The Parallax View

Last updated
The Parallax View
Parallax View movie poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Alan J. Pakula
Screenplay by David Giler
Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Based onThe Parallax View
by Loren Singer
Produced byAlan J. Pakula
Starring
Cinematography Gordon Willis
Edited byJohn W. Wheeler
Music by Michael Small
Production
companies
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • June 14, 1974 (1974-06-14)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Parallax View is a 1974 American political thriller film starring Warren Beatty, with Hume Cronyn, William Daniels and Paula Prentiss in support. Produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula, its screenplay is by David Giler and Lorenzo Semple Jr., based on the 1970 novel by Loren Singer. [1] The story concerns a reporter's investigation into a secretive organization, the Parallax Corporation, whose business is political assassination.

Contents

Plot

TV journalist Lee Carter witnesses the assassination of U.S. senator and presidential aspirant Charles Carroll atop the Seattle Space Needle. The apparent shooter, a waiter, is chased, but falls to his death, while the actual killer, disguised as a waiter, vanishes in the chaos. An investigation by an official panel attributes the killing to a single man who acted alone.

Three years later, Carter visits ex-boyfriend Joe Frady, an investigative newspaper reporter in Oregon. She tells him that six witnesses to the assassination have since died and she fears she will be next. Soon after, Carter is found dead of a suspected drug overdose.

Feeling guilty about disregarding Carter's pleas and suspicious of her sudden death, Frady goes to the nearby small town of Salmontail to probe the drowning death of Judge Arthur Bridges, another witness to Carroll's assassination. The local sheriff, Wicker, offers Frady his assistance and escorts him to the dam where Bridges met his fate to investigate. As its floodgates open, Wicker pulls his gun on Frady.

After a desperate struggle in which the sheriff drowns, Frady escapes in the sheriff's squad car and races to the sheriff's home. There, he uncovers documents from the Parallax Corporation, an organization recruiting "security" operatives. Later, Frady contacts a local psychology professor, Nelson Schwartzkopf, who assesses a Parallax personality test taken from Wicker's desk. He deems it a profiling exam to identify homicidal psychopaths.

Austin Tucker, an aide to Carroll and witness to his assassination, agrees to meet Frady. He reveals there have been two attempts on his life since Carroll's murder. Shortly after, a bomb goes off on his sailboat, killing Tucker and his bodyguard. Frady is also presumed dead by the authorities, but swims ashore and tells his editor, Bill Rintels, he will use his apparent death as cover for applying to Parallax under an alias.

Days later, Parallax official Jack Younger contacts Frady to tell him Parallax has accepted him for training. On his first visit to its Los Angeles headquarters, the corporation measures Frady's reactions as he watches a montage of disturbingly edited still pictures that juxtapose pro- and anti-American attitudes. After leaving the offices, Frady trails a Parallax operative to Hollywood Burbank Airport, where the man sends a bomb aboard a passenger jet in the checked baggage.

Frady boards the plane and spots a United States senator who, like the ill-fated Carroll, is now considering running for president. Frady secretly passes a note to a flight attendant about the bomb, and the jet returns safely to the airport and is evacuated just before it explodes.

Back at his apartment, Frady is confronted by Younger about his fake alias, but mollifies him with a pre-planned cover story. Later, at the newspaper office, Rintels listens to a recording of the conversation between Frady and Younger. He then places it in an envelope with other recordings. That evening, he is poisoned by the same Parallax assassin, disguised as deli delivery boy dropping off dinner, and the recordings vanish.

Frady flies out to the Parallax headquarters in Atlanta, where he has been assigned to a security position, and follows the same Parallax operative to a huge nearby exhibit hall, where a dress rehearsal is being held for a political rally for another presidential aspirant, Senator George Hammond. Frady chases the operative and watches from the hall's catwalks as Hammond drives toward the exit in a golf cart and is fatally shot by an unseen sniper.

Frady is spotted on the catwalk and falsely identified as the shooter. Realizing too late he has been set up as a patsy, he attempts to flee, but is killed by Parallax security men. Six months later, another official investigative committee reports that Frady was a paranoid lone gunman who killed Hammond out of a misguided sense of patriotism.

