Directed by:
Edward DmytrykScreenplay:
Peter StoneCinematography:
Joseph MacDonaldComposer:
Quincy JonesCast:
Gregory Peck, Diane Baker, Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, Leif Erickson, Walter Abel, George Kennedy, Robert H. Harris, Anne Seymour (more)Plots(1)
As New York City's Unidyne Building is thrown into darkness, peace worker Charles Calvin falls from his 27th-floor window. David Stillwell descends the long stairway that leads to street level, but he soon realizes that he cannot remember people he meets, among them Shela, who apparently know him. When he returns to the building, he finds that there are no stairs and that offices he has remembered do not exist. Going to his own apartment, he meets Lester, a gunman who wants to take him to "the Major." David knocks Lester unconscious, then goes to the police, but his story is not believed because he cannot remember where or when he was born. He goes to psychiatrist Dr. Broden, who refuses to help him for fear of becoming involved with the police. Detective Ted Caselle takes on the challenge but is quickly murdered in his office. Threatened now by two gunmen, David returns to Dr. Broden, and together they deduce that he is a physiochemist and that he lost his memory when he saw his best friend, Calvin, fall to his death. Now it is recalled that David had discovered the secret of neutralizing radioactivity at its source, that he had taken his discovery to Calvin, and that then he had attempted to destroy the formula when it became apparent that Calvin, for mercenary gain, wanted to pass it on to his business associate, Major Crawford. Trying to prevent the burning of the formula, Calvin fell to his death. Now recalling everything, David returns to the Unidyne Building and comes face to face with Crawford. Intent on obtaining the formula, Crawford threatens David, but Shela comes to his rescue. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
Overwrought, implausible, boring, and unintentionally funny to the point of parody at the end. Definitely the worst movie with Gregory Peck I've ever seen, and a pretty lame attempt at spectacle à la Alfred Hitchcock. So as not only to bash it, though, the opening was quite interesting and the shot of the falling man plus the cut to the squashed watermelon was really good. ()
The first half an hour looks very promising and will probably intrigue you in anticipation of a dark conspiracy thriller. However, as the minutes go by and Edward Dmytryk reveals more than necessary, and especially when it takes a naive direction, you realize that you will only give it stars for the presence of the legendary Gregory Peck and out of politeness. Although the film was made in the mid-60s, it feels like it's at least 15 years older. The ponderousness and naivety of the villains are sometimes even amusing. There is no reason to waste time with Mirage today and pay too much attention to it. Overall impression: 45%. ()
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Photo © Universal Pictures
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