IMDb RATING
6.0/10
3.5K
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A government agent recovering from a nervous breakdown deciphers a death threat written in ancient Hebrew.A government agent recovering from a nervous breakdown deciphers a death threat written in ancient Hebrew.A government agent recovering from a nervous breakdown deciphers a death threat written in ancient Hebrew.
Gary Goetzman
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- (as Gary Getzman)
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMiklós Rózsa score for this film was composed in the style of Bernard Herrmann who worked regularly with thriller director Alfred Hitchcock. This film's composer Rózsa had worked with Hitchcock himself once, on Spellbound (1945).
- GoofsIn the scene in the synagogue, Harry appears to be going through a register book when he finds his grandfather's name. Actually, he's reading a tractate of the Talmud, which is entirely in Aramaica and Hebrew - and he's holding it upside down.
- Quotes
Sam Urdell: [to Harry when part of the old facade of the building is crow-barred off] This was the prime whorehouse of the East Side. A moment of reverence, please: fifty years ago, this was the very place I lost my cherry.
Featured review
Enjoyable mystery movie involves a guilt-ridden agent , and her new friend who attempt to locate a strange murderer who leaves Jewish signals ; as it begins with an ancient warning and it ends at the edge of Niagara Falls . A feverish thriller in the Hitch style containing several iconographic elements and dealing with an ex-secret serviceman called Harry Hannan (a tremendous Roy Scheider) and his wife being attacked by hoodlums (Joe Spinell) when they find on holiday . The government agent barely recovered from nervous breakdown after seeing his spouse shot by bullets and he then becomes involved into a criminal intrigue . As someone attempts to push him under a train , other people pursues to him . Later on , he receives a mysterious death threat in Aramean language . There happens five murders , Harry must solve the or die trying . Meanwhile , an anthropologist (a non box-office actress named Janet Margolin , here excellent , though sadly died a bit later on) unintentionally shares Scheider's flat . Scheider has his old colleagues (Christopher Walken) and his brother-in-law (Demme frequently casts Charles Napier) out to get him .
Entertaining mystery movie packs thrills , action , suspense , pounding soundtrack and breathtaking outdoors from Niagara . This agreeable picture has a number of elements and iconography from Alfred Hitchcock : vertiginous heights , innocent men wrongfully accused , gorgeous bombshells , voyeurism , long non-dialogue sequences , among others . Demme's tribute to Hitch includes various street scenes from ¨Marnie¨ , the bell-tower from ¨Vertigo¨ and the final climax straight from ¨Saboteur¨ transferred from the Statue of Liberty to Niagara Falls . Furthermore , ¨Niagara¨ by Henry Hathaway , in which there is also a Femme Fatale played by Marilyn Monroe who spells a deranged man performed by Joseph Cotten and of course the breathtaking Niagara Falls with people fighting next to viewpoint similarly to ¨The last embrace¨. However , the film achieved limited success and in some countries was shunned by its distributors . Good acting by Roy Scheider as a secret agent becomes involved in a deep nightmare and Janet Margolin as a strange woman who has taken possession of his flat . Ample support cast formed by notorious secondaries such as John Glover , Sam Levene , David Margulies , Jacqueline Brookes , and Charles Napier . And brief acting from Christopher Walken , Max Wright and Mandy Patinkin . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Tak Fujimoto ; director Demme frequently uses Tak Fujimoto as his director of photography . Thrilling and intriguing musical score by the classic Miklos Rozsa in Bernard Herrmann style . The motion picture was well directed by Jonathan Demme who was voted the 45th Greatest Director of all time . Here includes his ordinary touches such as characters looking directly into the camera and heavy use of steadicam interspersed with shots of hand-held shots .
Entertaining mystery movie packs thrills , action , suspense , pounding soundtrack and breathtaking outdoors from Niagara . This agreeable picture has a number of elements and iconography from Alfred Hitchcock : vertiginous heights , innocent men wrongfully accused , gorgeous bombshells , voyeurism , long non-dialogue sequences , among others . Demme's tribute to Hitch includes various street scenes from ¨Marnie¨ , the bell-tower from ¨Vertigo¨ and the final climax straight from ¨Saboteur¨ transferred from the Statue of Liberty to Niagara Falls . Furthermore , ¨Niagara¨ by Henry Hathaway , in which there is also a Femme Fatale played by Marilyn Monroe who spells a deranged man performed by Joseph Cotten and of course the breathtaking Niagara Falls with people fighting next to viewpoint similarly to ¨The last embrace¨. However , the film achieved limited success and in some countries was shunned by its distributors . Good acting by Roy Scheider as a secret agent becomes involved in a deep nightmare and Janet Margolin as a strange woman who has taken possession of his flat . Ample support cast formed by notorious secondaries such as John Glover , Sam Levene , David Margulies , Jacqueline Brookes , and Charles Napier . And brief acting from Christopher Walken , Max Wright and Mandy Patinkin . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Tak Fujimoto ; director Demme frequently uses Tak Fujimoto as his director of photography . Thrilling and intriguing musical score by the classic Miklos Rozsa in Bernard Herrmann style . The motion picture was well directed by Jonathan Demme who was voted the 45th Greatest Director of all time . Here includes his ordinary touches such as characters looking directly into the camera and heavy use of steadicam interspersed with shots of hand-held shots .
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
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- Also known as
- The Last Embrace
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,537,125
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $376,896
- May 6, 1979
- Gross worldwide
- $1,537,125
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