Cast

Warren Beatty portrayed the protagonist Joseph Frady. Warren Beatty Photoplay, 1961.jpg
Warren Beatty portrayed the protagonist Joseph Frady.

Production

Development

The film is based on a novel by Loren Singer. The novel followed witnesses of John F. Kennedy's assassination who were subsequently killed, but in the screenplay they see an assassination more like that of Robert F. Kennedy. [2] Robert Towne did an uncredited rewrite of the screenplay. [3]

The Gorge Dam was used as a filming location Gorge Dam (36251748603).jpg
The Gorge Dam was used as a filming location

[ citation needed ]

Cinematography

Frady is often filmed from great distances, suggesting that he is being watched. [2]

Montage

Most of the images used in the assassin training montage were of anonymous figures or important historical figures, featuring among others Richard Nixon, Adolf Hitler, Pope John XXIII, and Lee Harvey Oswald (in the picture taken moments after his shooting). The montage also uses drawings by Jack Kirby from Marvel Comics' Thor . It juxtaposes the concepts of LOVE, MOTHER, FATHER, HOME, ENEMY, HAPPINESS, and ME. The montage "captures the confusion of post-Kennedy America" by demonstrating the decay of values and longstanding traditions. [4] It has been compared to the brainwashing scene in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange . [5] [4]

Critical reception

At the time of its release, The Parallax View received mixed reactions from critics, but the film's reception has been more positive in recent years. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 86% based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's critics consensus says, "The Parallax View blends deft direction from Alan J. Pakula and a charismatic Warren Beatty performance to create a paranoid political thriller that stands with the genre's best." [6] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [7]

Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars upon its release. While Beatty offered a good performance in an effective if predictable thriller, Ebert said the actor was not called upon to exercise his full talents. Ebert also noted similarities to the 1973 film Executive Action , but said Parallax was "a better use of similar material, however, because it tries to entertain instead of staying behind to argue." [8] In his review for The New York Times , Vincent Canby wrote, "Neither Mr. Pakula nor his screenwriters, David Giler and Lorenzo Semple, Jr., display the wit that Alfred Hitchcock might have used to give the tale importance transcending immediate plausibility. The moviemakers have, instead, treated their central idea so soberly that they sabotage credulity." [9] Joseph Kanon of The Atlantic found the film's subject pertinent: "what gives the movie its real force is the way its menace keeps absorbing material from contemporary life." [10]

Time magazine's Richard Schickel wrote, "We would probably be better off rethinking—or better yet, not thinking about—the whole dismal business, if only to put an end to ugly and dramatically unsatisfying products like The Parallax View." [11]

In 2006, Entertainment Weekly critic Chris Nashawaty wrote, "The Parallax View is a mother of a thriller... and Beatty, always an underrated actor thanks (or no thanks) to his off-screen rep as a Hollywood lothario, gives a hell of a performance in a career that's been full of them." [12]

Alexander Kaplan at Film Score Monthly wrote, "Beatty brought his relaxed, low-key charm[,] making his character’s fate even more shocking, while the supporting cast provided ... memorable performances, including Paula Prentiss’s heartbreakingly terrified reporter[.] ... Pakula observed that Frady 'imagines the most bizarre kind of plots, (but) is destroyed by a truth worse than anything he could have imagined.' The film’s ending ... suggests that Parallax may have been onto Frady the whole time, another subversion of his heroic status. Even the hero’s name is unheroic, 'Joe Frady' suggesting a mocking mixture of Dragnet ’s Joe Friday and the schoolyard taunt [']fraidy cat.'" [13]

The motion picture won the Critics Award at the Avoriaz Film Festival (France) and was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture. Gordon Willis won the Award for Best Cinematography from the National Society of Film Critics (USA).

Reviewing films depicting political assassination conspiracies for The Guardian , director Alex Cox called the film the "best JFK conspiracy movie". [14] Film critic Matt Zoller Seitz has called it "a damn near perfect movie". [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>JFK</i> (film) 1991 American thriller film directed by Oliver Stone

JFK is a 1991 American epic political thriller film written and directed by Oliver Stone. The film examines the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison, who came to believe there was a conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy and that Lee Harvey Oswald was a scapegoat.

