The MacKintosh Man *** (1973, Paul Newman, Dominique Sanda, James Mason, Ian Bannen, Nigel Patrick, Michael Hordern, Peter Vaughan, Harry Andrews) – Classic Movie Review 6,037

Paul Newman stars as an undercover government agent hired to trap a spying British Member of Parliament (James Mason), in director John Huston’s quick-paced 1973 Cold War spy thriller film The MacKintosh Man.

Paul Newman stars as Joseph Rearden, an undercover government agent hired to trap a spying British Member of Parliament, in director John Huston’s quick-paced 1973 Cold War spy thriller The MacKintosh Man, based on Desmond Bagley’s bestseller The Freedom Trap.

James Mason co-stars as the Tory MP Sir George Wheeler, with Ian Bannen as a spy for the Russians called Slade, Dominique Sanda as Mrs Smith, Nigel Patrick as Soames-Trevelyan, Michael Hordern as Brown, Peter Vaughan, as Brunskill and Roland Culver as the Judge.

Newman’s Rearden character has to go undercover and be locked up for robbery in jail, where he links with a master-spy and escapes, first to Ireland, and then on to Malta.

The spy game ground has been covered many times before – and often with more flair. But the vintage cast keeps you glued watching, and this complex, action-packed thriller is always efficient and watchable, with plenty of twists and intrigue. It ends up entertaining enough but a bit middling considering all the special talent involved.

Harry Andrews plays the MacKintosh man, the head of Rearden’s British Intelligence organisation.

Also in the cast are Percy Herbert, Robert Lang, Jenny Runacre, John Bindon, Hugh Manning, Wolfe Morris, Noel Purcell, Donald Webster, Keith Bell, Niall MacGinnis, Eddie Byrne, Shane Briant, Michael Poole, Eric Mason, Ronald Clarke, Antony Viccars, Dinny Powell, Douglas Robinson, Terence Plummer, Donal McCann, Joe Lynch, and Leo Genn.

Huston said it was ‘a spy thriller with some amusing moments’, similar to his 1970 film The Kremlin Letter.

Desmond Bagley’s 1971 novel The Freedom Trap is loosely based on the real-life exposure and defection of George Blake, a Soviet mole in MI6.

Walter Hill said: ‘I wrote a quick script which I was not particularly enamored with myself’ and ‘much to my shock and surprise’ Paul Newman agreed to star and John Huston wanted to direct, with Newman’s producing partner John Foreman producing. Hill then worked on the script with Huston, who was ill. Hill had sole screen credit, but he says: ‘I wrote 90 per cent of the first half and various people wrote the rest. I didn’t think it was a very good film.’ Allegedly, the script was not still not finished two weeks into the shoot.

It was released on 25 July 1973 in the US and 9 November 1973 in the UK. Box office was less than spectacular at $1,500,000 in US/ Canada cinema rentals.

The film was shot in England, Republic of Ireland and Malta. The scene where Slade and Rearden escape from prison was inspired by George Blake’s escape from Wormwood Scrubs in 1966. The jail scenes were filmed at Liverpool Prison (which looks similar to Wormwood Scrubbs) and Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland. The house where Slade and Rearden stay after their escape is Ardfry house, Oranmore, county Galway, Ireland, an abandoned castle. The scene in which Rearden realises that Slade is on board Wheeler’s yacht was shot at Roundstone, County Galway, Ireland.

The MacKintosh Man is directed by John Huston, runs 99 minutes, is made by Newman-Foreman Company, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Walter Hill and William Fairchild (uncredited), shot by Oswald Morris, produced by Paul Newman (executive producer uncredited), John Foreman, John Huston (uncredited) and William Hill (associate producer), scored by Maurice Jarre and designed by Terry Marsh.

The cast are Paul Newman as Joseph Rearden, Dominique Sanda as Mrs Smith, James Mason as Sir George Wheeler MP, Harry Andrews as Mackintosh, Ian Bannen as Slade, Michael Hordern as Brown, Nigel Patrick as Soames-Trevelyan, Peter Vaughan as Inspector Brunskill, Roland Culver as The Judge, Percy Herbert as Taafe, Robert Lang as Jack Summers, Leo Genn as Rollins, Jenny Runacre as Gerda, John Bindon as Buster, Hugh Manning as The Prosecutor, Wolfe Morris as Malta Police Commissioner, Noel Purcell as O’Donovan, Donald Webster as Jervis, Keith Bell as Palmer, Niall MacGinnis as Warder, Eddie Byrne as Fisherman, Shane Briant as Cox, Michael Poole as Mr Boyd, Eric Mason as The Postman, Ronald Clarke as Attendant, Antony Viccars as Salesman, Dinny Powell as Young, Douglas Robinson as Danahoe, Jack Cooper as 1st Motor Cyclist, Marc Boyle as 2nd Motor Cyclist, Marcelle Castillo as Madeleine, Nosher Powell as Armed Guard, Terry Plummer as Dark Man, Joe Cahill as 1st Guard, Gerry Alexander as 2nd Guard, John McDarby as Old Man at Bus Stop, Donal McCann as 1st Fireman, Joe Lynch as 1st Garda, Seamus Healy as Countryman in Pub, Tom Irwin as 2nd Fireman, Pascal Perry as 2nd Garda, Steve Brennan as Pub Customer, Vernon Hayden as Pub Customer, and Brendon O’Duill as Pub Customer.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,037

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