Der Mann am Draht

Frank Sinatra's previous two films had flopped and he was sufficiently impressed with 'The Ipcress File' to work with Sidney J. Furie in this adaptation of Frances Clifford's novel. Although it fared pretty well at the box office as a film it must be accounted a failure. A defector has to be assassinated and British Intelligence is running out of time to find a suitable killer. He has to be sufficiently motivated and a crack shot. Agent Slattery sees a photograph in the paper of former wartime friend Sam Laker and realises that he has found the perfect candidate.......So far so good but thereafter the film falls down. Rather than letting the film speak for itself we are subjected to endless scenes of psycho-babble between a psychiatrist, Slattery and a cabinet minister describing the means employed to get Laker to do the job. Screenwriter Stanley Mann and director Furie have obviously decided to aim their film at the slowest-witted person watching and thereby robbed it of its impact. Also the ending is too abrupt to be satisfying. This is a pity because Sinatra is excellent as Laker and possesses the quality that great stars have of making you care what happens to them. Peter Vaughan and Derren Nesbitt give good support and there is a very nice performance from Toby Robins. Otto Heller is the cinematographer and there is a haunting theme tune by Harry Sukman which Sinatra later recorded as 'You are there' with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. Critic Philip French coined the phrase 'Sidney J. Furie, signifying nothing'. A harsh judgement but regarding this film it certainly holds true.

This is definitely a typical B-type 1960's European spy thriller, but certainly not bad. Convoluted plot, but the use of extreme close-ups, tasteful melancholy score, and an excellent performance by Sinatra make it worthwhile viewing for fans of Sinatra dramas. His performance is very intense and believable. While the plot is needlessly tangled and premise is farfetched, the film is not at all corny - its presentation is perhaps more difnified than the plot and payoff deserve. Sinatra's performance is the best thing about it. A lengthier, better plot and bigger payoff would have lifted the film up into something near "The Iprcess File" league. The other good aspects of that film are in place here, but this remains a B-level spy thriller despite an obvious attempt to make an A-level thriller. Still, a must-see for Sinatra fans - but perhaps on cable or rental.

A British espionage drama; A story based on a premise that British Intelligence cannot assign one of its own agents to murder a defector to Russia. Frank Sinatra's performance was excellent - the best thing about the film. He gave a convincing portrayal of a middle aged man under duress, forced into completing a dangerous mission. The director's stylish direction and trademark camerawork created a distinct atmosphere as an espionage thriller, though it was hard to keep this consistent when the plot became protracted. The story dullens in the middle and is marred by an abrupt ending. The locations are all interesting, particularly post-war Leipzig.

Largely underrated by the critics and ignored by the movie-watching public, "The Naked Runner" is a film that definitely deserves your attention. The director, Sidney Furie, who had made the excellent "Ipcress File" two years earlier, shows (again) an instinctive feel for this genre, using many clever camera angles to inject a unique visual style into the picture. Maybe his style is a little too controlled at times (the movie is stiffly paced), but it's also unusually grim and thoughtful. And he also knows how to keep the story comprehensible - which is a relief for anyone who has seen such monstrosities as "The Kremlin Letter". Overall, this is an engrossing thriller, with an ending that's perhaps a little too abrupt, but also with a great, mature performance by Frank Sinatra.

I have always liked Sinatra's acting, regardless of the pompous know it all critics here and elsewhere. However, the ending, really? Am I the only one that was let down with it? I won't say why, I think if you are a normal male(maybe even females would have the same reaction?) You'll know exactly what I mean without spoiling it for you. Still, I enjoyed the movie, I had missed this one. My favorite is Von Ryans Express, if you never saw it before, give it a try . 7/10 for me. Still worth the time.