TELEFON

US, 1977, 103 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Lee Remick, Donald Pleasence, Sheree North.
Directed by Don Siegel.

Telefon is a spy thriller. Spy thrillers are staple entertainment diet and this one is modestly entertaining. Charles Bronson stars, but it is not exactly a Bronson vehicle. Age and respectability are creeping up on him and he is using his wits rather than brawn for a victory. Supported by Lee Remick and a yet again maniacal Donald Pleasence, he must break a KGB sabotage plan in the U.S. where agents, long planted, can be activated hypnotically by telephone. While the plot is far-fetched (I hope!), it provides excitement and some literally explosive action sequences. The CIA, personified by Tyne Daly, testing computer hypotheses is quite interesting . Director is Clint Eastwood's mentor, Don Siegel.

1. The appeal of espionage films? International backgrounds, Russia and the United States, plots? Action drama? Espionage issues of right and wrong?

2. The film as a Charles Bronson vehicle? The appeal of the star? His credibility in the role of a top ranking Soviet official? His skills, uncovering the plot?

3. How credible was the plot? The background of American/Russian relations in the early 60s? The nature of the conspiracy? The passing of time and the different approaches in international affairs? The secrecy of the Telefon plot? The diplomacy needed to defuse it? The inherent violence of the plot and the visualising of the acts of sabotage? The danger for further sabotage and the breaking down of international peace? Or was the plot too highly contrived - the hypnotizing of the sabotage agents, the way that they were activated, their deaths?

4. The visual impact of violence, the destruction of the installations and the way this was portrayed - and the irony that so many were outdated? The quality of the special effects? The deaths of the agents themselves and reactions to this by the media? By the C.I.A.?

5. The theme of having people as agents - when they had volunteered, undergone their training? The perfect assimilation into the American way of life? The number of people involved, their range of occupation, from mechanic, to priest, to housewife? Their giving of their life? The visualising of the telephone calls, the poem, the hypnotic effect and the hypnotic behaviour?

6. Grogori - the introduction to him in Russia, his qualifications and skills, personality, memory? The humane themes of his way of life in Russia in the apartment, the children playing? The fact that he was usable and was to be used? The importance of secrecy? The attitudes and the personalities of the top ranking K.G.B. officials? The building up of his cover, arranging the helps in the United States? The irony of C.I.A. information about him? The detective work, the journey, the tracking down of the various people? The tracking down of Dalchimsky? Strengths and weaknesses of character, the relationship with Barbara, professional, love?

7. The introduction of Barbara as Grogori's help, her guiding him through difficult situations? The irony of her connections with the C.I.A.? The sharing of dangers? What was the revelation of their killing the priest in hospital and the ruthlessness of the mission? How credible was it that Barbara should be a double agent?

8. The gradual unfolding of the plan - Dalchimsky and his motivation, his character, memory? Seeing him in action with the various phone calls, the manic quality of his mission? His presence in the town and his observation? The gradual narrowing of the distance between Dalchimsky and Grogori?

9. How well did the screenplay illustrate the cat and mouse game, the varying locations, the difficulties for Grogori, eg. the fight in the mountains? The gradual coinciding with Dalchimsky?

10. The parallel with the C.I.A. especially in its work with computers? The personality of Dorothy Putterman and her enjoyment of working with computers? Espionage in the 70s and the world of computers?

11. The presentation of the Russian hierarchy, their plan, characters?

12. The personalities of the agents - and their violence eg. Stark, Father Miller and his death, the attention given to Marie wills and her leaving her home in dressing-gown, digging up the implements, the explosion and violence?

13. The atmosphere of killing? Dalchimsky?

14. The ironic need for self protection by Grogori and Barbara? The way that they were able to hold out against the K.G.B. and the C.I.A. with their names and the nature of the poem for the Telefon conspiracy?

15. Human issues, personal relationships, the contemporary world in international espionage and terrorism, the threats to world peace, the types of personalities involved in espionage?