Teheran 43 - Nid d'espions

At the first sigh, one of many Soviet political serie. Seductive for construction of story, for the performance, for inspired build oof thrill. And, sure, for the subject. After decades, it remains fascinating not only for the secrets, plots, hunt for truth but for the beautiful status of perfect puzzle. Different actors and a great result of performances. And sure, something real great. In part, a sort of old flavor of politic and policier.

This film combines both a touching story of the communication between the man and the young woman and an action-packed intrigue concerning historical events.

It stars a very charming pair of actors - Igor Kostolevsky and Natalia Belokhvostikova. Their faces, facial expressions, shades of voice are set off by touching music with the song of Charles Aznavour. Marie is pronouncing some very deep and sincere words and watches Andre's reaction, and he listens to her attentively - he glares at her and literally eats her with his eyes, and the viewer wants to do the same. And all this takes place in the scenery of the eastern city with its flavor and with the interiors of its junk shops, cafes, shabby hotels and opium dens.

This subtle, intelligent acting duet is set off by the figure of the actor Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, whose bright and expressive acting, like a magnet, always, attracts the audience's attention in the frame.

The film also features Alain Delon - a cult French actor for millions of Russians in the 80s of the twentieth century.

And thus, brick by brick, the missing links of the intrigue of a political detective are gradually being built.

I regonized the faboulous acting between the russian and the western actors like the italian recensent. The Match between Belokhvostikova (Maries daughter Nathalie) and Alain Delon (Foche, who dies too early)in the Taxi and on the street or the suspensefull relation between Dzhigarkhanian (the old killer) and Claude Jade(Francoise), when Max trusts Francoise again and again - till he's killed and now she's full of scrupel during the Interrogatory by Curt Jurgens. Excellent also the score "Une vie d'amour".

Good actors, good directing, good plot. It would be only a good film, but two moments made this film great: that part with the song and their last date. Listening to "Eternal Love" you looking at all that woes, struggles, pains, sacrifices, deaths and you have some strange feeling, that somewhere in all this or somewhere behind all this, there really IS eternal Love. And their love story had a great truth about life in it. You met, then immediately lost each other, 30 years of parting, then you have one short date and… all good in your life is only short-lived dream and you will inevitably lose everything you love, you just have not any chance to save anything but memory. It is so sad, but again, you have the same filling (especially during the church scene), that there is eternal Love in this tragedy.

I am US born and raised. However at age 15 I lived in Guadalajara, Mexico, and was exposed to many items not available in the US. I remember taking Soviet made vitamins and there were some Cuban products that my family purchased at the supermarket. I also saw quite a few foreign movies and Tegeran-43, which came out on the big screen in Mexico in 1983, made a very impressionable impact on me.

In particular, the music (score) used in the movie seemed to add to the drama and emotion drawn on by the actors. The plot that was going to be used to assassinate the big three was better than any James Bond movie plot I had seen to that date.

I have casually looked for this movie here in the US for about ten years now but have never found it. I hope that now in today's DVD era, this movie becomes available or is available and I just haven't found it.