Le dernier passage

The problem here is the script which isn't quite coherent, committing the deadly sin of keeping the audience out of touch with what is really going on - a lot of incidents and parts of the intrigue raises question marks that never are answered. This is not a Graham Greene story but an Alistair MacLean story, which concentrates more on suspense and effects than on any psychology that makes sense. Perhaps the book is better than the film, it usually is, and in that case the film suffers from severe logic gaps. Richard Widmark is always good and reliable, he never lets his audiences down, and the cinematography is the great advantage of the film, which needs something to counterpoise its over-meticulous slow action and rather dreary character - Alistair MacLean always made the villains and the enemy (in this case those behind the iron curtain) appear worse scoundrels than they were, exaggerating the justification for paranoia. The music is good, and it is actually one of John Wlliams' first scores, and he seldom made a better one. It's not on par with Anton Karas' unsurpassed suggestive cither music of "The Third Man", like the entire film falls into its shadow, but it is good and suggestive enough. It is neither one of Alistair MacLean's nor Richard Widmark's best shows, but it is interesting, and the Hungarians actually speak Hungarian - the realism is convincing enough.

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.]

An above-average Cold War thriller, "The Secret Ways" was produced by its star, Richard Widmark. An American for pay, Michael Reynolds, is hired to go behind the Iron Curtain and bring out Professor Jansci, a scientist and member of the Hungarian resistance. Reluctantly teamed with the professor's daughter, Reynolds poses as a writer and crosses the border from Vienna to Budapest, where a few surprises await. Despite a leisurely beginning, the film holds interest and builds to an exciting climax.

Widmark as Reynolds is largely on target as the mercenary without a personal life; unfortunately, he teeters on an unconvincing edge when he mocks Communist authorities and when he staggers through a staged drunken scene. German actress Sonja Ziemann as Julia, Jancsi's daughter, is effective, although her character creates unnecessary complications, and she seems more a token love interest than key player.

The award-caliber cinematography by Mutz Greenbaum captures the dark side of Vienna and locations that pass for Budapest in strikingly-lit black-and-white images. The Baroque architecture, deep passageways, cobble-stone streets, wrought-iron staircases, and lingering vestiges of World War II damage are captured in shadowy night scenes. The lines etched in Widmark's face complement the textures of rough brick facades, stretched barbed wire, and walls of peeling paint. The inky photography creates an eery atmosphere that enhances the suspense as silhouetted figures are chased through dark back alleys and down starkly-lit stairways. At times tilted at an angle, Greenbaum's camera infused Vienna with a mystery and menace not seen since "The Third Man."

Directed by Phil Karlson and based on an Alistair MacLean novel, "The Secret Ways" has a slow pace initially, which may deter viewers accustomed to James Bond and Jason Bourne. However, the film is similar to other 1960's thrillers such as "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" and requires patience to appreciate. Sensational photography, a solid Widmark performance, and a backward glimpse at Cold War intrigue in the early 1960's make the film worth catching.

This is not a superior Cold War thriller but it has its moments, and so much of it was shot on location in Vienna and elsewhere that we get excellent atmosphere. The action takes place in Budapest under the Communists, and all the dark streets at night have no streetlights, no cars, no people. All the streets are cobblestone gleaming in the moonlight, a seemingly endless succession of them considering all the chase and escape incidents in the film. Richard Widmark produced this film, as an excellent vehicle for himself as the hero, and he also directed part of it. It is based on a story by Alistair MacLean. The lead girl is played by Sonja Ziemann, who in real life was married to the actor Charles Regnier who plays "The Count" in the film. Widmark has been sent to find and fetch an anti-Communist resistance leader back to Austria, since the Communists want to torture and kill him. All the action is standard Cold War stuff, though that is not to say it is inaccurate. The action is frenetic and intense. We also don't know for a long time who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. It is well worth reminding ourselves what things were like in Eastern Europe then, lest we forget.

Here is a film with several overlooked firsts.

1. First major film score for John Williams --at the time of writing, not even IMDb have this work on their listing of his filmography!-- yet it remains one of his strongest, most flavorful early scores. Whoever arranged and orchestrated this work with its grinding bass cello riffs and stabbing violins, they've managed to infuse an air of dark intrigue. This is then complemented with a broad melodic french horn main theme that begins immediately under the Universal International Trade Mark, sweeping you into the darkly beguiling situations that follow. If not arranged by Williams, then this could have been in the hands of Joseph Gershenson, whose name was featured as music supervisor on almost all American U.I. films during the 50-60s. Williams' composer credit is under his early calling of 'Johnny' Williams.

2. First film Produced and part directed (uncredited) by Richard Widmark

3. First film with a screenplay by Widmark's wife Jean Hazlewood.

4. First appearances in an American film for stunningly beautiful Viennese born Senta Berger, and Sonja Zieman.

5. Appears to be the first film adapted from an Alistair MacLean novel.

This film has been unfairly passed over, it was strikingly photographed on location in marvelous B/W by veteran Cinematographer Max Green...who also created the moody look to classics like; "Hatters Castle" in '42 and "Thunder Rock" also '42. Green also shot the first great noir film made by American director Jules Dasin (following Dasin's black listing in the late 40s by the House of Un-American Activities) it was the hugely atmospheric: "Night and the City" that was produced in Britain in 1950.

Award winning German actress Sonja Zieman gives a forceful performance as Julia, daughter of the professor seeking to defect to the west. The supporting cast are all first rate.

While from a story by Alistair MacLean it's not just given a simple action treatment, so this may account for other comments made by those looking for action thrills. While it does offer a couple of fanciful escape scenarios it's generally a deliberately paced, complex story involving the planned defection of pro-west refugees from Communist Hungary. As with many 60s espionage movies you may have to work hard to figure who's who and what motivates them to act in certain ways! Some of this confusion possibly came from Widmark sacking director Karlson in the last weeks of production. Perhaps this is best viewed by serious followers of the on-going after effects of WW11.

Those who enjoyed the similar 'Quiller Memorandum'('66) should also be entertained by this one. Rarely screened, and it seems quality DVDs may be difficult to find. 'The Secret Ways' remains an interesting drama for those who enjoy well made, off- beat espionage movies from the 60s. KenR.

Note: Up-Dated information: I have just purchased a DVD of this movie from Germany. It has the Universal 'studio' seal on the cover and on the disc itself. While the transfer image is quite clean it remains a little on the dark side suggesting it may have been taken from a good 35mm Composite print rather than a negative. This is better than some I've seen. It was under Cinema Classics so look for it, I ordered on-line from: DITH shop Germany.