Review of Torn Curtain (1966) by Gillian M — 06 Aug 2015
"Torn Curtain" is an underrated spy thriller from Alfred Hitchcock which, while certainly a minor entry into his canon, is still worth a viewing or two. The first half intrigue is phenomenal, full of both moral and plot questions, and early scenes are rife with tension and uneasiness.
Unfortunately Hitchcock tips his narrative hand a bit too early, which makes the middle of the film feel more like a placeholder than it ought, but a few tense setpieces at the end (a chilling ballet sequence in particular, which instills a shocking amount of dread) helps redeem the film.
Paul Newman and Julie Andrews are an appealing lead pair as well. "Torn Curtain" will attract even more critical interest, however, when taken as a deconstruction of frivolous spy thrillers like James Bond.
"Torn Curtain" is the polar opposite of glamorized espionage films, in which a man's love is sucked into his secret life, killing on the field is horrific and scarring, and the job itself consists primarily of running and hiding, rather than shooting and chasing.
The film gains a lot more weight when considered as such, and the under-explored setting makes for a fascinating, if flawed, picture.
This review of Torn Curtain (1966) was written by Gillian M on 06 Aug 2015.
Torn Curtain has generally received positive reviews.
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