Topaz (1969)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Film Review

Alfred Hitchcock's later films may not be his best or most popular but they retain a fascination for those who appreciate his work and can sympathise with his spirited, albeit only marginally successful, attempts to tread new ground in the twilight of his career.  If Topaz had been made by any other director, it would have been regarded as an acceptable political thriller in its day.  It has a compelling storyline, some inventive photography and an impressive international cast (which includes just one American actor, John Forsythe).  Unfortunately, audiences had expectations of what a Hitchcock film should be like and they generally responded unfavourably to the film.  To this day, Topaz is held in poor esteem and is often cited as Hitchcock's worst film, which is to do it a terrible injustice.

The reasons for the unpopularity of Topaz are not hard to see.  The biggest let down is that it does not have any instantly recognisable star actors - no James Stewart, Cary Grant or Ingrid Bergman.  What it does have is a set of some very capable actors who would be largely unknown to mainstream cinema audiences in America.  The lead character was played by the Czech-born Frederick Stafford, who had recently become famous in France for his portrayal of special agent O.S.S. 117 (the French equivalent of James Bond) in a popular series of spy thrillers.  Philippe Noiret, Claude Jade, Dany Robin and Michel Piccoli were also all big name actors in France at the time the film was made, but were virtually unknown in the United States outside the minority art house audiences.  It has been suggested that Hitchcock deliberately avoided casting big name American actors for this film after his uncomfortable experiences with Paul Newman and Julie Andrews on his previous film, Torn Curtain (1966).

Another flaw with this film is its weak ending.  Topaz was unusual for Hitchcock in that shooting began before work on the screenplay had been completed.  Hitchcock's original ending for the film involved an old-fashioned duel between the main protagonists played by Frederick Stafford and Michel Piccoli, but this was binned in response to a very negative reaction from a preview audience.  The second ending is the one which is seen in the restored version of the film available today - with Piccoli's character allowed to leave France on an a plane bound for Russia.  For the initial release in 1969, this ending was also rejected and replaced (at the last minute) by a bland shot of a closed door implying that Piccoli's character committed suicide after his treason had been exposed.  Many other cuts were made for this first release, which shortened the film by around thirty minutes.

Topaz may not be Hitchcock's best film but it is far from being the terrible misfire that it is often described as.  It is an engaging and distinctive film, with convincing characterisation, a well-honed plot and several moments of pure cinematic genius.  The story, based on a popular spy thriller by Leon Uris, takes in several exotic locations, and examines the notion of betrayal from various angles, contrasting the blatant marital infidelity of the hero, Devereaux, with the treacherous activities of his opponents.  Hitchcock's most underrated film, Topaz has far more in common with the hard-edged political thrillers that were being made in Europe at the time than with their much cosier bland Hollywood counterparts, and that's why it failed - because Hitchcock dared to be different.

Film Synopsis

The year is 1962 and tensions between East and West are at their height.  When a Russian intelligence officer defects to the United States, the CIA make two shocking discoveries.  First, the Soviets are planning a covert military operation in Cuba which may drastically alter the balance of power.  Second, NATO secret documents are being diverted to the Soviet Union by unknown officials in the French government.   French agent André Devereaux is assigned to investigate these matters and what he uncovers is a morass of intrigue, deceit and betrayal...