The Looking Glass War (1969)

M  |   |  Action, Thriller, Drama  |  September 1969 (UK)
6.0
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Reviews: 15 user | 7 critic

From the John le Carre novel about a British spy who sends a Polish defector to East Germany to verify missile sites.

Director:

(as Frank R. Pierson)

Writers:

(novel), (written for the screen by) (as Frank R. Pierson)
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Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Jones ...
Leiser
Pia Degermark ...
The Girl
...
LeClerc
Paul Rogers ...
Haldane
...
...
Susan
...
Undersecretary of State
Robert Urquhart ...
Johnson
...
Avery's Wife
Vivian Pickles ...
Mrs. King
Maxine Audley ...
Mrs. LeClerc
Cyril Shaps ...
East German Detective
Michael Robbins ...
Truck Driver
...
Taylor
Frederick Jaeger ...
The Pilot
Edit

Storyline

During the Cold War, the British Intelligence receives a blurred photograph from East Germany taken from Hamburg and Director LeClerc believes they are missiles. Their agent, Taylor King, who receives a film which might clarify the detail from a pilot in Finland, is found dead on the road, and the police believe he was accidentally killed in a hit-and-run. LeClerc meets the Polish defector Fred Leiser, who jumped overboard from a ship expecting to have asylum and stay with his British girlfriend who is pregnant, and decides to recruit him to cross the border and spy on the Eat German facility to check on the missiles. In return, he would have salary, insurance and political asylum. Leiser is trained by the agent and family man John Avery,and soon he finds his girlfriend has had ended the pregnancy. When Leiser crosses the border, he meets up with Anna, a local, and they stay together in the beginning of a dangerous journey where he is just a pawn in a war game. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

"Why do we listen to them? Why do we fight their wars for them?"

Genres:

Action | Thriller | Drama

Certificate:

M | See all certifications »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

September 1969 (UK)  »

Also Known As:

A Guerra no Espelho  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Color:

(Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nigel Davenport refused the role of Johnson. See more »

Goofs

After Lieser slaps his girlfriend, he walks out of the room leaving the door open and the girl just stays still on the bed. When Avery goes to check if the girl is alright, the door is closed (so he knocks to get in) and the girl was in the same position she was before. See more »

Quotes

Leiser: You are spies? That's wonderful. I've never been a spy before. It will be a new experience for me.
See more »

Connections

Featured in Al Murray's Great British Spy Movies (2014) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Pawn in a War Game
20 November 2014 | by (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – See all my reviews

During the Cold War, the British Intelligence receives a blurred photograph from East Germany taken from Hamburg and Director LeClerc (Ralph Richardson) believes that they are missiles. Their agent Taylor King (Timothy West), who receives a film that might clarify the detail from a pilot in Finland, is found dead on the road and the police believe that he was accidentally killed in a hit-and-run. LeClerc meets the Polish defector Fred Leiser (Christopher Jones), who jumped overboard from a ship expecting to have asylum and stay with his British girlfriend (Susan George) that is pregnant, and decides to recruit him to cross the border and spy the Eat German facility to check the missiles. In return, he would have salary, insurance and political asylum. Leiser is trained by the agent and family man John Avery (Anthony Hopkins) and soon he finds that his girlfriend has had an abortion. When Leiser crosses the border, he stumbles with the local Anna (Pia Degermark) and they stay together in the beginning of a dangerous journey where he is just a pawn in a war game.

"The Looking Glass War" is a dated thriller with a disappointing story. The characters are poorly developed and it is hard to understand the motivation of Leiser in his assignment after discovering that his girlfriend had forced an abortion. He is neither British nor an idealistic man to risk his life in a suicidal mission. Actually it is difficult to understand who he is since he is capable to kill two men in cold blood, slap the face of his girlfriend and let Anna with him knowing that his mission is compromised. The betrayal of LeClerc is the great plot point in the story but also difficult to understand why he plots all operation apparently to justify his agency and get rid off a defector. In the end, there is no consequence receiving or not the message from Leiser. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available


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