The Prize (1963) coming from WAC

[Akijama]

THE PRIZE (1963)
NEW 2019 1080p HD MASTER
Run Time 135:00
Subtitles English SDH
Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, 16 X 9 LETTERBOX
Product Color COLOR
Disc Configuration BD 50
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Top writers, scientists and leaders converge annually on Stockholm to take part in the awarding of the prestigious Nobel Prizes. This year, however, some honorees will find the great event eclipsed by a greater challenge: staying alive. Paul Newman is up to his famed baby blues in danger and intrigue as Andrew Craig, a hard-drinking author and Nobel winner for literature. At first dismissive of the award and only interested in the cash it brings, Craig finds his writerly instincts and wit sharpened when he senses the physics prize winner (Edward G. Robinson) is an impostor. He sets out to expose the hoax, free-falling into a Cold War ploy of secrets, pursuits, subterfuge and assassins adapted for the screen (from Irving Wallace’s best seller) with spice and wit by Ernest Lehman (North by Northwest, Sweet Smell of Success).

[RCRochester]

Considering the talent involved, I was very disappointed by this film. I found it to be a bit of a bore. Glad to see it being released though. With lowered expectations I may give it another chance.

[atfree]

Originally Posted by Akijama

THE PRIZE (1963)
NEW 2019 1080p HD MASTER
Run Time 135:00
Subtitles English SDH
Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, 16 X 9 LETTERBOX
Product Color COLOR
Disc Configuration BD 50
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Top writers, scientists and leaders converge annually on Stockholm to take part in the awarding of the prestigious Nobel Prizes. This year, however, some honorees will find the great event eclipsed by a greater challenge: staying alive. Paul Newman is up to his famed baby blues in danger and intrigue as Andrew Craig, a hard-drinking author and Nobel winner for literature. At first dismissive of the award and only interested in the cash it brings, Craig finds his writerly instincts and wit sharpened when he senses the physics prize winner (Edward G. Robinson) is an impostor. He sets out to expose the hoax, free-falling into a Cold War ploy of secrets, pursuits, subterfuge and assassins adapted for the screen (from Irving Wallace’s best seller) with spice and wit by Ernest Lehman (North by Northwest, Sweet Smell of Success).

A guilty pleasure for sure. Faux Hitchcock but moves along at a great pace and Elke Sommer is easy on the eyes. The blu-ray should look fantastic as the remastered DVD is outstanding.

[Monterey Jack]

Movie was only okay, but a terrific early Jerry Goldsmith score.

[Wireduck1]

Been hoping for this Hitchcock wannabe thriller to be released for sooo long. Finally.

[Reddington]

Just pre-orderd as a blind buy. I know it is not universally praised, but the Cold War + Lehman + Newman + Sommer () + Goldsmith + 'Scope sounds like my cup of tea.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Just pre-orderd as a blind buy. I know it is not universally praised, but the Cold War + Lehman + Newman + Sommer () + Goldsmith + 'Scope sounds like my cup of tea.

Yeah, that's what I thought too.

But, again, I'm willing to give it another chance.

[Reddington]

My copy finally arrived and I watched it tonight. A bit of an oddball, if I'm honest. Not very good, but I really quite enjoyed it; perhaps I'm just glad that films like this exist for me to discover in 2019.

Despite the backdrop of the "serious" business of the Nobel awards, it's a lightweight caper with Hitchcockian pretensions that don't quite come off - especially the bizarre

[Show spoiler]nudist meeting sequence, which is so obviously a second-rate riff on the auction scene in North By Northwest

. Like a number of Hitchcock films, back projection is inexplicably used for certain location scenes, and the effect is quite jarring. And for a film set entirely in Stockholm, the cinematography is somewhat pedestrian, and never really captures the "grandeur" that should make a film shot in CinemaScope in an older European city visually interesting and appealing to the eye.

In many respects, Newman is the weakest link, as he can't quite pull off the comedic touches that Cary Grant would have found effortless - like the romantic badinage with the gorgeous-as-always Elke Sommer. But he exudes a certain amount of indifferent charm, as befits his character, and is pretty convincing in the action sequences. The supporting cast is uniformly good, as is the score.

Not a huge amount of replay value, but I'll watch it again and no regrets in picking it up.

[easydreamer]

Originally Posted by Reddington

My copy finally arrived and I watched it tonight. A bit of an oddball, if I'm honest. Not very good, but I really quite enjoyed it; perhaps I'm just glad that films like this exist for me to discover in 2019.

What matters most is NOT whether the film is good, but whether you enjoyed it. In that sense, it is a good film for you

I like this film, too, and enjoyed it quite a lot when I first saw it a few months ago at FilmStruck. Will definitely be getting it in the next Amazon order.