THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is one of those classic '70s thrillers that's all about paranoia and the mistrust of government entities. It has the same low key and gritty approach as other '70s greats as MARATHON MAN and SERPICO, and yet as a film it's quite unique, depicting the events in a mature, deeply political way that ignores stock action sequences in favour of surprising character twists and the like.
Robert Redford is very well cast as a somewhat ignorant CIA agent who survives the brutal opening massacre sequence (an astonishing sequence) only to go on the wrong as assassins and corrupt agents close in. I could have done without the sub-plot involving Faye Dunaway's extraneous character, but I understand the value of its presence in humanising the main characters. The rest is an solid exercise in film-making, subdued and involving, surprising and engaging. Watch out for Max Von Sydow in one of his best roles.
Robert Redford is very well cast as a somewhat ignorant CIA agent who survives the brutal opening massacre sequence (an astonishing sequence) only to go on the wrong as assassins and corrupt agents close in. I could have done without the sub-plot involving Faye Dunaway's extraneous character, but I understand the value of its presence in humanising the main characters. The rest is an solid exercise in film-making, subdued and involving, surprising and engaging. Watch out for Max Von Sydow in one of his best roles.