Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60930 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-03-06
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 128 minutes

Amazon.com
Paul Newman and Julie Andrews star in what must unfortunately be called one of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts. Still, sub-par Hitchcock is better than a lot of what's out there, and this one is well worth a look. Newman plays cold war physicist Michael Armstrong, while Andrews plays his lovely assistant-and-fiancée, Sarah Sherman. Armstrong has been working on a missile defense system that will "make nuclear defense obsolete," and naturally both sides are very interested. All Sarah cares about is the fact that Michael has been acting awfully fishy lately. The suspense of Torn Curtain is by nature not as thrilling as that in the average Hitchcock film--much of it involves sitting still and wondering if the bad guys are getting closer. Still, Hitchcock manages to amuse himself: there is some beautifully clever camera work and an excruciating sequence that illustrates the frequent Hitchcock point that death is not a tidy business. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews

Hitchcock's under-valued Cold War drama
TORN CURTAIN was a film which Hitchcock never wanted to make; he still owed Universal one more film under his contract and was waiting for the right story to come along. At Universal's insistence, he made this under-valued Cold War thriller.

Michael Armstrong (Paul Newman - CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF) is a world-famous scientist to goes to an international congress in Copenhagen with his fiancee/assistant Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews - STAR!, DARLING LILI). While there, Sarah mistakenly picks up a message meant for him and discovers that he is defecting to East Germany. Or is he? As Armstrong goes undercover to glean top-secret information, the couple are swept up in a heart-pounding chase to escape with their lives....

Hitchcock reportedly hated working with Newman and Andrews (he did not personally cast them, they were assigned to the film by the studio). The music was provided by John Addison, although Hitchcock veteran Bernard Herrmann was originally going to provide the score.

However, the film does have some very good scenes: the bus ride, the post office, the climactic MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH-esque ballet sequence and the fight in the cottage.

Also starring Lila Kedrova, Tamara Toumanova, Ludwig Donath and David Opatoshu.

The DVD includes the making-of documentary "Torn Curtain Rising", a condensed version of the film with Bernard Herrmann's original score, an art gallery and the trailer.

One of Hitchcock's Greatest Villains-- GROMEK
I absolutely loved Gromek, the German agent in this film. One of the most likable villains Hitchcock ever put to film, he throws about 'Americanisms' in wonderfully broken English while smacking on a piece of gum. Very sinister and funny at the same time, and the scene of his death definitely belongs in the Hitchcock highlight reel.

Unfortunately, as in "Psycho," this most interesting character is killed within the first half of the movie, and the rest lags afterwards. Really, really a shame...he's far more interesting than Paul Newman's character.

If I were to rank this among Hitch's other later films, I'd say it's better than "Topaz" or "Marnie," but not as good as "Frenzy." 5 Stars, however, because nobody can touch Hitchcock.

HERE'S AN IDEA FOR A DVD RE-RELEASE...WHY NOT PUT OUT A VERSION OF THIS FILM WITH THE OPTION OF LISTENING TO BERNARD HERRMANN'S ORIGINAL SCORE?!?!? IF YOU LIKE THIS IDEA, SEND A MESSAGE BY VOTING THIS REVIEW 'HELPFUL.'

A Highly Underated Hitchcock Classic
This is one of Hitchcock's last truely great films. Is Paul Newman really defecting to East Berlin, or is he a double agent?His secretary, and fiancee, Julie Andrews (shedding her Mary Poppins image) tries to find out. The bus scene is classic Hitchcock, and the murder of the German agent is one of the best scenes ever filmed. I also love the scene when Paul and Julie are at the ballet.

This film has all of Hitchcock's trademarks, suspence, comedy, love, and, of course, his cameo appearence. This can not be missed by a true Hitchcock fan.

Watch it at least twice to really appreciate it!