Opened: July 14, 1966

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy, Tamara Toumanova, Wolfgang Kieling, Ludwig Donath, Günter Strack, David Opatoshu, Gisela Fischer, Mort Mills, Carolyn Conwell, Arthur Gould-Porter & Gloria Gorvin

Despite its stellar director and easily alluring leads, Torn Curtain is a bit of a disaster for all involved.

Professor Michael Armstrong (Paul Newman) is traveling to Copenhagen with his assistant and fiancée Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews). After he tells her that he’s going to Stockholm, she finds out he’s flying to East Berlin behind the Iron Curtain. To her, it seems he is becoming a traitor to the United States.

Newman and Andrews have little chemistry together, which makes for an unenduring love story. While Newman gets his time to shine onscreen, it’s as if Hitchcock does everything in his power to give Andrews as little action as possible.

The story is very disjointed. New characters are constantly being introduced and by the end you’re just as exhausted as Michael and Sarah are.

Final say: Keep the curtain down. ★☆☆☆☆