Mirage (1965)

You won't be disappointed!

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Mirage is a good mystery film that falls short of any great heights, because of its poor resolution.The first two thirds of the film is quite fascinating, Peck's character suffering from amnesia, trying to put the puzzle pieces together, enlisting the help of Matthau. Unfortunately the ending is lackluster run of the mill stuff. Peck, Matthau, Baker and Harris were terrific, McCarthy and Kennedy not so much. I didn't like any of the action scenes or the bad guys, except Lester. It needed Matthau not to be killed off so soon and more of Diane Baker, I particularly liked the scene of her with the kid when Stillwell is about to say thanks by giving her money.

Everything about Mirage, from the story to the cast to the camera angles, feels like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Edward Dmytryk directed this intense thriller, but part of me thinks that Hitchcock did it in secret and hoped no one would remember his presence on the set. After you've seen the movie, you'll get that joke.In the film, Gregory Peck is caught in a building's blackout, and rather than wait for the power to return and use the elevator, he makes his way down the stairs. He bumps into Diane Baker, who seems to recognize him, even though he has no recollection of who she is. That's only the start of Greg's very difficult day! The bartender at his favorite hangout claims not to have seen him in ages, but the doorman at his office that he doesn't know seems to know him very well. A stranger approaches him and threatens to kill him if he doesn't deliver his suitcase to The Major—but Greg has no idea what's going on! This is a very tense mystery and psychological thriller, with an intriguing script and very memorable lines. If you like Hitchcock movies, add this one to your list; you won't be disappointed. Gregory Peck does a great job in his fright and desperation, and George Kennedy makes a fantastic, tough, and pretty hunky bad-guy. Diane Baker, seen in Hitchcock's Marnie, and a pre-The Odd Couple Walter Matthau join the cast in this film full of twists and turns that will keep you on the very edge of your seat.

This movie certainly deserves to be called an action movie, albeit a 1965 action movie.Gregory Peck stars in this hidden gem, other notables such as Kevin McCarthy ("Invasion of the Body Snatchers"), George Kennedy ("Airport", "Cool Hand Luke"), Walter Matthau ("The Taking of Pelham 123", "Hopscotch") and even a small walk-on by Franklin Cover ("The Jeffersons" TV Series). This is one of five movies that George Kennedy and Walter Matthau overlap on. I like both actors, so this movie got instant extra points.The movie has the tone of a Rod Serling Screenplay. Its very reminiscent in style to "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" or the "Twilight Zone", addressing nuclear war, world peace, civil liberties and other humanistic themes. Its not a cowboy movie where a guy gets shot and the main characters just step over the dead guy.The story revolves around a physiochemist who invents a way to eliminate nuclear fallout and radiation. He realizes that big business will use it to make nuclear bombs get used more since the risk of fallout is what makes nuclear weapons unwise. His dedication to world peace and ending war makes him decide to make the formula disappear. Gregory Peck's character Stillwell finds himself caught up in a case of mistaken identity, somewhat like Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" and confusion. He seems to remember some things very clearly, and other things he can't remember at all as if he had his mind wiped by hypnosis or some foul play. He continues to try and unravel how the events surrounding the disappearance of this formula and the death of a noted leader for world peace have in common. He goes to the police, who are uninterested in the case since he can't remember key elements about himself like where he is from. He goes to a psychiatrist who tells him that his story and symptoms are unbelievable. He then contacts a private detective named Caselle played by Walter Matthau who tries to help him, after Caselle decides that Stillwell's incredible story may be true. All the while a mysterious woman named Shela, played by Diane Baker who seems to know more about Stillwell than he does keeps dropping in, seemingly to keep Stillwell out of (or in) even more serious trouble.The acting is excellent, the story excellent. The ending is a little questionable, but obviously somebody's allegorical message about war or not submitting to authority. Well worth watching.

Once you watch this movie about a mysterious amnesiac you will never forget it. It has some of the snappiest dialog this side of Casablanca. The script is fantastic and the imagery is iconic. In this and other respects it follows in the Hitchcock tradition, most of all North by Northwest, in which Cary Grant Grant must figure out who he is, or rather who the bad guys think he is. And, like Mirage, there is a beautiful femme fatale who is on the side of the bad guys, more or less. A key part of this Hitch formula is to take a fairly normal guy and put him in James Bond's shoes, so to speak, and see how long he stays alive. This shows up again in Silver Streak.As the viewer watches this unfold, the movie lays down a challenge: How could these seemingly impossible things have happened in a way that makes sense? Behind it all is the maguffin, the spy deus ex machina. I see some posters have complained about the weak ending, but I think the maguffin in Mirage is actually much stronger and relevant than that in North by Northwest which was nothing more than some xxxxxxx. (No, I'm not going to tell.)Every character is strongly etched, without becoming caricatures, like some more recent movies, particularly the menacing George Kennedy as Willard, and the often comedic Jack Weston as Lester. And who can forget House Jameson as the senior citizen hit man? But it is Walter Matthau who steals the show as newbie private eye with common sense and a conscience. Talk about avoiding stereotypes! He tries to give back half his fee, saying he's not worth it. This is one of Matthau's earliest major film roles, and still one of his most memorable. Another reason I love this film is the setting in Manhattan in the mid- 1960s, perhaps at its most picturesque point in recent history. I lived in a suburb, and often came into the city back then. The movie brings back the feel of the city at the time. And then there is the allusion to the great Northeast Blackout, a strange nightmarish experience that really happened.Obviously, I am trying to avoid giving away the plot, but don't worry, even after you know the ending, you will still enjoy watching the movie again. If you are lucky enough to find this on DVD, buy it because this is a rare movie, and one of those rare movies that you can watch over and over again over the years.