SCORPIO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01365R000300210006-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 2004
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 11, 1973
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

Approved For Releasq 2005/01/1A~DP88-0136
(COLOR)
Tired spy stuff. Confusing,
for saturation bookings. .
Mirlsch production is exasperating
while the David W. Rintels-Gerald
Wilson screenplay disentangles its
mans' plot stands. Pie opens with
the 'assassination of an Arab gov-
ernment official, but his identity
and relationship to the protagon-
ists remain puzzlcments beyond
the film's conclusion. Even more
irritating is nearly total confusion
Stars Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Paul
Scofield. Directed by Michael Winner.
Screenplay, David W. Rintels and Gerald
Wilson, from story by Rintels; camera
(Color by Deluxe), Robert Paynter; editor,
Freddie Wilson; music, Jerry Fielding; art
direction, Herbert Westbrook; sound,
Brian Marshall; asst. director, Michael
Dryhurst. Pravlewbd at Academy Awards
Theatre, L.A., March 23, '73. (MPAA rat-
ing: PG.)
Cross ............ Burt Lancaster
Laurier ...................... Alain Delon
Zharkov .................. Paul Scofield
McLeod ............... . John Colicos
Susan ................. Gayle Hunnicutt
Filchock ................. J. D. Cannon
Sarah ....i .............. Joanne Linville
Pick ................... Melvin Stewart
Z'emetkin Viadek Sheyhal
Anne ......... .. ... Mary Maude
Thief .........( ......... . Jack Colvin
Harris .... ... .....James Sikking
Morrison ............. Burke Byrnes
Mitchell ............. William Smithers
Lang ................ Shmuel Rodensky
Heck Thomas .......... Howard Morton
Helen Thomas .......... Celeste Yarnall
Malkin ..................... Sander Fles
Nevins ................ Frederick Jaeger
Der George Mlkell
Man in hotel ............ Robert Emhardt
Despite Its anachronistic emula-
tion of mid-'1960s' cynical, spy mel-
lers, "Scorpio" might have' been
an acceptable action programmer
If its narrative were clearer, its
dialog less "cultured" and its vis-
uals more straightforward. In Its
present inchoate and pretentious
shape, only Burt Lancaster's pres-
ence will allow United Artists to
make a modest dent lit the domes-
tic market via saturation bookings.
Overseas prospects, thanks to cast-
ing of Alain. Delon and a splatter-
ing of unmotivated vielenee, look
somewhat brighter.
First half-hour of the Walter
.Hollywood, March 24. 1
United Artists release of Scimitar Films
production, produced by Walter Mirisch.
5R000300210006-8 Vc~cr l/.F',~t1T3
Considering the many liabilities
Imposed by this ill-begotten proj-
ect, the three above-title players
all do well. Scofield particularly
impresses with his effort to wring
life out of his stereotypical assign-
ment. John Colicos hams up the
role of-a nasty CLA exec, while
Gayle Hunnicutt lacks presence ill-
: he seemingly superfluous role of
')elon's girlfriend None of the
principals or supporting players is
assisted one whit by flat post.
rynchranization.
Nor are they helped by Michael
Winner's grab-bag of visual tricks.
As if to demonstrate his technical
"virtuosity," the British director
employs. zooms, pans, extreme
closeups, jump cuts, low-angle and
overhead shots in a dazzling dis-
play of irrelevant mise-en-scene.
He is by no means the only con-
temporary director to dragoon an
audience's attention via cinemato-
"raphic hype but he may be the
only filmmaker not to have out-
grown such pointless exhibitionism
after 13 previous features. It
seems a long, long time since his
visually economical and moving
"The Girl Getters" C'"The System"
In U.K. nine years ago.
Technically "Scorpio" is below
the level set by previous Mirisch
Corp. productions. In addition to
Brian Marshall's unresonant sound
recording, Robert Paynter's color
photography Is cursorily lit and
granularly,_ processed,...... Freddie
.
Wilson's editing makes the pie look
like a hodgepodge, though the
fault may well be shared with Win-
ner. Only real plus is Jerry Field-
Ing's music, which thumps away
energetically and on occasion per.
suades the viewer that more is hap-
pening on screen than meets the
eye. Beau,
or moral positions, clarified only
after viewer has ceased to care.
Rare are the action fans who en-
joy being made to feel like dunces.
Ultimately, Pic settles down into
the usual is-hc_or-isn't-he-a?dnuble-
agent gimmick, with CI/ -black-
mailed Delon pursuing supposed
Soviet defector Lancaster from
Washington to Europe. While
ducking his would-be assassin,
Lancaster takes refuge In the Vi-
ennese home of Paul Scofield, a
Russian agent who counsels him
that "there are no more secrets-
at least any worth stealing" and
who deplores all the "i,cepers of
machines and pushers of buttons"
who have replaced his breed. Such
thematics became ho-hunt long
Approved For Rele;Q`1At-'8-'3658000300210006-8