<i>Klute</i> 1971 film by Alan J. Pakula

Klute is a 1971 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed and produced by Alan J. Pakula, and starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi, Nathan George, Dorothy Tristan, Roy Scheider, and Rita Gam. Its plot follows a high-priced New York City call girl who assists a detective from Pennsylvania in solving the missing person case of a john who may be stalking her. It is the first installment of what has informally come to be known as Pakula's "paranoia trilogy", followed by The Parallax View (1974) and All the President's Men (1976), all films dealing with themes of paranoia, conspiracies, and surveillance.

<i>The Devils Own</i> 1997 American action thriller film by Alan J. Pakula

The Devil's Own is a 1997 American thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt, with Rubén Blades, Natascha McElhone, Julia Stiles, Margaret Colin, and Treat Williams in supporting roles. The plot revolves around a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (Pitt) who comes to the United States to obtain black market anti-aircraft missiles, but his plan is complicated by an Irish-American policeman (Ford), whom the IRA member has come to regard as family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan J. Pakula</span> American film director, writer, and producer (1928-1998)

Alan Jay Pakula was an American film director, writer, and producer. He was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Best Director for All the President's Men (1976), and Best Adapted Screenplay for Sophie's Choice (1982).

<i>Bulworth</i> 1998 film by Warren Beatty

Bulworth is a 1998 American political satire black comedy film co-written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Warren Beatty. It co-stars Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, and Isaiah Washington. The film follows the title character, California Senator Jay Billington Bulworth (Beatty), as he runs for re-election while trying to avoid a hired assassin. The film received generally positive reviews and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay yet narrowly failed to break even on a $30 million budget. However, Beatty was praised for tackling race, poverty, dysfunction in the health care system, and corporate control of the political agenda, with eminent legal scholar Patricia J. Williams noting the film examined "racism's intersection with America's deep, and growing, class divide."

<i>Wicker Park</i> (film) 2004 American film directed by Paul McGuigan

Wicker Park is a 2004 American romantic thriller drama film directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Diane Kruger and Matthew Lillard. It is a remake of the 1996 French film L'Appartement, which in turn is loosely based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was nominated for the Grand Prix at the Montreal World Film Festival, the city in which the film was partially filmed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paula Prentiss</span> American actress

Paula Prentiss is an American actress. She is best known for her film roles in Where the Boys Are (1960), What's New Pussycat? (1965), Catch-22 (1970), The Parallax View (1974), and The Stepford Wives (1975).

The conspiracy thriller is a subgenre of thriller fiction. The protagonists of conspiracy thrillers are often journalists or amateur investigators who find themselves pulling on a small thread which unravels a vast conspiracy that ultimately goes "all the way to the top." The complexities of historical fact are recast as a morality play in which bad people cause bad events, and good people identify and defeat them. Conspiracies are often played out as "man-in-peril" stories, or yield quest narratives similar to those found in whodunits and detective stories.

<i>Executive Action</i> (film) 1973 film by David Miller

Executive Action is a 1973 American conspiracy thriller film about the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy, written by Dalton Trumbo, Mark Lane, and Donald Freed, and directed by David Miller. It stars Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan. Miller had previously worked with Trumbo on his film Lonely Are the Brave (1962).

<i>Munich</i> (2005 film) 2005 historical film directed by Steven Spielberg

Munich is a 2005 epic historical drama film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, co-written by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth. It is based on the 1984 book Vengeance by George Jonas, an account of Mossad assassinations following the Munich massacre.

<i>All the Presidents Men</i> (film) 1976 film by Alan J. Pakula

All the President's Men is a 1976 American biographical political thriller film about the Watergate scandal that brought down the presidency of Richard Nixon. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, with a screenplay by William Goldman, it is based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the two journalists investigating the scandal for The Washington Post.

<i>Shadow Conspiracy</i> 1997 American film

Shadow Conspiracy is a 1997 American political thriller film starring Charlie Sheen, Donald Sutherland, Linda Hamilton, and Sam Waterston. It was the final film directed by George P. Cosmatos. The film was poorly received by critics. It was released on DVD in the United States in November 2003 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

<i>The Pelican Brief</i> (film) 1993 American thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 American legal thriller film based on the 1992 novel by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham. The film, which features music composed by James Horner, was the last film that featured Pakula as both writer and director before his death.

