Torn Curtain (1966)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writer:

Brian Moore (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

14 July 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Suspense! Azione! Sorpresa! [Suspense! Action! Surprise!]

Plot:

An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin and then figuring out a plan to escape back to the West.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Germany | Leipzig | Europe | Bus

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Professor Michael Armstrong
Julie Andrews	...	Sarah Sherman
Lila Kedrova	...	Countess Kuchinska
Hansjörg Felmy	...	Heinrich Gerhard (as Hansjoerg Felmy)
Tamara Toumanova	...	Ballerina
Ludwig Donath	...	Professor Gustav Lindt
Wolfgang Kieling	...	Hermann Gromek
Günter Strack	...	Professor Karl Manfred
David Opatoshu	...	Mr. Jacobi
Gisela Fischer	...	Dr. Koska
Mort Mills	...	Farmer
Carolyn Conwell	...	Farmer's Wife
Arthur Gould-Porter	...	Freddy - the Bookseller
Gloria Gorvin	...	Fräulein Mann
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Boon	...	Prof. Winkelmann (uncredited)
Peter Bourne	...	Prof. Olaf Hengström (uncredited)
Linda Carol	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Rico Cattani	...	Heinrich - Escape Bus Driver (uncredited)
Andrea Darvi	...	Gretl Koska (uncredited)
Maurice Doner	...	Hugo - Baggage Manager (uncredited)
Harold Dyrenforth	...	Otto Haupt (uncredited)
Horst Ebersberg	...	East German Interpreter (uncredited)
Ben Frommer	...	Sceptical-looking airline passenger (uncredited)
Sasha Harden	...	Border Guard (uncredited)
Joe Harris	...	Ballet Member (uncredited)
Mischa Hausserman	...	Idealistic Young Man (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man in hotel lobby with baby (uncredited)
Erik Holland	...	Hotel Travel Clerk (uncredited)
Nancy Kilgas	...	Ballet Member (uncredited)
Peter Lorre Jr.	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Jan Malmsjö	...	Swedish photographer (uncredited)
Hedley Mattingly	...	Airline Official (uncredited)
Norbert Meisel	...	Factory Manager (uncredited)
Frank Oberschall	...	Airport Security Man (uncredited)
Gerd Rein	...	East German Policeman, Arresting Officer At Bus Sequence (uncredited)
Gene Roth	...	Guard in post office (uncredited)
Norbert Schiller	...	Prof. Gutman (uncredited)
Lyle Sudrow	...	Swedish Captain (uncredited)
Wilhelm von Homburg	...	Blonde Twin in Bus (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Brian Moore		(written by)
Willis Hall		uncredited
Keith Waterhouse		uncredited

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Addison		(music by)

Cinematography by
John F. Warren		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bud Hoffman

Production Design by
Hein Heckroth

Art Direction by
Frank Arrigo

Set Decoration by
George Milo

Makeup Department
Jack Barron	....	makeup supervisor
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair stylist
Hal Saunders	....	hair stylist: Miss Andrews
Peter R.J. Deyell	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jack Corrick	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald Baer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Russell	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	pictorial designs

Stunts
David Sharpe	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Leonard J. South	....	camera operator (as Leonard South)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edith Head	....	costume designer: Miss Andrews
Grady Hunt	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
John Addison	....	conductor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Peggy Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Hitchcock
Lois Thurman	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA Videocassette (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (199?)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes

Runtime:

128 min | Germany:126 min | France:126 min | Netherlands:118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Swedish | Norwegian

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

France:U | Spain:18 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Germany:12 (re-rated) (video) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Hitchcock wanted to cast Eva Marie Saint, whom he had previously directed in North by Northwest (1959) starring Cary Grant. The studio forced him to cast Julie Andrews in the female lead.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the farmhouse scene when Professor Armstrong is fighting with Gromek, Gromek is choking Professor Armstrong but Armstrong shows no signs of it, i.e. bruising, in later scenes.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Professor Karl Manfred: Are they ever going to get the heating fixed?
Norwegian crewman: They are working at it, Professor. Perhaps some of you scientists would like to give us a helping hand!

Movie Connections:

References Psycho (1960)

Soundtrack:

Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32

Torn Curtain is no rip off

Too bad Hitchcock had to create this film in 1966. The spy vs. spy craze was at its height with super-spy James Bond played by ebullient Sean Connery at the top of the movie ladder. Dozens of Cold War espionage thrillers were marketed that year. Even non-spy films touched on espionage from time to time. Adding to the spy mill in 1966 were several espionage television series including the classic spy spoof show "Get Smart," created by the comedic giants Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. So to most movie goers of the day "Torn Curtain" was just another film capitalizing on the spy vs. spy trend. "Torn Curtain," however, is one of Hitchcock's best with two scenes that are among his most intense, the almost endless killing of communist agent Hermann Gromek, played with skill by Wolfgang Kieling, and the bus getaway that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The crying fire in a crowded theater is exciting but predictable--the viewer is just waiting for Professor Michael Armstrong (Paul Newman) to jump from his seat and yell.

Lovely Julie Andrews has a juicy role as Dr. Sarah Louise Sherman, the soon to be Mrs. Armstrong if the good professor doesn't run away and leave her. When my wife watched this movie for the first time, she asked in a surprising tone of voice, "Is that really Paul Newman and Julie Andrews together?" This unlikely combination works. It works better than the movies Newman made with his wife, Joanne Woodward. The role of Dr. Sherman is also somewhat unique in that she is unwittingly involved in espionage without her knowledge, following her fiancée to Communist East Germany without knowing that he is on an extremely dangerous assignment which only a nuclear scientist can carry out.

Hitchcock's film making was beginning to taper off in the twilight of his years. But the masterful hand was still orchestrating film techniques highly original and creative. Lesser directors would have used just anyone to play the small but significant part of the prima donna Countess Kuchinska. Instead Hitchcock searched and found just the right person with the right face and attitude for the role. Lila Kedrova was chosen because she could actually sing opera and because her face and mannerisms stand out in a crowd. In her first appearance when she is getting off the plane, she becomes agitated because Professor Armstrong is receiving all the attention from the press. Hitchcock zooms the camera in for a closeup of her face with its distinctive features. It's well over an hour later that Countess Kuchinska reappears. This reappearance is crucial for the development of the film. Because of Hitchcock's methods, the viewer automatically recognizes the Countess, instantly remembering that she had been upset with Professor Armstrong because of all the attention taken away from her and showered on the professor. She definitely has an ax to grind.

Though it has not received much attention compared with many other Hitchcock films, "Torn Curtain" is among his best and should be savored by all. Even though political conditions have flip flopped since 1966 and there is no longer a communist East Germany, this Cold War delicacy is worth a bite. Oh, and watch the somewhat hidden ironic humor at the beginning where there's a room full of top scientists during the Cold War and the heat doesn't work.