TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

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

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

sunznc Starts rather abruptly with editorial over the screen hinting that this could be an intense, thrilling spy film based on an actual occurrence.Sadly though, it never really rises above mediocrity. Some of the scenes feel almost moldy and so old fashioned, it's hard to believe anyone ever thought it modern even when new. This hasn't aged well and while there are some intense moments and it moves well, the climax is a bit disappointing and the film ends as abruptly as it began.Some scenes could have been fleshed out more or contained much more interesting dialog. A lot of the scenes are very low key, almost static. Hasn't dated well.

phd_travel This thriller should go down as a classic. It has a convincing story a rare thing in movies that try to blend historical fact and fiction. It's tense from beginning to end and doesn't have annoying red herrings or plot twists.The casting is perfect. Maximillian Schell is ideal as the Nazi war criminal. Jon Voight is surprisingly convincing as a German accent and all. Good use of European supporting cast to avoid a fake feel.Good on location feel to it. Liked the evocative score too.It's one of the best thrillers about WWII subject matter even though it is set after the war.

JasparLamarCrabb Certainly not as spellbinding as it's horrifying plot promises, but this is nonetheless an exciting, well made thriller. German journalist Jon Voight uncovers a plot to utilize Nazi ingenuity(?) to aid Egypt in its plan to annihilate Isreal in the early 1960s. Hooking up with Isreali intelligence, he hunts all over Germany and Austria for lunatic ex-Concentration Camp Commandant Maximilian Schell. Directed with more finesse than usual by Ronald Neame (a great film editor who became a decidedly journeyman director) and featuring some stellar cinematography by Oswald Morris. Voight is pretty good and Schell is decidedly nasty. Shmuel Rodensky has a cameo as Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal. While the film is set in and around Germany, all the players speak English with a German accent. The music by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber includes the song "Christmas Dream" sung by Perry Como. Maria Schell plays Voight's mother and Mary Tamm, Derek Jacobi & Günter Meisner are in it too.

froberts73 "The Odessa File" is a riveting piece of history that will hold your attention as it illustrates man's constant inhumanity. Its concentration camp scenes almost rival those in "Schindler's List."Jon Voight, as usual, is an intelligent actor who fits the part of a reporter with a German background, perfectly. However, it is Maximilian Schell's performance as the concentration camp commander that is positively chilling.You will learn from this movie but, those with a heart and soul will be discouraged about they do learn.This film is a must-see history-come-alive item.