Gerald Cross is the very epitome of the CIA. He's tough, shrewd and dangerous. He's also marked for elimination. Jean Laurier - aka Scorpio - is Cross' friend and associate. Cross has trained him to be as ruthless and efficient as he is. Scorpio's next assignment is to eliminate Cross. It's not going to be easy, and both men know it. Cross is on the run and will be difficult to find. When they finally meet it will be a battle to the death. Who will prevail?
This classy spy thriller benefits greatly from two wonderful performances by the leads. Delon is subtle and he's developed a multi-dimensional character that holds your interest. Lancaster is a master at this kind of role. He's oblique, but fascinating and, as was his habit, did all his own stunts at age 59. The film is very taut, and has some really compelling moments. Listen for a masterful score by Jerry Fielding and look for a scene where Lancaster disguises himself in blackface.
This film is available on DVD. It's not as well known as other spy thrillers of the era, but is definitely worth seeing. Above is the trailer, uploaded to YouTube by Annie7676.
Obscurity factor: 6 (Known to Lancaster fans, on DVD, largely unknown to the general public)
On a beautiful, mid-summer day Ned Merrill (Lancaster) emerges from the woods, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, at the home of the Westerhazys. He's given a warm reception and offered a drink. As he sits there talking, he realizes that, thanks to a string of swimming pools that stretch across the county, he can swim the 8 miles back to his home. He's very pleased with this idea, and leaves the Westerhazys to attempt to do just that. As he goes from house to house, he encounters friends and parties and an increasing sense of something gone awry in his life. His memory fails him as he hears hints of his misfortunes and what began as innocent fun becomes an obligation that Ned can't abandon.
This film, based on a short story by John Cheever, is a surreal journey from youth and innocence to disillusioned middle age. It explores how we get our identities from social status, wealth and relationships. Once you see this film, it's difficult to forget because of the strong emotions it brings up. There are lots of cameo performances to look for - Kim Hunter, Joan Rivers, Marge Champion and John Cheever himself as a party guest.
The Swimmer was released on DVD in 2003, but is pricey on Amazon. They do have it available to watch instantly, however. The trailer for it is above, uploaded to YouTube by CyanArea. The poster is available at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 1 (well known among film buffs, available on DVD, not high in general awareness)
Before there was JFK (Oliver Stone, 1991) there was this film. A shadowy group of conservative business men meet to discuss the problem of Kennedy's liberal agenda and the likelihood of a three president dynasty between the Kennedy brothers and the changes that would effect on the USA. Analyzing the risks to their interests, they decide to take action, enlisting what one assumes are CIA contractors to do the job.
This film, directed by David Miller has a fascinating history. It was written, in part by Dalton Trumbo, who was one of the most visible faces of the Hollywood black list brought on by conservative senator Joseph McCarthy's House Un American Activities Committee. Trumbo and his writing partners Donald Freed and Mark Lane create a fictional account of a possible conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy at a time when the distrust of the government was reaching a fevered pitch. Consequently the film's limited release was cut short in many places and, like The Manchurian Candidate, another film that cut too close to the bone, the film was shelved for many years. Unlike the above mentioned film, however, it doesn't have the compelling drama or the cathartic ending so when it came out from under wraps it didn't gain as much fame. It's still a tight thriller, though, with a plausible plot line, if you favor conspiracy theories. Also giving wonderful performances in the film are Robert Ryan, in his last performance and Will Geer.
Since this film reemerged it's been released on DVD. It's also available on YouTube in full. The first installment of it is above, uploaded by dwayne0t.
Obscurity factor: 8 (largely unknown, on DVD and YouTube)
