Topaz (1969)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Leon Uris (from the novel by)
Samuel A. Taylor (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Hitchcock takes you behind the actual headlines to expose the most explosive spy scandal of the century!

Plot:

A French intelligence agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis, and then back to France to break up an international Russian spy ring.

Plot Keywords:

Agent | Spy | Cuba | NATO | Mistress

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Frederick Stafford	...	Andre Devereaux
Dany Robin	...	Nicole Devereaux
John Vernon	...	Rico Parra
Karin Dor	...	Juanita de Cordoba
Michel Piccoli	...	Jacques Granville
Philippe Noiret	...	Henri Jarre
Claude Jade	...	Michèle Picard
Michel Subor	...	Francois Picard
Per-Axel Arosenius	...	Boris Kusenov
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Philippe Dubois
Edmon Ryan	...	McKittreck
Sonja Kolthoff	...	Mrs. Kusenov
Tina Hedström	...	Tamara Kusenov (as Tina Hedstrom)
John Van Dreelen	...	Claude Martin
Donald Randolph	...	Luis Uribe (as Don Randolph)
Roberto Contreras	...	Muñoz
Carlos Rivas	...	Hernandez
Roger Til	...	Jean Chabrier
Lewis Charles	...	Pablo Mendoza
Sándor Szabó	...	Emile Redon (as Sandor Szabo)
Anna Navarro	...	Carlotta Mendoza
Lew Brown	...	American Official
John Roper	...	Thomas
George Skaff	...	Rene d'Arcy
John Forsythe	...	Michael Nordstrom
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fidel Castro	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rita Conde	...	Dolores (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Mrs. Forsyth (uncredited)
Abel Fernandez	...	Cuban Guerrilla Fighter (uncredited)
Gregory Gaye	...	Meeting Co-Ordinator (uncredited)
Trent Gough	...	UN Visitor (uncredited)
Ernesto 'Che' Guevara	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man in Wheelchair at Airport (uncredited)
John Holland	...	(uncredited)
Ray Kellogg	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Henry Kingi	...	Man in Hotel Theresa hallway (uncredited)
John Stephenson	...	State Department Interrogator (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Ambassador (uncredited)
Ben Wright	...	French Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Leon Uris		(from the novel by)
Samuel A. Taylor		(screenplay) (as Samuel Taylor)

Produced by
Herbert Coleman	....	associate producer
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler

Production Design by
Henry Bumstead

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(set decorations) (as John Austin)

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Leonard Engelman	....	makeup artist
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Nellie Manley	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager (as Wallace Worsley)
Fred Surin	....	production manager: Paris (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Green	....	assistant director
James A. Westman	....	assistant director (as James Westman)

Art Department
Thomas J. Wright	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert R. Bertrand	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
William Dodds	....	camera operator
Bill Johnson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Sherman Kunkel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Pierre Zucca	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peter V. Saldutti	....	costume supervisor: mens (as Peter Saldutti)

Editorial Department
Jeff Gourson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor

Other crew
Odette Ferry	....	technical advisor: French
J.P. Mathieu	....	technical advisor: Cuban (as J. P. Mathieu)
Hal Mohr	....	photographic consultant
Peggy Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Hitchcock
Trudy von Trotha	....	script supervisor (as Trudy Von Trotha)
Orin Borsten	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal) (as A Universal Picture also)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (An MCA Company)
• MCA Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1969) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1970) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal (1970) (France) (theatrical)
• Väinän Filmi (1970) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CIC Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Home Video (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (Canada) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1997) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Pierre Balmain  costumes: fashioned in Paris by

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

143 min | 127 min (edited version) | Portugal:125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1970) | Peru:14 | Sweden:11 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG (video rating) (1993) (2001) | Iceland:12 | UK:A (original rating) | Brazil:14 | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Portugal:M/12 | UK:PG (tv rating) | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The Universal Pictures logo does not appear on this film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As the camera, suspended on a ceiling track, follows Rico Parra down the crowded hotel corridor in New York, one of the hanging lights can be seen to suddenly disappear upwards before it has gone out of shot (allowing the camera to continue forward).

Quotes:

Philippe Dubois:I think I'll go as a reporter. I'm loaded with press cards. Ebony, Playboy, Newsweek...
Andre Devereaux:Ebony.
Philippe Dubois:I think Playboy is more my style.
Andre Devereaux:[shakes head] Ebony.
Philippe Dubois:Man, you're square!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Taking Woodstock (2009)

Interesting but unsatisfying

"Topaz" is one of Hitchcock's least satisfying films, yet the same time it's one of his most interesting ones, as well. Usually people don't remember it, maybe because there are no famous Hitchcock stars. Either the director didn't get any, or he didn't want them, because the audiences should tightly concentrate on the complex plot.

The film clearly divides into three parts. The one in the middle, which takes place in Cuba, is the best of them. It involves the films most memorable scene, the beautifully photographed murder. Weakest part is the last one, where you might get confused with the messy intrigues.

There are too many characters in the movie, which leaves many of them just bystanders, for example the worried wife (Dany Robin), who doesn't do really anything. The films brightest spot is Karin Dor, who gives an excellent performance as the beautiful Juanita. Too bad that her screen time is quite short. And the ending climax shines with its absence: the film ends like bumping into a wall.