Three Days of the Condor (1975)

A bookish CIA researcher finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

James Grady (novel), Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Redford	...	Turner
Faye Dunaway	...	Kathy Hale
Cliff Robertson	...	Higgins
Max von Sydow	...	Joubert (as Max Von Sydow)
John Houseman	...	Mr. Wabash
Addison Powell	...	Atwood
Walter McGinn	...	Sam Barber
Tina Chen	...	Janice
Michael Kane	...	Wicks
Don McHenry	...	Dr. Lappe
Michael Miller	...	Fowler
Jess Osuna	...	The Major
Dino Narizzano	...	Harold
Helen Stenborg	...	Mrs. Russell (as Helen Stenbure)
Patrick Gorman	...	Martin

Storyline

A mild mannered CIA researcher, paid to read books, returns from lunch to find all of his co-workers assassinated. "Condor" must find out who did this and get in from the cold before the hitmen get him.

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Plot Keywords:

cia agent | political conspiracy | hitman | researcher | new york city | 

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Taglines:

The CIA knows him as Condor. What he knows about them has just made him an Endangered Species.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In her autobiography Faye Dunaway mentions that while she and Redford had a good working relationship, the two actors did not speak much as Redford used much of his "free" time prepping All the President's Men (1976).

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Goofs

Turner tells the counter man that Van Gogh never sold a painting in his life. Van Gogh sold one painting in his life, The Red Vineyard.

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Quotes

Joe Turner: Listen. I work for the CIA. I am not a spy. I just read books! We read everything that's published in the world. And we... we feed the plots - dirty tricks, codes - into a computer, and the computer checks against actual CIA plans and operations. I look for leaks, I look for new ideas... We read adventures and novels and journals. I... I... Who'd invent a job like that?

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Connections

Referenced in Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light (2006)

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Soundtracks

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Timeless

I first saw this film back in 1976. The next time was in 2002. Both viewings had me captivated from start to finish even though, second time around, there were parts which I remembered from the first time. Robert Redford ("Condor") works for the CIA as a reader/researcher. His job, along with others, is look for new ideas or plots published in books or journals around the world in all languages. He turns up a well authored scheme in a journal printed in a variety of strange languages and reports to his superiors. Unfortunately, someone doesn't agree with his report and his colleagues turn up dead when he returns from lunch one day. Whoever is behind these killings hasn't finished yet as "Condor" was on the hit-list. The hide and seek game begins with "Condor" trying to stay one step ahead of his assassins. He resorts to kidnapping a beautiful woman (Faye Dunaway) who, possibly through the Stockholm Syndrome, eventually becomes his ally. The film has an unpredictable ending for all involved. There are many stories about the cloak and dagger world of the intelligence communities but few have a storyline which is believable. This is one of those few and it is as relevant today as it was back in '75. If you like films which depict the sinister and dark side of the CIA and provide plenty of suspense with the obligatory victimized female, this is the film for you. I guess the modern day version of this film is Borne Identity. What Robert Redford pulled off over 30 years ago, Matt Damon is doing today.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 September 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

3 Days of the Condor

Filming Locations:

55 East 77th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$27,476,252

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$27,476,252

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wildwood Enterprises, Dino De Laurentiis Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1