movingwater Mostly, I just didn't care. With both Paul Newman and James Mason, this should have been an interesting and entertaining movie. Yet, somehow, it just never clicks. I knew not to expect a short-term up or chase scenes, but u did expect at least some character development.

tomsview Although I have high regard for this movie, and would recommend it without hesitation, "The Mackintosh Man" was not very successful when first released. Surprisingly Huston himself said that "The Mackintosh Man" was the worst movie he ever directed. So who would argue with that? I would for one. For a start, he must have forgotten "The Kremlin Letter" as well as the scenes he directed in "Casino Royale", not to mention "Phobia" but then again, no one ever does do they? "The Mackintosh Man" proves that artists are not necessarily the best judges of their own work.In truth, "The Mackintosh Man" is a taut, smartly directed Cold War thriller. It benefits from very good performances and superb use of locations. It is told in a very straightforward manner, which may be part of the reason it was under-appreciated at the time. Also Watergate was really heating up in 1973, and maybe the public was over spying and the exposure of corruption in high places.Paul Newman's character, Joseph Rearden, is a British secret service agent posing as an Australian who takes part in a plan to have him convicted of robbery and sent to prison. The plan is the brainchild of the head of his department, Mackintosh, played by Harry Andrews – only Mackintosh and his assistant, Mrs Smith, played by Dominique Sanda, are aware of Reardon's mission.Rearden is sent to the same prison as Ronald Slade, played by Ian Bannen, a former British spy who has been exposed as a KGB mole, Part of the plan is to expose an organization that helps prisoners escape and get out of the country. Reardon escapes with Slade, and they both end up in a safe house at an unknown destination. Eventually, Reardon with the help of Mrs Smith, who turns out to be Mackintosh's daughter, discovers that an outspoken member of parliament, Sir George Wheeler, played by James Mason, is behind Slade's escape. After following Wheeler and Slade to Malta, Mrs Smith and Reardon are caught up in a tense standoff that leads to a surprising conclusion.The movie opens out due to great location work. Huston seemed comfortable directing the scenes in England and then Ireland. Of course, the many familiar British and Irish actors gave great conviction to their roles. Malta also provided an unusual backdrop, and was used to good effect at the end of the film.Paul Newman's flippant character struck just the right note, and in the context of the story, he pulled off a passable Australian accent. Dominique Sanda as Mrs Smith was appropriately enigmatic, helped to a degree by her strong French accent.40 years later, the straightforward approach of "The Mackintosh Man" actually works in its favour – avoiding any contemporary trendiness of the 1970's means that it hasn't really dated. It is a good story well told with a cast that seemed to believe in the film even if the director didn't.

ma-cortes Thrilling and exciting picture with an extraordinary duo , Paul Newman and Dominique Sanda , they form an awesome pair in this interesting flick . This is an entertaining movie full of all usual trimmings : car pursuits , fistfights , noisy action , getaway and capture . It deals with a member of British Intelligence named Reardon (Paul Newman) who undergoes a risked assignment ordered by Mackintosh (Harry Andrews) . As he is recruited , assuming a fictitious criminal identity and allows himself to be caught , imprisoned, and freed in order to infiltrate a spy organization led by a mysterious leader (Michael Hordern) . Reardon have to expose a communist traitor and he also must catch him . The intrigue involves a Conservative Member of the British Parliament, Sir George Wheeler (James Mason) , who is best known for his frequent political diatribes on the British government . Meanwhile , Reardon goes in action , being helped by a beautiful agent (Dominique Sanda in her first Hollywood movie for French actress) . A cold war spy thriller with all the edge-of-seat ingredients : suspense , thrills , a complex intrigue , twists and turns . Intriguing and thrilling script , being one of the first produced screenplays of Walter Hill who later became an action thriller director . Paul Newman is first rate as a secret agent assigned a dangerous mission accompanied by a beauty Dominique Sanda . Wily and excellent , as always , James Mason as a cunning Parliament member with dark aims . This is the first of two movies that actors Paul Newman and James Mason made together , the other was Verdict . It's also the second of two movies that director John Huston and actor Paul Newman made together , he first was The judge Roy Bean , made the previous year . Supporting cast is frankly magnificent , such as Ian Bannen , Nigel Patrick , Michael Hordern , Percy Herbert , the last film of Noel Purcell and Niall MacGinnis and special mention to Harry Andrews as Mackintosh . This film and its source novel were loosely based on the identification, defection and escape from Wormwood Scrubs Prison in 1966 of Russian spy George Blake who was working in British intelligence as a double agent but was not one of the Cambridge Five spies . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Oswald Morris filmed on location in London , Ireland and Malta . Enjoyable musical score by the great Maurice Jarre , including a catching leitmotif . The motion picture was well produced by John Foreman who financed various Huston films such as The Man Who Would Be King ; being stunningly directed by the great John Huston at his best . Director John Huston made this spy movie not longer after he had helmed another espionage film , Kremlin's letter . The picture was made in a good time of the 70s and 80s when Huston resurged as a director of quality films with Fat City, (1972 ), the afore-mentioned The man who would be king (1975) and Wise blood (1979). He ended his career on a high note with Under volcano (1984), Honor of Prizzi (1985) and Dublineses (1987). Rating : 7 above average , worthwhile watching , though P.G. , parents guide , for its violence and beatings . This is one of John Huston's main films , a model of his kind , the spy genre , definitely a must see if you are aficionado to thriller film . Huston broke a new ground with this landmark movie , providing exciting scenes and unforgettable dialogs .

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU This time we have a good old British spy film in which the real traitor is the one who is calling for all traitors and criminals to be terminated. Joseph Rearden, the infiltrator who is supposed to expose the whole network, then is a solitary man in an erupting nest of aspics. The only one he could trust does not survive his silly confidence. Macintosh is a vain little mule who still trusted one person in the world, his own assassin. A solitary man against a very well organized spying business finds it slightly difficult but he is an Interpol agent after all. So he knows how to swim between two different currents without drowning. His escape from prison and his escape from the hiding house in Ireland are absolutely amusing. It is so easy. No one is going to believe that one. And yet everyone believes it and they end up in Malta and have a good laugh, a sacrilegious laugh after killing two people in a church. Mama Mia. That film from 1973 is funny in many ways because the action is so easygoing, like some kind of slow business in a back street on a bank holiday Sunday when everyone is out of town. It is in a way funny to see such a film today with an actor who is worth a lot and yet is dramatically under-used and under-directed if not just plain undirected or maybe even misdirected. One thing is impossible today: the drowning of the dog: you would have the RSPA on your back from the shoulders to the ankles for such cruelty to animals. Slightly too long and too realistic. It is as if we were watching the sketches of Guernica instead of Guernica. Some preparatory sketches instead of a masterpiece. But well it is fun to watch some peaceful and rather restive spy film that does not explode in all directions. But well a tiny bit more action might have been a good thing.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID