SCORPIO

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP88-01365R000300210006-8
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
October 29, 2004
Sequence Number: 
6
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 11, 1973
Content Type: 
MAGAZINE
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP88-01365R000300210006-8.pdf98.87 KB
Body: 
Approved For Releasq 2005/01/1A~DP88-0136 (COLOR) Tired spy stuff. Confusing, for saturation bookings. . Mirlsch production is exasperating while the David W. Rintels-Gerald Wilson screenplay disentangles its mans' plot stands. Pie opens with the 'assassination of an Arab gov- ernment official, but his identity and relationship to the protagon- ists remain puzzlcments beyond the film's conclusion. Even more irritating is nearly total confusion Stars Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Paul Scofield. Directed by Michael Winner. Screenplay, David W. Rintels and Gerald Wilson, from story by Rintels; camera (Color by Deluxe), Robert Paynter; editor, Freddie Wilson; music, Jerry Fielding; art direction, Herbert Westbrook; sound, Brian Marshall; asst. director, Michael Dryhurst. Pravlewbd at Academy Awards Theatre, L.A., March 23, '73. (MPAA rat- ing: PG.) Cross ............ Burt Lancaster Laurier ...................... Alain Delon Zharkov .................. Paul Scofield McLeod ............... . John Colicos Susan ................. Gayle Hunnicutt Filchock ................. J. D. Cannon Sarah ....i .............. Joanne Linville Pick ................... Melvin Stewart Z'emetkin Viadek Sheyhal Anne ......... .. ... Mary Maude Thief .........( ......... . Jack Colvin Harris .... ... .....James Sikking Morrison ............. Burke Byrnes Mitchell ............. William Smithers Lang ................ Shmuel Rodensky Heck Thomas .......... Howard Morton Helen Thomas .......... Celeste Yarnall Malkin ..................... Sander Fles Nevins ................ Frederick Jaeger Der George Mlkell Man in hotel ............ Robert Emhardt Despite Its anachronistic emula- tion of mid-'1960s' cynical, spy mel- lers, "Scorpio" might have' been an acceptable action programmer If its narrative were clearer, its dialog less "cultured" and its vis- uals more straightforward. In Its present inchoate and pretentious shape, only Burt Lancaster's pres- ence will allow United Artists to make a modest dent lit the domes- tic market via saturation bookings. Overseas prospects, thanks to cast- ing of Alain. Delon and a splatter- ing of unmotivated vielenee, look somewhat brighter. First half-hour of the Walter .Hollywood, March 24. 1 United Artists release of Scimitar Films production, produced by Walter Mirisch. 5R000300210006-8 Vc~cr l/.F',~t1T3 Considering the many liabilities Imposed by this ill-begotten proj- ect, the three above-title players all do well. Scofield particularly impresses with his effort to wring life out of his stereotypical assign- ment. John Colicos hams up the role of-a nasty CLA exec, while Gayle Hunnicutt lacks presence ill- : he seemingly superfluous role of ')elon's girlfriend None of the principals or supporting players is assisted one whit by flat post. rynchranization. Nor are they helped by Michael Winner's grab-bag of visual tricks. As if to demonstrate his technical "virtuosity," the British director employs. zooms, pans, extreme closeups, jump cuts, low-angle and overhead shots in a dazzling dis- play of irrelevant mise-en-scene. He is by no means the only con- temporary director to dragoon an audience's attention via cinemato- "raphic hype but he may be the only filmmaker not to have out- grown such pointless exhibitionism after 13 previous features. It seems a long, long time since his visually economical and moving "The Girl Getters" C'"The System" In U.K. nine years ago. Technically "Scorpio" is below the level set by previous Mirisch Corp. productions. In addition to Brian Marshall's unresonant sound recording, Robert Paynter's color photography Is cursorily lit and granularly,_ processed,...... Freddie . Wilson's editing makes the pie look like a hodgepodge, though the fault may well be shared with Win- ner. Only real plus is Jerry Field- Ing's music, which thumps away energetically and on occasion per. suades the viewer that more is hap- pening on screen than meets the eye. Beau, or moral positions, clarified only after viewer has ceased to care. Rare are the action fans who en- joy being made to feel like dunces. Ultimately, Pic settles down into the usual is-hc_or-isn't-he-a?dnuble- agent gimmick, with CI/ -black- mailed Delon pursuing supposed Soviet defector Lancaster from Washington to Europe. While ducking his would-be assassin, Lancaster takes refuge In the Vi- ennese home of Paul Scofield, a Russian agent who counsels him that "there are no more secrets- at least any worth stealing" and who deplores all the "i,cepers of machines and pushers of buttons" who have replaced his breed. Such thematics became ho-hunt long Approved For Rele;Q`1At-'8-'3658000300210006-8