Movie Review: Torn Curtain

Stars: 3 out of 5
Pros: Gripping second half that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Cons: Very uneven first half; flat characters

The Bottom Line:

Very slow first half

Gives way to gripping second

That is worth watching

The Set Up Should Have Been Torn in Two

At times I find myself struggling in how I rate the Hitchcock films I have seen.  The ones I loved are obvious.  Then there are movies like Torn Curtain.  I enjoyed parts of the film, but other parts were just way too slow.

Michael Armstrong, noted American scientist, (Paul Newman) is in Sweden for a conference where he is to give a big speech.  At least that's what his fiancee and assistant Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews) thinks.  In reality, Michael is defecting to East Germany and hoping to work with one of their best scientists.  When Sarah finds out, she tags along, further complicating matters.  Will she stay or go?  What is Michael really up to?  And kind of danger will they face?

The problem with this movie is the prologue.  Ultimately, that is what it comes down to.  We start out on a boat with no heat.  Why does the no heat matter?  Many of the scenes in the early part of the film seem superfluous, even after the movie is over.

Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of information that is important to the movie in the first half.  A modern editor would cut it down to the essential moments and leave the rest for us to see in some DVD extras.  Really, if the first half had been half as long, the movie would have been better.

Once the action moves to East Germany, things improve.  Filmed in 1966 during the height of the Cold War, it took full advantage of the era.  It's understood that East Germans are bad, so we understand Sarah's confusion and reluctance to cooperate even if she doesn't want to leave.

The most memorable scene in the movie involves a prolonged life and death struggle in a farm house.  While it is not the high flash fight we are used to seeing these days, it never felt dragged out of gratuitous to me.  In fact, it was fascinating in a "can't look away" fashion.

The final third of the film moves very quickly from one tense situation to another.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The characters are rather one dimensional here.  That is not a slam on the actors, all of whom do fine work.  Most of the cast are unknowns to Americans, but their German accents (and real German) add much to the film.  Paul Newman and Julie Andrews are certainly quite capable as our leads.  The problem with the characters is the movie isn't that focused on them.  They are merely pawns to be moved about by the plot.  It does a good job of putting us on the edge of our seats regardless.  And it is certainly better than many of today's plot driven movies.

The film earns its PG rating.  In addition to the prolonged fight I mentioned earlier, there is one scene involving Julie Andrews and Paul Newman in bed together.  There is implied nudity but much kissing and rolling around.  This is their first scene, and you do need to watch it to find out who they are.  But, honestly, it would have worked just as well over breakfast in bed.  By today's standards it is rather tame, but it still could have been handled differently.

Despite the intense scenes in the second half, the slow first half makes Torn Curtain only average.  Don't completely skip this Hitchcock film, but wait to see it until you've seen some of his better known works.