Vienna, 1956. After Soviet tanks crush the Hungarian uprising, soldier-of-fortune Michael Reynolds is hired to help a threatened Hungarian scientist escape from Budapest.
Richard Widmark
Michael Reynolds
Sonja Ziemann
Julia
Charles Regnier
The Count
Walter Rilla
Jancsi
Senta Berger
Elsa
Howard Vernon
Colonel Hidas
Heinz Moog
Minister Sakenov
Hubert von Meyerinck
Sheffler
Oskar Wegrostek
The Fat Man
Stefan Schnabel
Border Official
Elisabeth Neumann-Viertel
Olga
Helmut Janatsch
Janos
John Horsley
Jon Brainbridge
Walter Wilz
Peter
Raoul Retzer
Special Agent
Georg Köváry
Language Professor
Ady Berber
Sandor
Jochen Brockmann
The Commandant
Brigitte Brunmüller
Waitress
Reinhard Kolldehoff
The Count's Man
Rudolf Rösner
The Count's Man
Director
Phil Karlson
Novel
Alistair MacLean
Screenplay
Jean Hazlewood
September 3, 2022
6
Richard Widmark was quite good in these wartime gun-for-hire stories. In this one, he features well as the slightly smug American "Reynolds" who is drafted in by the Hungarian resistance to try and smuggle a renowned scientist from Soviet-occupied territory to the safety of Vienna. Upon arrival - posing as a journalist - his best laid plans hit one pretty unexpected snag - the old fella "Jansci" (Walter Rilla) doesn't actually want to go. Luckily, the man's daughter "Julia" (Sonja Zieman) is on board but they are still going to have one heck of a job staying one step ahead of the suspicious authorities whilst they persuade the old chap to flee with them. There is quite a decent plot here, a certain degree of chemistry between Widmark and the lively Zieman but some of the escapades are truly far-fetched (especially towards the conclusion with a brave but implausible prison break featuring the "Count" (Charles Regnier)). That said, most of this is a quickly paced and lively action thriller with sparing use of dialogue and a fair degree of menace from the pen of established writer Alistair MacLean. Apparently John Williams was behind some of the effective score, and the photography is suitably dark and grainy adding quite a bit of atmosphere to this decent cold war thriller.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00