SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group discussion

Thinking tonight about that superb fight scene in the '75 Lumet movie. (By the way, what a great cast: when you have Max Von Sydow and Cliff Robertson in supporting roles, how can you go wrong?)

Anyway here we have Bob Redford --tall, fit actor--but his character in this spy film is as a non-pro; an utter amateur. All he knows about fighting is what he reads in books. He has a .45 automatic and that's it; he is up against pros.

An agency clean-up man is sent to the address he is hiding at, (disguised as a postman with a special delivery). This thug is someone who makes his living killing other professional killers.

Redford makes the mistake of letting him in the apartment. But he realizes his error (postmen don't wear sneakers) as the operator is bringing out his submachine gun, and from that point on its unschooled amateur vs a shorter, stouter, but definitely martial arts-trained agent.

Superb stuff. Here's a couple clips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW8VV...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udQM_...

Man, Sidney Lumet is friggin' aces and this book/movie were prescient. These scenes reminds you of just how brutal violence is and how good a director he was. (Lumet and Frankenheimer, perhaps the top thriller directors).

Anyway, puh puh puh puh pah pow!!! Blow that f***er away! don't waste any prayers over that scumbag. then, get right back to Faye Dunaway

Condor is awesome. Sequels are a mixed bag however......the first sequel I hear wasn't great while the second sequel released this year was a mixed bag. Mr Grady used a "run on" sentence structure which put off multiple amazon reviewers. They were left dazed and confused.

Boo, sequels. :(

it's funny how the fight ends: the brawl is so fast that it makes both men drop their weapons. They're in a standoff, Redford wielding a fireplace poker and the postman edging toward his machine gun. But after a while, Dunaway comes in from the shower, entering the room from the side, totally shocked out of her wits at what she sees. Now, the postman turns, and (amazingly) treats her as a threat instead of dismissing her. He shoves her away but that leaves Redford a split-second in which to dive for his pistol and seal his fate. Blammo

Feliks wrote: "it's funny how the fight ends: the brawl is so fast that it makes both men drop their weapons. They're in a standoff, Redford wielding a fireplace poker and the postman edging toward his machine gu..."

Yeah the choreography in that fight is superbly done. A waltz with death where every second counts.

by the way Redford as an actor almost always chose to forego extensive or preparations for his roles or rehearsals for his scenes. He felt that rehearsing killed spontaneity.

He's like Brando in that way except Brando (who had dyslexia) could barely read his lines.

Be that as it may--think of all the great performances he's given and now reflect on the fact that he almost never rehearsed in advance. Can you even conceive of such a thing? He simply showed up, knowing his lines, and winged it. That's the style of the best actors of the studio era; but Redford only came in to the profession at the tail end of that system. Thus, even more startling. Imagine possessing that kind of poise and self-awareness.