Review by claudio_carvalho

The radical Russian Nicolai Dalchimsky (Donald Pleasence) steals some names and codes and flees to the United States of America with the intention of beginning the Third World War. The list is formed by ordinary American citizens that are actually brainwashed Russian agents that have been programmed fifteen years ago to destroy military bases and facilities and are triggered through a phone call with a message.

The responsible for the secret program, General Strelsky (Oatrick Magee) and Colonel Malchenko (Alan Badel) summon Major Grigori "Gregg" Borzov (Charles Bronson) to travel to the United States to eliminate Dalchimsky. Gregg teams up with the Russian agent Barbara (Lee Remick) that was instructed to obey his orders but does not know what is happening. But Barbara has a secret agenda from her superiors to accomplish by the end of their assignment.

"Telefon" is presently a dated rip-off of the central idea of "The Manchurian Candidate", with Russian agents with sleepy instructions and programmed to destroy but it is still engaging. Don Siegel was a master of action and "Telefon" never disappoints. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Telefone" ("The Telephone")