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The Odessa File

PG 1974 2h 8m Mystery & Thriller Drama List
69% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A Holocaust victim's diary inspires a German journalist to embark on a dangerous hunt for postwar Nazis.
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The Odessa File

Critics Reviews

View All (16) Critics Reviews
Time Out Voight's performance gives credibility to his character's obsession, but even that cannot overcome the discrepancy between the deeper themes and the routine nature of this piece of box-office action adventure. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Nora Sayre New York Times The film makes its points methodically, almost academically. Rated: 2/5 May 9, 2005 Full Review Don Druker Chicago Reader The surprises increasingly fail to surprise. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Tony Sloman Radio Times A terrific Frederick Forsyth plot and impressive production values make this thriller eminently watchable, even if veteran director Ronald Neame lets the pace drag and the length feels excessive. Rated: 3/5 Aug 8, 2024 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …does well with the tension, the authentic locations and the terse dialogue, but there’s a genuine pathos in Miller’s crossing from innocence to revulsion of the sins of the fathers… Rated: 4/5 Apr 21, 2024 Full Review Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com Above average spy adventure w/young Jon Voight. Rated: 4/5 Jun 21, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (108) audience reviews
isla s This is what I regard a subtle thriller film. Its not jam packed with fast paced scenes, explosions and the like but it does have a certain thriller aspect to it. Its ok as a mysterious, dialogue heavy story, the plot pace is alright but its not the sort of film that leaves much of an impact on me. The story is quite sobering and sad and the fact that its apparently based on (if but loosely) some facts is certainly food for thought. The main role of Peter Miller (played by Jon Voight) is played well and also present is Derek Jacobi, as Klaus Wenzer. Its a little bland in the middle but I thought the final scene was quite good, worth the wait. Its thoughtful stuff (one key quote worth mentioning being 'Peoples are not evil - only individuals are evil') and there are some twists present but I won't elaborate anymore. Overall I'd say this is worth a watch, yes. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Its a slow burner investigation, but it has a great final confrontation. Well worth a watch, it has aged well. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Frederick Forsyth has written a number of pulpy thrillers from the 1970s onwards with a number of them being turned into movies. Most notably with the superbly tense "The Day of the Jackal" and while "The Odessa File" doesn't quite match up to comparison with that movie, it is a great thriller from that era. John Voight stars as a journalist who becomes involved in uncovering a network of former Nazis hiding in post war West Germany. It is very of its era and so appears somewhat dated and slow in places to the modern viewer but what I love is the gritty, grimy look of the setting. I think we tend to forget just how grim parts of Europe were at this time and, certainly in my household, observations of Hamburg in the 1960s sparked a number of conversations and comparisons with modern times. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review steve d Entertaining but forgettable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review paul d Taught, effective spy thriller with some deeper themes at work. The movie has a genuine, convincing look and feel. Excellent performance by Jon Voight. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Slow burn but worth the wait. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Odessa File

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Holocaust victim's diary inspires a German journalist to embark on a dangerous hunt for postwar Nazis.
Director
Ronald Neame
Producer
John Woolf
Screenwriter
Frederick Forsyth, Kenneth Ross, George Markstein
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2010
Runtime
2h 8m
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