The Defector (film)

The Defector is a 1966 thriller film starring Montgomery Clift, Hardy Krüger, Roddy McDowall and Macha Meril. It was directed by Belgian director/producer Raoul Lévy and based on the 1965 novel L'espion (The Spy) by Paul Thomas.[3]

The Defector
Directed byRaoul Lévy
Produced byRaoul Lévy
Conrad von Molo
Written by Raoul Lévy
Robert Guenette
Montgomery Clift[n 1]
Peter Francke[n 1] [1]
Based on1965 novel The Spy by Paul Thomas
StarringMontgomery Clift
Hardy Krüger
Macha Méril
Music bySerge Gainsbourg
CinematographyRaoul Coutard
Edited byRoger Dwyre
Albert Jurgenson
Production
company
Distributed by Gaumont S.A.B.
Seven Arts Productions
Release date
 20 Oct 1966 (W. Germany)
16 Nov 1966 (USA)
24 Nov 1967 (Sweden)
17 May 1968 (Finland)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryFrance
West Germany
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.5 million[2]

This was Clift's final film, and he only agreed to the part so that he could prepare himself for his next role in the 1967 film Reflections in a Golden Eye (the role went to Marlon Brando). Although obviously very ill (he died less than three months after most of the shooting was completed), Clift still managed to give a convincing performance in what has been termed a very moody and somber film. This characterization is in stark contrast to the exuberance displayed by his love interest, who was played by Meril, an obviously more youthful woman.

Lévy committed suicide on December 31, 1966, less than two months after the film's American release.

Plot

American physicist Professor Bower is effectively blackmailed by a shady CIA agent named Adams to help the CIA obtain secret microfilm from a defecting Russian scientist. The reluctant Bower travels to East Germany undercover as an antiques collector, where he encounters Heinzmann, an East German fellow physicist who is also a secret agent. Heinzmann is aware of Bower's meeting with Adams and of his intention to steal the microfilm, but their mutual respect for one another's tactics complicate the proceedings.

Cast

Production

Plans for the film, based on the novel The Spy, were announced in January 1966. It was Montgomery Clift's first film appearance in four years. The original stars announced were Clift, Monica Vitti and Hardy Kruger. Filming was to begin on January 29, 1966 in Munich at the Regina Hotel and at the Bavaria Atellier Gestellschaft Studio on a budget of $1.5 million.[2] Levy had previously made Hail Mafia with Seven Arts.[2]

Filming was pushed back until March, meaning that Vitti had to drop out, and she was replaced by Leslie Caron.[4] Then Caron gave up her role shortly before filming began in Munich in March 1966.[5] Nicole Courcel also left the cast and was replaced by Macha Meril.[6] Filming proceeded relatively smoothly in sharp contrast to other later-period Clift films.[7]

Filming was completed in June 1966. Clift returned to New York, where he died the following month.[8]

Reception

Critics' response

Critics were generally favorable to the film. Bosley Crowther of the New York Times said, "Mr. Clift is apt in this his last film — lonely, bewildered, courageous - it's just too bad it doesn't quite ring the bell."[9] The Los Angeles Times said Clift was "first rate" but called the film "second rate."[10]

Box office

The film was not a box-office success in France.[11]

Notes
  1. Uncredited.

References
  1. The Defector, full cast & crew, IMDB
  2. On Three War Fronts By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 9 Jan 1966: 69.
  3. DEFECTOR, The "(L'Espion)" Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 34, Iss. 396, (Jan 1, 1967): 174.
  4. 'Catch-22' Readied for 1967 Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 24 Feb 1966: a10.
  5. "People in the News...Quits". The Des Moines Register. March 3, 1966.
  6. 'Impossible' Script Ready Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 31 Mar 1966: d17.
  7. Features/Articles/People: The Winner Who Lost: Montgomery Clift Long, Barbara. Vogue; New York Vol. 148, Iss. 9, (Nov 15, 1966): 70, 72, 74, 86.
  8. Montgomery Clift, 45, Dies of Heart Attack in New York Los Angeles Times 24 July 1966: B.
  9. Review of The Defector from the November 17, 1966 edition of The New York Times
  10. Clift First Rate in His Final Movie Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 17 Feb 1967: d9.
  11. Raoul Levy, 44, A Film Producer, Dies of Rifle Wound New York Times 1 Jan 1967: 19.
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