Would you believe the only two major movies released by Hitchcock, the two I have not watch are Family Plot (1976) & Topaz (1969)?

Maybe this weekend...

Cheers

Hartigan

This one is for you kid.

Topaz (1969)

Well, I have actually seen this before and had forgotten, and that is actually a good summary of the movie.

Most people believe this is the beginning of the end for the career of Hitchcock!

Things were changing around Hitchcock at this period in his life... The Studio system which he is very comfortable with was crashing around him. Hollywood was changing. America, his adopted country was changing. Film making was changing, and he was aging...

For me, these are the issues with the movie

1) The Subject matter, Cuban missile crisis... I really did not care much for the subject matter.

2) I have no issue with a director experimenting. Outside of the of Hitchcock English movie, this has the most European feel, and adding to that making a spy thriller, with actors who are actually very good, the characters are... almost alien, and not VERY relate-able.

3) After Torn Curtain (1966) and having alot of issues with it's stars Paul Newman & Julie Andrews, Hitchcock choose to use mainly European actors, who, outside of Europe is not very recognizable...

This movie was not well received, even when it was being previewed before the launch of the movie. The test card after the movie was really really bad, which cause the studio to go into a panic, and they pressured Hitchcock to make several alternate ending to the movie and none tested well... It is my personal opinion that the one that ended up in the movie were the worst of the lot. Cest La Vie...

Do not let my opinions to stop you from watching it.

It is a Hitchcock movie, and even a second tier Hitchcock movie is a good movie compared to most director's first tier movie!!

As always, My Two Sen.