Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

JohnHowardReid Alas, this one turns out to be a muddled, rambling and confused spy "thriller", despite its interesting cast and some great action sequences filmed against some really fascinating locations. Director Michael Winner is certainly at his best in the action spots (although it should be made clear to intending patrons that some of these sequences have a brutality that they may find offensive). Another problem with the script is that its anti-CIA theme with its collection of disillusioned spies is now somewhat old hat. Maybe the cycle of successful movies started by "The Ipcress File" and "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" has now well and truly run its course. We have been exposed to spies who came in, spies who stayed out, spies who pretended to come in, spies who came in but then changed their minds, spies who played both sides, and spies who didn't intend to come in but were forced to do so. Enough is enough!

djderka I had seen this years ago and thankfully it was shown again on thisTV out of Indianapolis.Although this film is a great spy thriller, it is much more about friendship. Deep friendship. Between enemies and old friends. Not the fleeting digital facebook friendship where facebook folks are friended are defriended with the ease of changing lipstick. But deep, 'no questions asked' friendship of life threatening assistance. Do you have any friends like that? I think not. This is more a human story of old loyalties not nameless rule book bureaucrats. There is a very poignant scene in the music hall where Max and Cross are listening to Brahms talking about the favor that Cross needs. Earlier in a cafe, Cross tells Max he needs a favor, and Max says he will do it no matter what and has the weekend free. Max is a music instructor. In the music hall, Cross says the favor may be painful, he needs a message delivered to his wife and it will probably kick back to Max. Max doesn't care, because after WWII, Cross was the one who liberated Max from the camps, where "he couldn't listen to Brahms without crying". Now, after being liberated he can. He dies helping Cross. Who has friends like that?Cross friendships go deep, from the hood in DC to a Soviet spy. In fact, those friendships transcend race and politics.Scorpio predates Casino Royale in a great foot chase through a construction sight and it also has the intrigue of 3 Days of the Condor. It also predates the Bourne Identity series in that Cross is one step ahead of the CIA most of the time.GREAT LINE: SCORPIO: "I think you better try McLeods chair for fit, it is going to be empty soon". Said to 2nd highest CIA guy after learning that an agent of McLeod killed Cross's wife.I liked Cross's coterie of old friends that he relies on for his escape through Europe and in the US. A great entertaining thriller and with Burt Lancaster, Alan Deloin and Max Schofield you will have a delightful time.

lost-in-limbo The 70s was when British director Michael Winner was in his prime and this taut Cold War spy thriller might be his best piece. Well definitely up there with other titles such as another Burt Lancaster feature 'Lawman (1971)' and some Charles Bronson efforts; 'Chato's Land (1971)', 'The Mechanic (1972)', 'The Stone Killer (1973)' and his influential 'Death Wish (1974)'. These are some films, and Winner's signature style streams through them. Although Winner has many detractors, but I don't really see eye to eye with it.'Scorpio' might seem customary, but on this occasion there's an old fashion tailoring to it like a thoughtful game of chess. It's a fascinatingly complex, sleek and low-key process, than anything explosive. When it's all about the narrative's cunning moves, staying one step ahead of your competitor and the skill of deception. The cynical material does come to be dry on the dramatic and emotional front, but gains intrigue in the characters and their plights. Action features very little, but when it does occur it's worthwhile. Winner's stringently alarming grip (no-frills style) is gustily suspenseful and brutal. The chase scenes and altercations are effectively pulsating (as his got an eye for ballistic action) when they come into play, due to the overall mellow pace (although time flies by) and talkative nature (with a tough, tight-lipped script) that cements itself in this cat and mouse format. This one gradually builds (just like Jerry Fielding's terrifically soaring multi-layered, hot-wire score) upon its story to deliver its disguised twists and calculative avenues. The backdrop here (largely that of the Vienna's stunningly detailed architecture setting) is caught by boldly crisp camera-work as it follows the activity with many angular angles and zooms. True Winner craftsmanship, just like his blunt inter-cutting editing, which on this project is probably his most complete. Lending greatly to the set-up is a stellar cast. Burt Lancaster is poignantly good in confidently crafty turn as CIA agent Cross that's wanted dead by his own bosses and across from him is a broodingly collected and tactical Alain Delon as the French assassin Scorpio asked to take him out. These are two characters (the dinosaur and the new blood) that respect each other. There's strong support offered by Paul Scofield, John Colicos and Gayle Hunnicutt.

beptep Back in the 1970s when Capitalism and Communism were fighting the cold war with undercover activities, a film such as this was able to play on our fears of the "good" guys as well as the "bad" guys. So, along with Burt Lancaster's aging C.I.A. agent, Cross, we can't know whom to trust. We like Burt, but we also like Alain Delon (Scorpio) the free agent assigned to assassinate him. We loathe John Colicos as the C.I.A. chief, yet he's supposedly working for our side. We like Paul Scofield's Zharkov, yet he's a commie. (Indeed, Scofield who is a master of cold characters has never been so charming.) The film offers great action scenes as well as unmitigated suspense. There is a superlative cast, and a lot of surprises. (Burt ain't named Cross for nothin'.) If you are a fan of thrillers, or even you aren't, this one's a must see!