"Three Days of the Condor" (1975) - Movie Classics

Read the following conversation,

Man on Phone: The package got delivered?
The Assassin: I am waiting for the delivery confirmation receipt.
Man on Phone: You should have delivered it yourself.
The Assassin: I know but I concentrated on other package.

The above laughable discussion about a hit is the only thing I could find fault on this thriller classic “Three Days of the Condor”. I quoted that portion of a fantastic film because I could not stop myself laughing when they were talking with a stern voice. But the1975 Sydney Pollack’s movie is far ahead of its time adapted from a novel titled “Six Days of the Condor” by James Grady. It is a truly mysterious piece working through the screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel which would have been an inspiration for David Mamet.

Under the banner of American Literary and Historical Society operates a small group of book readers for “The Company”. Turner (Robert Redford) a talented man in this clan comes to office as usual, discusses some report with his old boss, chews and spits up offhand information to colleagues to exemplify his presence of mind and goes to get lunch through a security back way. Comes back only to find all his colleagues killed. He panics and calls up the headquarters he never dreamt of says his code name, Condor. He is not a field agent and he is scared. The man (Max von Sydow) who wiped up Turner’s office knows precisely the state of mind of Turner and that is he is lost and unpredictable.

This forms a riveting ploy for a film tightened with a screenplay of ingenuity and precision. Even though with the CIA department, Turner is a mere book keeper in the stand point of combat and field action. We in fact have little knowledge about what he does and hence we are more befuddled than Turner. In a time of macho action, this is a thriller which has simple use of tactics to perform the operations of intelligence gathering. Turner once threatened comes aware of his career of dealing with unknown faces high up in the ladder. When he is asked to meet up personnel by his New York head Higgins (Cliff Robertson), he says he does not know the personnel and also says he does not know Higgins either. It is a dark office he has been working along only that he opened his eyes right now. But he learns quickly and formulates quick plans for quick results. His usage of telephone lines, forming a group to escape a sniper shot and many other things looks readily available but life saving.

Now we have seen Matt Damon with super human abilities in Bourne series employing his training skills in action but Turner is nothing like that. He wanders and goes against the orders. In the way how the plot works upon, I gave in to the film. I gave up while I gave in on the plot because I knew that they are not going to reveal anything. It is not about the reason or the truth but the survival of this Ronin kind of young man and the deceiving world of CIA. But the film trumps us and seeing it now after thirty three years, every single explanation in the end has come up true in the real world. I was astonished by the clarity in which it was delivered. “It is economics” Higgins says about the “games” he explains in the end for which Turner had to suffer three days of fear and hidings and mainly losing all his friends and colleagues.

And how a man in such tight corners able to find a woman such beautiful as Faye Dunaway’s Kathy and she is readily gives her to this unknown “kidnapper” obviously after some doubts and clashes. Of course he is Robert Redford will be the answer. He takes her in as a hostage to escape from his pursuers and we know they are going to end up in bed but how classily does it come to that point. Simple observations and weird eye connections not alone manages but easily sweeps all the doubts and possibilities over this impulsive relationship. Their relationship does not become a sexual toy for the film but an extended ease of relief for the character who has hard time understanding what is happening in his life.

It is a terrific thriller classic which we see as puzzles, deceptions and a clandestine world of any one working for any one and nobody is working either. Among are the interim politics, ruthless killings and Sydow as a man as comfortable and peaceful he can be in doing his job of killing develops an unexplainable clinical connection not alone with Turner in the end but with the audience. We see him as the executioner and the nemesis of Turner but we learn on the go as the coin movers and men with suits calling the shots are the real players.

Thriller is a genre which is a region for film enthusiasts and audience claiming that their money needs its worth in the form of “entertainment” coming in peace together. It has taken and given the appearance of striking a balance for these two different kinds of viewers. Indeed it is but “Three Days of the Condor” is not a thriller aimed upon or targeted on wide variety of audiences. It is a film making careful and precise in giving this classy underworld run by government which in the name of protecting country and resource supplier has comfortably cuddled itself under the blankets of do gooders and patriotic citizens. “Three Days of the Condor” with an end very much true and leaving Turner loose end achieves a classic status of spectacular film making.