as Michael attempts to secure a formula and return it to the United States.

But is he a patriot or a defector, colluding with the Germans?

Presumably, the main reason for the poor reviews for Torn Curtain is the lack of chemistry between Newman and Julie Andrews and behind-the-scenes problems with this film (both stars were unhappy throughout the shoot, and Hitchcock did not want either actor in the film).

In truth, there is little chemistry between the pair, and I cannot help but think how delicious it would have been if Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren had been cast instead! After all, this duo had great chemistry in Marnie, released just two years prior.

Despite the backstage drama, the film is complex, exciting, and taut. The bus escape scene is fantastic and edge-of-your-seat.

The best scene, though, occurs in the middle of the film, when Michael is in East Germany. He is revealed to be part of a syndicate that enables him to sneak out of the country. He then goes to a remote farm, where he is involved in a tortuous fight with a security officer and a farmer’s wife.

The scene is spectacular in its long length and edge-of-your-seat drama.

The scenic locales are excellent, and the film is bright, colorful, and sharp, especially on Blu-Ray. The gorgeous opening scene is aboard a cruise ship in the breathtaking Fjords of Scandinavia.

Frankly, I am surprised this film has not been rediscovered on a larger scale. Along with Topaz (1969), Torn Curtain (1966) is another forgotten gem of Hitchcock’s, worthy of praise.