A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle, high stakes and suspense is the core of the story. The genre often forces the audiences to consider and understand the importance of politics. The stakes in these stories are immense, and the fate of a country is often in the hands of one individual. Political corruption, organized crime, terrorism, and warfare are common themes.

<i>Edge of Darkness</i> (2010 film) 2010 action thriller film

Edge of Darkness is a 2010 conspiracy action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell, written by William Monahan and Andrew Bovell, and starring Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone. A British-American co-production, it is based on the 1985 BBC television series of the same name, which was likewise directed by Campbell. This was Gibson's first screen lead since Signs (2002), and follows a detective investigating the murder of his activist daughter, while uncovering political conspiracies and cover-ups in the process. It was released on 29 January 2010. It received mixed reviews from critics, though Gibson's and Winstone's performances were praised, and grossed $81 million against its $80 million production budget which made it a box-office bomb.

Loren Adelson Singer was an American novelist, known best for his 1970 political thriller The Parallax View, which was made into a successful 1974 movie of the same name.

<i>The Double</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by Michael Brandt

The Double is a 2011 American spy film directed by Michael Brandt, written by Brandt and Derek Haas, and starring Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer and Martin Sheen. The film tells the story about a retired CIA operative working with a rookie FBI agent to solve the murder of a US senator caused by a Soviet assassin. It was released on October 28, 2011. The film garnered negative reviews from critics, and was a box office bomb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories</span> Conspiracy theories regarding the assassination of JFK

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 has spawned numerous conspiracy theories. These theories allege the involvement of the CIA, the Mafia, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro, the KGB, or some combination of these individuals and entities. Some conspiracy theories have alleged a coverup by parts of the federal government, such as the original FBI investigators, the Warren Commission, or the CIA. Former Los Angeles District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi estimated that a total of 42 groups, 82 assassins, and 214 people had been accused at one time or another in various conspiracy scenarios.

<i>Wander</i> (film) 2020 Canadian film

Wander is a 2020 American thriller film directed by April Mullen and written by Tim Doiron. It stars Tommy Lee Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Katheryn Winnick, Heather Graham, and Roger Dorman. The story focuses on two conspiracy theorists and their investigation of a murder. Wander was released in the United States on December 4, 2020.

<i>Broadcast Signal Intrusion</i> 2021 American film

Broadcast Signal Intrusion is a 2021 horror suspense film directed by Jacob Gentry. The film focuses on a man investigating the phenomenon of broadcast signal intrusions, which may be related to disappearances.

References

  1. ↑ Singer, Loren (1970), The Parallax View. New York: Dell, ISBN   1401069029
  2. 1 2 Kirshner, Jonathan (July 27, 2016). "In the Dark". Slate. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  3. ↑ Lefcourt, Peter; Shapiro, Laura (2009-02-18). The First Time I Got Paid For It: Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches. Hachette Books. ISBN   978-0-7867-4522-7. Archived from the original on 2023-01-21. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
  4. 1 2 Semley, John (November 20, 2013). "The Best Scene in the Best Conspiracy Thriller Ever". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  5. ↑ Smith, Kyle (August 14, 2020). "The Political Noir for the Age of Assassination". National Review. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  6. ↑ "The Parallax View". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  7. ↑ "The Parallax View". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  8. ↑ Ebert, Roger (June 14, 1974). "The Parallax View". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on November 12, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  9. ↑ Canby, Vincent (June 20, 1974). "The Parallax View". The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  10. ↑ Simon, Art (July 21, 2017). "In The Parallax View, Conspiracy Goes All the Way to the Top—and Beyond". Slate. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  11. ↑ Schickel, Richard (July 8, 1974). "Paranoid Thriller". Time . Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  12. ↑ Nashawaty, Chris (July 12, 2006). "The Parallax View and other great Beatty roles". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  13. ↑ "The Parallax View". Film Score Monthly . 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ Cox, Alex (November 19, 2013). "The Parallax View: a JFK conspiracy film that gets it right". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  15. ↑ @mattzollerseitz (March 8, 2013). "THE PARALLAX VIEW (1974). Dir: Alan J. Pakula. DP: Gordon Willis. A damn near perfect movie" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.