three days of the condor

Director: sydney pollack

Actor: robert redford,faye dunaway,cliff robertson,max von sydow

Data Published: Thu Sep 25 1975

Genres: Mystery,Thriller

Key Words: cia agent,political conspiracy,hitman,cia,researcher

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073802/

WIKI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_the_Condor

Description: Three Days of the Condor is a movie starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, and Cliff Robertson. A bookish CIA researcher finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.

Plot: Joe Turner (Robert Redford) is a CIA analyst, codenamed "Condor". He works at the American Literary Historical Society in New York City, actually a clandestine CIA office. They read books, newspapers, and magazines from around the world, looking for hidden meanings. Turner files a report to CIA headquarters on a thriller with some strange plot elements, noting the unusual assortment of languages it has been translated into. On the day that Turner is expecting a response to his report, he is out shopping for staff lunches when armed men efficiently murder the six people still in the office. Returning to find his coworkers' bodies, a frightened Turner calls the CIA's New York headquarters in the World Trade Center, and is given instructions to meet his Head of Department (Wicks), who will bring him into safety. The rendezvous, however, is a trap. Wicks shoots an accompanying CIA staffer and attempts to kill Turner, who wounds his assailant before escaping himself. Needing a place to hide, Turner forces a woman, Kathy Hale (Faye Dunaway), whom he encounters by chance, to take him to her apartment. He holds her prisoner while he attempts to figure out what is going on. Hale begins to trust Turner and they become lovers. However, his hiding place is discovered by Joubert (Max von Sydow), a foreigner who led the massacre of Turner's co-workers, when Joubert spots Turner driving Hale's car and notes the license plate number. A hitman (Hank Garrett), disguised as a mailman, arrives at the apartment. Turner, although a bookish researcher, is able to kill his attacker through chance. Deciding that he cannot trust anyone within "the Company", Turner begins to play a cat-and-mouse game with Higgins (Cliff Robertson), deputy director of the CIA's New York division. With the help of Hale, Turner abducts Higgins, who identifies Joubert as a skilled freelance assassin who has undertaken assignments for the CIA. Back at his office, Higgins discovers that the "mailman" who attacked Turner in Hale's apartment worked with Joubert on a previous operation. Their CIA case officer on that occasion was Wicks. Meanwhile, using a numbered hotel room key he found on the fake postman's body, Turner learns where Joubert is staying and uses his training as a former US Army Signals Corps technician to trace a call made from his hotel room. This gives Turner the name and address of Leonard Atwood (Addison Powell), CIA Deputy Director of Operations for the Middle East. Turner confronts Atwood in his Washington area mansion late at night and questions him at gunpoint. Turner learns that the report he had filed provided links to a rogue project to seize Middle Eastern oil fields. Fearful of its disclosure, Atwood privately ordered the elimination of Turner's section. As Atwood confirms this, Joubert surprises them, takes away Turner's pistol, and then unexpectedly shoots the CIA director. Atwood's own superiors had hired Joubert to stage the suicide of someone who was about to become an embarrassment, overriding Atwood's original contract for Joubert to kill Turner. Joubert suggests that Turner leave the country, even becoming an assassin himself since Turner has shown such resourcefulness in staying alive. Turner rejects the suggestion, but takes seriously Joubert's warning that the CIA will still try to eliminate him as another embarrassment. Joubert reflects how Turner's killing would likely be carried out — by a smiling and possibly trusted acquaintance stepping from a car. Back in New York, Turner has a rendezvous with Higgins near Times Square, refusing a ride offered by the latter. Higgins describes the oilfield plan as a contingency "game" that was planned within the CIA without approval from above. He defends the project, suggesting that when oil shortages cause a major economic crisis, Americans will demand that their comfortable lives be restored by any means necessary. Turner points to the New York Times building, and says he has "told them a story". Higgins is dismayed but questions whether Turner's whistleblowing will be published. "They'll print it", Turner defiantly replies. However, as "Condor" turns away, Higgins calls after him that he is about to become a very lonely man.