Three Days of the Condor

Three Days of the Condor
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Name	Three Days of the Condor
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Sydney Pollack
Producer	Stanley Schneider
Writer	Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay), David Rayfiel (uncredited)
Based on	Six Days of the Condor, James Grady
Starring	Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow
Music	Dave Grusin
Cinematography	Owen Roizman
Editing	Don Guidice, Fredric Steinkamp
Studio	De Laurentiis
Distributor	Paramount Pictures
Released	1975, 09, 24
Runtime	117 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2.8 million
Gross	$41.5 million

Three Days of the Condor is a 1975 American political thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford. The screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., adapted from the novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady, follows a CIA researcher who uncovers a conspiracy within his own agency. The film explores themes of government paranoia and institutional betrayal, becoming a defining work of 1970s cinema.

Plot

Joseph Turner, codenamed Condor, works for a clandestine CIA literary analysis unit in New York City. Returning from lunch, he discovers his entire team has been murdered. He contacts his superiors, including his handler J. Higgins, and is instructed to meet a field agent, but the rendezvous becomes an ambush. Forced to go rogue, Turner kidnaps a photographer, Kathy Hale, and uses her Brooklyn apartment as a hideout. As he investigates, he learns the killings are linked to a rogue operation within the agency, orchestrated by a high-level official, seeking to control Middle Eastern oil reserves. The operation is managed by a mysterious European assassin, Joubert. The climax unfolds at the World Trade Center, where Turner confronts the conspiracy’s architect, Atwood, and ultimately exposes the plot to the public via The New York Times.

Cast

* Robert Redford as Joseph Turner / Condor * Faye Dunaway as Kathy Hale * Cliff Robertson as J. Higgins * Max von Sydow as Joubert * John Houseman as Mr. Atwood * Walter McGinn as Sam Barber * Tina Chen as Janice Chon * Michael Kane as S. W. Wabash * Don McHenry as Dr. Ferdinand Lappe * Michael Miller as Major * Jess Osuna as Marketing Director * Dino Narizzano as Irate Driver

Production

The film was produced by Stanley Schneider for De Laurentiis and developed by director Sydney Pollack and star Robert Redford, following their successful collaboration on The Way We Were. Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr. significantly altered James Grady's novel, moving the setting from Washington, D.C. to New York City and heightening the political intrigue. Key scenes were shot on location in Manhattan, including the World Trade Center and the American Museum of Natural History. Cinematographer Owen Roizman employed a gritty, realistic visual style, while composer Dave Grusin provided a tense, minimalist score. Uncredited rewrites were performed by David Rayfiel, a frequent Pollack collaborator.

Release

The film premiered in New York City on September 24, 1975, with a wide release across the United States following shortly after through Paramount Pictures. Its marketing emphasized the star power of Robert Redford and the timely political thriller elements. It was later released internationally, including in major European markets like France and Italy. The film saw subsequent releases on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray, and is available on various digital streaming platforms.

Reception

Upon release, the film was a major commercial success, grossing $41.5 million against a $2.8 million budget. Critical reception was positive, with praise directed at Sydney Pollack's taut direction, the performances of Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, and the film’s suspenseful pacing. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the work of Fredric Steinkamp. Over time, its reputation has grown, and it is now considered a classic of the political thriller genre, often analyzed alongside films like The Parallax View and All the President's Men for its cynical portrayal of American institutions.

Themes and analysis

The film is a seminal work of 1970s paranoia cinema, reflecting post-Watergate distrust in government. Central themes include institutional betrayal, with the CIA portrayed as a morally ambiguous entity capable of turning on its own. The plot’s focus on controlling Middle Eastern oil foreshadowed real-world geopolitical tensions. The character of Joubert, portrayed by Max von Sydow, represents the amoral, professional operative, a stark contrast to Turner’s idealistic researcher. The ambiguous ending, where Turner’s whistleblowing is met with cynical indifference by his handler Higgins, underscores the film’s pessimistic view of individual agency against systemic power. Scholars often cite it as a critique of the American security state and the erosion of public trust.

Category:1975 films Category:American political thriller films Category:Films directed by Sydney Pollack Category:Paramount Pictures films