Plot: What’s it about?
After a Russian officer defects to the United States, the government learns of a special French intelligence agent in Cuba, called Topaz. It seems Topaz has access to NATO secrets and in turn, deals that information to the Russians, which means a double agent must be involved somewhere. The Russian agent reveals all this to Michael Nordstrom (John Forsythe), who decides the best course of action to call on his friend and trusted associate, Andre Devereaux (Frederick Stafford). So Devereaux heads off to Havana, where he hopes to learn more about Topaz and also scout the potential missiles that have been rumored to exist in the area. Once he arrives, the tension mounts and with each passing moment, he delves deeper and deeper into dangerous grounds. He runs into government branches on the verge of collapse, treacherous agents eager to stab him in the back, and even more danger than he ever expected. But even if he can manage to escape Havana with his life, what will be done about Topaz and the potential threat of a missile attack?
This movie turns out to be decent enough, but it seems like a real let down, since it came from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. I think if someone made this exact film that it might be treated a little better, but because of Hitchcock’s greatness, Topaz takes more of a beating than it deserves. I admit this one is off the usual beaten path for Hitchcock, but he handles the film well enough and delivers a solid picture. I do think the whole thing runs out of steam by the time the end comes, which is obvious since this disc holds three different alternate endings for the film. So you know the finale was uncertain and in the end, I have to say I think the wrong decision was made. None of the included endings would have revived the picture, but the chosen simply doesn’t handle the close like it should. In the end, this one is a nice choice for fans of spy thrillers and Hitchcock, but make sure you keep your expectations grounded in this case.
The subgenre of spies was used a lot by Alfred Hitchcock and while this isn’t his finest effort in that area, it is still a more than solid motion picture. I admit I was a little let down by Topaz the first time I saw it, but as I watched it again, I began to appreciate it more and more. But I still think this is one of his weakest films, although that does mean it isn’t worth a look. I suppose this seems out of place because it is removed from his usual works, which can be a disappointment when you first view the picture. But even as it has grown on me, it never equals even his midlevel films, though I think this is a decent enough spy thriller. I guess when you turn out excellent films most of the time, your not so good ones seem worse than usual. Other films directed by Hitchcock include The Skin Game, I Confess, Bon Voyage, Suspicion, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Ring, and Rear Window. The cast of Topaz includes John Forsythe (Madame X, Scrooged), Karin Dor (You Only Live Twice, Prisoner in the Middle), Frederick Stafford (Shadows Unseen, White Horses of Summer), Dany Robin (Tales of Paris, Monelle), and John Vernon (I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, Ernest Goes To Camp).
Video: How does it look?
Topaz is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, although the case doesn’t state it as such. This one looks pretty good, with a sharp image and only a few scenes that pull down the score. The colors look very rich here and at times, a little too rich, but no serious errors surface in that respect. But the colors seem very warm in this transfer, which means hot flesh tones and very reddish hues indeed. This is not extreme by any means, but you can tell the colors have a warmer than usual tone. The contrast is stark and dead on, as detail looks solid and no murkiness is present at all. This one has some source print flaws at times, but I think this is a very stable and acceptable image in the end.
Audio: How does it sound?
Mono is as mono does, right? This is the original mono track, which sounds dated and limited, as you would expect. No real issues seem to pop up though, as the music and sound effects seem well represented here. not to the extent of a usual surround track, but then again, I think a new remix would be a waste of resources in this case. The dialogue is loud and clear, with no volume or separation issues to speak of. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, in case you have a need for them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The laserdisc edition of Topaz was lauded for having two alternate endings, but this new disc tops that and includes three choices for unused conclusions. Each is well worth a look, especially since a lot of folks think the ending used is less than impressive. So now you can view all three unused choices and decide for yourself, but no matter which you’d like, we’re stuck with the one Hitchcock employed. This disc also houses storyboards, production notes, talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer, but that is not the end of the supplements here. A special featurette is also included, in which film critic Leonard Maltin discusses his take on Topaz and to a lesser extent, Hitchcock’s career. This half hour piece is filled with photos, behind the scenes shots, deleted footage, alternate takes, all under Maltin’s keen observations, very cool indeed.
