Three Days of the Condor (1975)

[shoulders]

There seems to be a better selection of 70s films on Netflix lately (previously there was about 7 in total) so gave this a watch. The kind of film I would have had on when I was devouring that decade of cinema in my late teens.

It's tense, starts with a huge rugpull of the established situation then leaves the central protagonist rushing around trying both to find out what happened and why while also being stalked across New York.

Stylish, with some decent turns from Max von Sydow and Faye Dunaway. Redford is competent.

Felt the end petered out somewhat with a rather smug 'What, hah, you think we don't own the press too' and the whole political premise of what happened was dumbed down to almost moron level 'This is about oil isn't it' despite a fun concept of a CIA within the CIA subverting the CIA.

Anyway, more of a journey than destination film.

There are also a real mix of visual styles with Dunaways scenes evoking classic 50s and 60s dramas and yet compositions that wouldn't look out of place in a film made today with more extreme closeups and pans, and very un-70s colour treatment at points.

It has a decent low key funk soundtrack, because
... Well. Of course it does.

Oh yes, and there's a perhaps troublesome Stockholm Syndrome sexist trope of Dunaway falling for Redford who effectively holds her hostage for a time. There is a suggestion within that narrative that she likes bondage/bdsm. The film doesn't allow enough character development to ever come close to justifying the sudden-feeling switch to her cheating on her absent partner with him.

[Johnboy]

Yes, I watched this recently on Netflix.

liked it for its 70s style but would agree it's more of a journey than a plot worth following

Not wanting to derail but what other good 70s stuff have you found on Netflix?

[Glebe]

Yeah, been thinking if giving this a goo actually. All the President's Men is another Redford flick I've been meaning to catch (don't believe that's on Netflix UK & Ireland at the mo though).

[Dex Sawash]

Blue Collar is a pretty great 70s conspiracy thriller.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

All the President's Men is another Redford flick I've been meaning to catch (don't believe that's on Netflix UK & Ireland at the mo though).

I think I saw that it was on the iPlayer recently.

[kalowski]

All the President's Men is in my all time top ten films.
I think that, Condor and The Parallax View are often thought it as an unofficial trilogy of conspiracy. (Although you could easily add The Conversation and Blow Out to that).

In terms of Condor, I really like it, especially the opening set piece, but I also struggled with the Stockholm Syndrome aspect of Dunaway's character, even though we knew Redford's character was pretty honest and fair.

[SweetPomPom]

Presidents Men is an absolute corker, I gave Condor a go on Netflix and it was average at best.

[Keebleman]

I watched it recently too and thought the score and love story were big debits.  But the paranoid atmosphere was very well sustained, especially as it was made explicable rather than relying on the conspiracy theorist's staple of an omniscient, omnipotent organisation that apparently exists solely to be sinister (a major flaw with The Parallax View).

And the credit "based on the novel Six Days of the Condor" can't help but get a laugh.  I remember letters on Points of View asking if it was a result of BBC cutbacks.

[Glebe]

I think I saw that it was on the iPlayer recently.

Thanks Claude, no iPlayer for Irish c*nuts, sadly!

[Sebastian Cobb]

Blue Collar is a pretty great 70s conspiracy thriller.

Banging soundtrack too.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I think that, Condor and The Parallax View are often thought it as an unofficial trilogy of conspiracy. (Although you could easily add The Conversation and Blow Out to that).

You're on the right lines but it's Klute, The Parallax View and All the President's Men that form the 'paranoia trilogy' as they're all directed by Alan Pakula.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I'd add Network of course (also starring Dunaway who is excellent as a soulless tv exec).

And maybe less political but The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.
The China Syndrome is good too.
Oh and Night Moves.

[kalowski]

You're on the right lines but it's Klute, The Parallax View and All the President's Men that form the 'paranoia trilogy' as they're all directed by Alan Pakula.

I could have sworn Pakula did Condor but I now see it was Sidney Pollock.

[phantom_power]

There was a TV Series based on the book, and possibly the film. Seems to have a high score on IMDB.

[Mobius]

There was a TV Series based on the book, and possibly the film. Seems to have a high score on IMDB.

The recent Condor TV series was really great actually yeah, loved it. Both series are solid, real good espionage conspiracy stuff.