The Salzburg Connection

When they can't locate a photographer who was documenting lake scenes in austria, his sister, the brother in law, and a lawyer sent to speak with him start to be concerned. And why are there people following the lawyer (Barry Newman)? And how are the photographer's sister and brother in law involved in what's going on ? And is the lawyer really a lawyer? We're forty minutes in, and all we know is the photographer is dead. The brother has found a box with "something" in it, and "someone" is willing to pay a lot for the contents. And others may pay even more. Some fun foreign filming locations - were they really filmed in salzburg and vienna? This one is either a bit dated, or maybe too far from the subject matter for us to care..? It goes so slowly, and we don't really care about the characters. The story is solid enough, but not exciting. Directed by Lee Katzin. Had a couple big movies, and whole lot of television. Novel by Helen McInnes. Her biggest novel/film was probably Above Suspicion, with Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray.

Tedious, completely incomprehensible spy mishmash gives the strong impression that it was made up on the spot simply to utilize some Salzburg locations that cast & crew had access to. Anna Karina is totally wasted in a drab role; the blonde knockout Karen Jensen fares considerably better - in fact, she is the ONLY virtue of this movie. Oh wait, there is also a good (if brief) car chase. *1/2 out of 4.

Had it not been for some strong language, I would have tapped "The Salzburg Connection" as a TV movie, but apparently, it had a theatrical release. Based on the book by Helen MacInnes, the film stars Barry Newman, Anna Karina, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Karen Jensen, and Whit Bissell.

Newman plays attorney Bill Mathison, who goes to Salzburg to investigate a publishing contract for Richard Brandt, a man photographing Austrian lakes. When he arrives at the man's photo shop, he meets the Brandt's wife (Karina) and her brother Johann (Brandauer).

Shortly thereafter, he learns Brandt is dead as is one of Mathison's European contacts. Apparently agents are searching for a chest buried by the Nazis and believed to be in Brandt's possession. It contains the names of Nazi collaborators who can be called upon for neo-Nazi activities. All the countries want it for one reason or another -- the Americans want to know if any of these people have important jobs in the U.S.

I remember reading this book and liking it, but I am unclear if I saw this film. The Austrian scenery is glorious, but since this is a Twentieth Century Fox film, I can't believe they filmed in Salzburg without any visual references to Salzburg's major tourist attraction - The Sound of Music tour. Not to mention The Sound of Music postcards and other paraphernalia.

The film version is slow and boring, and I couldn't get attached to the characters or their plight.

Barry Newman made his name at just the right time, when the antihero types like Pacino were coming to fame, but his career never took off. He always had an air of overconfident playboy about him, but he was certainly popular, and he is still working. He's okay in this. Everyone is okay.

I'd say the scenery is the star.

Barry Newman is "Bill", a lawyer for a publishing company who travels to Salzburg to talk to a photographer who is working on a book about the local lakes. When he stops by the man's studio, he discovers from his wife "Anna" (Anna Karina) that the man has recently died - and that she and "Johann" (Klaus Maria Brandauer) suspect foul play. When Brandauer discovers a metal box in the water, he secretes it away in a remote house; hopefully safe from those who will stop at nothing to obtain it's contents. What now follows is a series of perilous escapades as Newman tries to stay alive long enough to get to the bottom of this mystery. This film might have been better had the star had a bit more of a presence, but as it is he is little better than a jobbing television actor who brings little gravitas or style to the role. Brandauer isn't much better, with a supporting cast of mediocre acting talent that rather drags this post-war thriller into the doldrums and leaves it there.

A film set in Austria about Nazi's starring Barry Newman (Petrocelli) as a lawyer and the beautiful Anna Karina whose husband has been murdered, this should have been a winner. Alas not quite, not awful by any means, it just lacks that vital spark.

Salzburg looks lovely as well, Newman is excellent as Mathison, as is Karen Jensen as Elissa Lang who is keeping an eye on Mathisons comings and goings. Espionage at its most convuleted as a lot of the characters we don't know where there allegiances lie, even the Americans.. Hopefully at the end when we see Mathison and Anna drive into the distance they have a happy life.