Le dernier passage

Titre original : The Secret Ways

NOTE IMDb

MA NOTE

Michael Reynolds, un aventurier américain, accepte de faire franchir le rideau de fer à un professeur hongrois et sa fille, tous deux farouchement adversaires des communistes. Mais ils renco... Tout lireMichael Reynolds, un aventurier américain, accepte de faire franchir le rideau de fer à un professeur hongrois et sa fille, tous deux farouchement adversaires des communistes. Mais ils rencontrent de nombreux obstacles périlleux en chemin.Michael Reynolds, un aventurier américain, accepte de faire franchir le rideau de fer à un professeur hongrois et sa fille, tous deux farouchement adversaires des communistes. Mais ils rencontrent de nombreux obstacles périlleux en chemin.

Réalisation
- Phil Karlson
- Richard Widmark
Scénario
- Alistair MacLean
- Jean Hazlewood
Casting principal

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

NOTE IMDb

6,2/10

561

MA NOTE

Réalisation
- Phil Karlson
- Richard Widmark
Scénario
- Alistair MacLean
- Jean Hazlewood
Casting principal

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

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7LeonLouisRicci

Richard Widmark's "IN-House" Misfire...Drearily Dynamic Locations...Confusing and Flat

Certainly has the Feel of a "Backwards" Stagnant Locale with the Police-State Lurking In and Out of Baroque Buildings.

The Characters All Have a Suspiciously Worried, Frowning Attitude with No-Non-Sense Brutality Against Any Who Dare Question Authorities.

When They Put On an "Act" of Welcome, it is More Like a Comedy Sketch than a Practiced Con. For that Matter, Widmark's "Acts" are just as Silly and Transparent.

Neither Does the Film Any Good at Maintaining Suspense or Intrigue.

John "Johnny" Williams First Full-Fledged Score is OK Full of Sudden Blaring and Bombastic "Stings".

The 3rd Act has Most of the Action and Sadism, both a Staple of the Bad Commies in these Cold-War Types.

Getting There may be a Slog for Some as the Film is Slightly Dated by its Verbosity Not Violence.

Film Debut, in a Small Role, is Santa Berger. Widmark's Wife at the Time, Writes Her One and Only Screenplay.

The Story is Somewhat of a Mess to Sort Through, as Things Go Undefined and Loose Ends are Fraying Everywhere.

Not Bad, but Doesn't Rise to the Best of Richard Widmark or Phil Carlson.

With Low Expectations...

Worth a Watch.

6CinemaSerf

The Secret Ways

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.

7museumofdave

A Triumph of Style Over Substance

There of so many echoes of The Third Man in this film, but the essential plot lacks narrative cohesion--the dazzling atmospherics of decadent Europe after WWII, like Reed's film, are rich in dark shadows, fogs and dripping walls, dizzying stairwells and dismal foggy streets--but the plot, unfortunately, is a little foggy to begin with, and although the viewer slowly comes some comprehension concerning Widmark's task to finesse the escape of an anti-communist leader from behind the iron curtain, there are numerous lures that sidetrack him, most of them of the female. Widmark's performance is characteristically compelling, and there are some new faces on the screen deservedly demanding attention. Another positive aspect of this studio film is that most of the faces are new ones to American viewers, and Widmark's relationships to each are complex although, like the plot, sometimes confusing.

If the viewer doesn't expect constant clarity and a direct Indiana Jones narrative, this film is fascinating for it's location shooting, evoking a more direct sense of hopelessness than even The Spy Who Came in From The Cold, and it's all highlighted by a persuasive music score (one of the first powerful backups by John Williams), as well as the adventurous attempts to escape the constant threat of permanent imprisonment--the sympathetic hero combines with a growing sense of suspense can add up to an entertaining two hours: I found the atmospherics even more fascinating that the labyrinthine plot.

5Teagarden1256

Lukewarm Cold War drama

This typical Cold War spy thriller, full of impossible to understand plot turns, bad guys and bad girls who turn to be good, maybe, doesn't have much going for it except Max Greene's (Mutzy Greenbaum) dazzling B&W deep focus photography and one of John Williams' first atmospheric scores. Phil Karlson, the director, who occasionally made a decent film, was hired and then fired by star/producer Richard Widmark who mostly snarls. Karlson does an OK job with the confusing script, but this is no THIRD MAN. If you stop trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and just watch the imagery, worth your while. Added bonus: Lots of excellent European character actors looking sinister and the luscious Senta Berger looking delicious in one of her first English language roles.

7PaulusLoZebra

A good spy thriller that could have been great

This is a good cold war spy thriller that had all the elements to make it a great one, but it fell short. The culprit was the screen play's habit of inserting "magical" moments when characters emerge suddenly to change the scene without explanation. Because it's a spy film we are supposed to accept and believe that these moments occur because the forces at work are brilliant and well prepared etc., but it happened too often. Otherwise the film is very good indeed, with great on-location shots, excellent cinematography, a fine score, and a uniformly excellent, believable cast. Senta Berger lights up the screen in her US film debut, but her character's arrival, disappearance, then arrival and disappearance again are examples of those magical moments. Kudos to @krocheav who wrote a great review and brought out many of the strong and interesting points of the production, especially the "firsts" for John Williams, Richard Widmark, Jean Hazlewood, Senta Berger, Sonja Zieman and Alistair Maclean. [NB, I saw the film before I read that review.]

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Anecdotes
Richard Widmark's wife, Jean Hazlewood, wrote the screenplay. It was her only screenwriting credit.

Gaffes
Although the film is set in 1956 Hungary. The opening title of the movie is The Austrian-Hungarian Border 1960.

Citations
Jancsi: That would be convenient wouldn't it? You've made arrangements, certain plans to deliver me from my enemies into the hands of Herr Scheffler. You overlooked one thing only - I don't choose to leave my country.
Michael Reynolds: Sir, you don't have a choice, your time is up.
Jancsi: If that is so, Mr Reynolds, I'll die here.
Michael Reynolds: Why do you have to die? What for? I don't believe in it. Look, I came here to save your neck and I'm going to do it, even if you don't want it saved.
Jancsi: Whatever I do with my life is my own business. No one else's.
Michael Reynolds: Oh, you don't understand. In an few days you won't have a life.
The Count: We know our position better than you do.
Michael Reynolds: No, you don't! Scheffler is a pipeline. If he says I've got two days to get you out, you've got two days. Now, you can wait here like sitting ducks or you can do something. But there's a way out. If you're reasonable, you'll take it.
Jancsi: There's no profit for you, don't bother about that.
Michael Reynolds: Alright, I'm being paid. I know you'd like it better if I was some great humanitarian who believed in your cause. Well, I don't even know what your cause is.
The Count: That shouldn't surprise us.
Michael Reynolds: Well, who does outside this room? You could yell your heads off, nobody'd hear you. They aren't listening. They're all like me, I promise you; they couldn't care less. Causes are outmoded. Everybody's learned to live by compromise. Why can't you?
Jancsi: There isn't any compromise. To compromise is to doubt your own convictions. If they're worth having, they're unshakeable.
Michael Reynolds: Convictions are fine, if you live.
Jancsi: Mr. Reynolds, if I can live one day to save one person, that's enough.
Michael Reynolds: But you can do more than that on the outside. Unless you're determined to die a a martyr. And a crackpot!