Le Silencieux

Lino Ventura, like Robert Mitchum, has held together more than one movie by his presence alone, and almost does so here. He plays a French nuclear scientist, kidnapped by the Russians some 16 years earlier, forced to defect back by the British, who offer him 'freedom' in exchange for names. With the KGB after his blood, the film develops into a watchable chase thriller, best when reminiscent of Hitchcock: escapes from hotels, a killing on a train, and a climax involving a Russian orchestral conductor, the key to Ventura's real freedom. A bit too glossy, and the English dubbed version is appalling.