Adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's bestseller has German journalist in 1964 aware of Nazi war criminals still living, plotting to find and kill one in particular--not only out of revenge for the Jews he murdered, but also for one particular killing that resonates with him personally. Carefully-paced and plotted film has a lot of talk from incidental characters who don't amount to much; however, the central idea is still very intriguing. The film is far-fetched in places (watch out for the scene where Jon Voight easily infiltrates the castle where Nazi Maximilian Schell resides), yet it has suspenseful passages. Voight isn't particularly well-cast in the lead (he's doesn't look or sound German, and he seems too young for this role), but he displays his usual innate sensitivity. Schell is strong in a taut sequence near the finish, although the set-up for this is an old movie stand-by: keep the captor talking long enough so that he can save himself. The tag at the end is bungled by director Ronald Neame, which leaves a hollow feeling in the picture's wake.
Review of The Odessa File
