The Secret Ways

Richard Widmark was quite good in these wartime gun-for-hire stories. In this one, he features well as the slightly smug American "Reynolds" who is drafted in by the Hungarian resistance to try and smuggle a renowned scientist from Soviet-occupied territory to the safety of Vienna. Upon arrival - posing as a journalist - his best laid plans hit one pretty unexpected snag - the old fella "Jansci" (Walter Rilla) doesn't actually want to go. Luckily, the man's daughter "Julia" (Sonja Zieman) is on board but they are still going to have one heck of a job staying one step ahead of the suspicious authorities whilst they persuade the old chap to flee with them. There is quite a decent plot here, a certain degree of chemistry between Widmark and the lively Zieman but some of the escapades are truly far-fetched (especially towards the conclusion with a brave but implausible prison break featuring the "Count" (Charles Regnier)). That said, most of this is a quickly paced and lively action thriller with sparing use of dialogue and a fair degree of menace from the pen of established writer Alistair MacLean. Apparently John Williams was behind some of the effective score, and the photography is suitably dark and grainy adding quite a bit of atmosphere to this decent cold war thriller.

"The Secret Ways" is a Cold War-era thriller with far fewer thrills than I'd anticipated. Most of the time, folks just talk and talk and talk and I can't help thinking it should have been better.

The film stars Richard Widmark as Michael Reynolds, an American adventurer who will do all sorts of things for a buck. His latest assignment is to spirit a leader of the Hungarian underground movement following the unsuccessful Hungarian revolt against the USSR in 1956.

For much of the film, Widmark hangs around Vienna and talks a lot...punctuated by a beating from some thugs. When he goes to Budapest, the same pattern pretty much continues...with lots of talking and communist party officials hanging about him as he tries to move about the city in search of the man he is supposed to slip out of the Iron Curtain. Along for the ride is the confusingly written daughter of the man he is trying to save.

The best thing about this film is probably the wonderful black & white cinematography. It has a noir sort of look and really was lovely. As far as the story and acting go, they take a back seat to the images you see of the cities (of course, being an anti-communist film, they didn't really film in Hungary). As far as thrills go, the movie is just fair...and nothing more. I think it really needed more action and less sarcastic dialog from Widmark. Additionally, Widmark's character seemed to have no real plan...as if you could just easily flee from Budapest to freedom! In fact, it was comically easy...too easy...so much that it really hurt the story. Overall, not too bad...but more of a time-passer than anything else.

Here is a film with several overlooked firsts.

1. First major film score for John Williams --at the time of writing, not even IMDb have this work on their listing of his filmography!-- yet it remains one of his strongest, most flavorful early scores. Whoever arranged and orchestrated this work with its grinding bass cello riffs and stabbing violins, they've managed to infuse an air of dark intrigue. This is then complemented with a broad melodic french horn main theme that begins immediately under the Universal International Trade Mark, sweeping you into the darkly beguiling situations that follow. If not arranged by Williams, then this could have been in the hands of Joseph Gershenson, whose name was featured as music supervisor on almost all American U.I. films during the 50-60s. Williams' composer credit is under his early calling of 'Johnny' Williams.

2. First film Produced and part directed (uncredited) by Richard Widmark

3. First film with a screenplay by Widmark's wife Jean Hazlewood.

4. First appearances in an American film for stunningly beautiful Viennese born Senta Berger, and Sonja Zieman.

5. Appears to be the first film adapted from an Alistair MacLean novel.

This film has been unfairly passed over, it was strikingly photographed on location in marvelous B/W by veteran Cinematographer Max Green...who also created the moody look to classics like; "Hatters Castle" in '42 and "Thunder Rock" also '42. Green also shot the first great noir film made by American director Jules Dasin (following Dasin's black listing in the late 40s by the House of Un-American Activities) it was the hugely atmospheric: "Night and the City" that was produced in Britain in 1950.

Award winning German actress Sonja Zieman gives a forceful performance as Julia, daughter of the professor seeking to defect to the west. The supporting cast are all first rate.

While from a story by Alistair MacLean it's not just given a simple action treatment, so this may account for other comments made by those looking for action thrills. While it does offer a couple of fanciful escape scenarios it's generally a deliberately paced, complex story involving the planned defection of pro-west refugees from Communist Hungary. As with many 60s espionage movies you may have to work hard to figure who's who and what motivates them to act in certain ways! Some of this confusion possibly came from Widmark sacking director Karlson in the last weeks of production. Perhaps this is best viewed by serious followers of the on-going after effects of WW11.

Those who enjoyed the similar 'Quiller Memorandum'('66) should also be entertained by this one. Rarely screened, and it seems quality DVDs may be difficult to find. 'The Secret Ways' remains an interesting drama for those who enjoy well made, off- beat espionage movies from the 60s. KenR.

Note: Up-Dated information: I have just purchased a DVD of this movie from Germany. It has the Universal 'studio' seal on the cover and on the disc itself. While the transfer image is quite clean it remains a little on the dark side suggesting it may have been taken from a good 35mm Composite print rather than a negative. This is better than some I've seen. It was under Cinema Classics so look for it, I ordered on-line from: DITH shop Germany.

There of so many echoes of The Third Man in this film, but the essential plot lacks narrative cohesion--the dazzling atmospherics of decadent Europe after WWII, like Reed's film, are rich in dark shadows, fogs and dripping walls, dizzying stairwells and dismal foggy streets--but the plot, unfortunately, is a little foggy to begin with, and although the viewer slowly comes some comprehension concerning Widmark's task to finesse the escape of an anti-communist leader from behind the iron curtain, there are numerous lures that sidetrack him, most of them of the female. Widmark's performance is characteristically compelling, and there are some new faces on the screen deservedly demanding attention. Another positive aspect of this studio film is that most of the faces are new ones to American viewers, and Widmark's relationships to each are complex although, like the plot, sometimes confusing.

If the viewer doesn't expect constant clarity and a direct Indiana Jones narrative, this film is fascinating for it's location shooting, evoking a more direct sense of hopelessness than even The Spy Who Came in From The Cold, and it's all highlighted by a persuasive music score (one of the first powerful backups by John Williams), as well as the adventurous attempts to escape the constant threat of permanent imprisonment--the sympathetic hero combines with a growing sense of suspense can add up to an entertaining two hours: I found the atmospherics even more fascinating that the labyrinthine plot.

This typical Cold War spy thriller, full of impossible to understand plot turns, bad guys and bad girls who turn to be good, maybe, doesn't have much going for it except Max Greene's (Mutzy Greenbaum) dazzling B&W deep focus photography and one of John Williams' first atmospheric scores. Phil Karlson, the director, who occasionally made a decent film, was hired and then fired by star/producer Richard Widmark who mostly snarls. Karlson does an OK job with the confusing script, but this is no THIRD MAN. If you stop trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and just watch the imagery, worth your while. Added bonus: Lots of excellent European character actors looking sinister and the luscious Senta Berger looking delicious in one of her first English language roles.