Three Days of the Condor

Three Days of the Condor
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Name	Three Days of the Condor
Director	Sydney Pollack
Producer	Stanley Schneider
Writer	Lorenzo Semple Jr., David Rayfiel
Starring	Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow
Music	Dave Grusin
Cinematography	Owen Roizman
Editing	Don Guidice
Studio	Paramount Pictures
Released	1975
Runtime	117 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$7.5 million
Gross	$43 million

Three Days of the Condor is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, and Max von Sydow. The film is based on the 1974 novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady, which was inspired by the Watergate scandal and the Central Intelligence Agency's Operation Chaos. The movie follows a CIA analyst who must go on the run after his colleagues are murdered, and it explores themes of paranoia, conspiracy, and surveillance, reminiscent of the Red Scare and the McCarthyism era, as well as the Church Committee's investigations into the CIA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

● Plot

The film's plot revolves around Joe Turner (played by Robert Redford), a CIA analyst who works for a CIA unit called the American Literary Historical Society, which is a front for the CIA's Operation Condor. After his colleagues are murdered, Joe Turner must use his skills and resources to uncover the truth behind the killings and stay one step ahead of the CIA and other intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Along the way, he meets Kathy Hale (played by Faye Dunaway), a photographer who becomes embroiled in his quest for truth, and they visit places like New York City, Washington, D.C., and the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The plot is full of twists and turns, with references to real-life events like the Iran-Contra affair and the Pentagon Papers, as well as fictional works like The Manchurian Candidate and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.

● Production

The production of the film was a complex process that involved Sydney Pollack working closely with Robert Redford and the rest of the cast to develop the characters and the plot. The film was shot on location in New York City and Washington, D.C., with additional scenes filmed at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia and other locations like The New York Times building and the United States Capitol. The film's score was composed by Dave Grusin, who incorporated elements of jazz and classical music to create a sense of tension and suspense, similar to the scores of Bernard Herrmann and Ennio Morricone. The film's cinematography was handled by Owen Roizman, who used a combination of handheld camera work and static shots to create a sense of realism and intimacy, reminiscent of the French New Wave and the cinema verité movement.

● Cast

The cast of the film includes Robert Redford as Joe Turner, Faye Dunaway as Kathy Hale, Cliff Robertson as J. Higgins, and Max von Sydow as G. Joubert. The cast also includes John Houseman as Wabash, Addison Powell as Leonard Atwood, and Walter McGinn as Sam Barber, among others. The cast's performances were widely praised by critics, with many noting the strong chemistry between Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, similar to the chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in The Big Sleep and Key Largo. The cast's performances were also influenced by the Method acting technique, developed by Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio, and the improvisational style of Marlon Brando and James Dean.

● Release

The film was released in 1975 and was a major commercial success, grossing over $43 million at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year, along with Jaws and The Towering Inferno. The film received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising its tense and suspenseful plot, as well as the strong performances from the cast, particularly Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. The film was also nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and the Golden Globe Award for Best Director, and it won the Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film. The film's release was also influenced by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War, which were major news events at the time, and it was compared to other thriller films like The Parallax View and The Conversation.

● Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, with many praising its tense and suspenseful plot, as well as the strong performances from the cast. The film holds a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics noting its influence on the thriller genre and its exploration of themes such as paranoia and conspiracy, similar to the films of Alfred Hitchcock and the works of John le Carré. The film was also praised for its realistic portrayal of the CIA and its operations, which was influenced by the Church Committee's investigations and the Pentagon Papers. The film's reception was also influenced by the cultural and social context of the time, including the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement, and it was compared to other classic films like Casablanca and The Third Man.

● Themes

The film explores several themes, including paranoia, conspiracy, and surveillance, which were all relevant to the Watergate scandal and the CIA's Operation Chaos. The film also explores the theme of identity and how it can be manipulated and controlled, particularly in the context of the CIA and its operations, similar to the themes of George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. The film's use of symbolism and metaphor adds depth and complexity to its exploration of these themes, and its influence can be seen in later thriller films like The Bourne Series and The Mission: Impossible Series. The film's themes were also influenced by the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre and the sociology of Émile Durkheim, and it was compared to other classic works like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Category:1970s thriller films