User Reviews

Had it not been for some strong language, I would have tapped "The Salzburg Connection" as a TV movie, but apparently, it had a theatrical release. Based on the book by Helen MacInnes, the film stars Barry Newman, Anna Karina, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Karen Jensen, and Whit Bissell.

Newman plays attorney Bill Mathison, who goes to Salzburg to investigate a publishing contract for Richard Brandt, a man photographing Austrian lakes. When he arrives at the man's photo shop, he meets the Brandt's wife (Karina) and her brother Johann (Brandauer).

Shortly thereafter, he learns Brandt is dead as is one of Mathison's European contacts. Apparently agents are searching for a chest buried by the Nazis and believed to be in Brandt's possession. It contains the names of Nazi collaborators who can be called upon for neo-Nazi activities. All the countries want it for one reason or another -- the Americans want to know if any of these people have important jobs in the U.S.

I remember reading this book and liking it, but I am unclear if I saw this film. The Austrian scenery is glorious, but since this is a Twentieth Century Fox film, I can't believe they filmed in Salzburg without any visual references to Salzburg's major tourist attraction - The Sound of Music tour. Not to mention The Sound of Music postcards and other paraphernalia.

The film version is slow and boring, and I couldn't get attached to the characters or their plight.

Barry Newman made his name at just the right time, when the antihero types like Pacino were coming to fame, but his career never took off. He always had an air of overconfident playboy about him, but he was certainly popular, and he is still working. He's okay in this. Everyone is okay.

I'd say the scenery is the star.

The Salzburg Connection is based on a novel by Helen MacInnes, and is a rather unoriginal spy thriller with the usual ingredients that characterise practically all early '70s movies within the genre: a convoluted plot, double-crosses, triple-crosses, characters with secrets, and attractive European settings. Barry Newman is actually rather good in the leading role, and is nicely supported by Anna Karina.

American lawyer William Mathison (Barry Newman) is vacationing in Switzerland when he is asked by an American publishing firm to go to Salzburg, Austria, to contact a photographer who has written a book about Austrian lakes. Mathison immediately realises that something is amiss when he reaches the photographer's small Salzburg shop and finds the photographer missing, and his anxious wife Anna Bryant (Anna Karina) being protected with near-claustrophobic zeal by her brother Johann (Klaus Maria Brandeur). Johann initially suspects that Mathison is a secret agent and refuses to give him any information. Gradually, though, Mathison realises that Anna's husband has been murdered, having found a chest in an Austrian lake containing a list of Nazi collaborators from WWII. Agents from all over the world, including Russia, Israel, Germany, Austria and America, want to get hold of the chest. Mathison finds himself playing a delicate game of cat-and-mouse, in which he can trust virtually no-one, such as KGB sex-pot Elisa Lang (Karen Jensen) who attempts to seduce him by posing as a free-wheeling American tourist, and elderly Austrian Felix Zauner (Wolfgang Preiss), whose name is on the list because he collaborated with the Nazis during the war in order to save the life of his wife.

The film could've been pretty good, but it misses rather too many opportunities. Newman and Karina, as I've already said, are quite good, and Jensen as the KGB lady-spy also registers well. Furthermore, the locations are pleasing to the eye. But other than these scant positives, the film is a somewhat poor affair. Lee H. Katzin directs sloppily, far too frequently punctuating his movie with gimmicky editing techniques such as meaningless freeze-frames and unnecessary slow motion sequences. Katzin also ruins several key scenes by failing to make it clear quite what's going on (e.g. the finale, in which Newman and Preiss approach an abandoned gunnery post on a mountainside, is terribly rushed and seems to make little sense). At a mere 93 minutes, the film tries to cram in a heck of a lot of plotting and counter-plotting, yet too many of the characters are so hurriedly introduced that it's hard to remember who they are or what agency they work for. One scene that I DID like, however, involved Karina being kidnapped by spies and whisked away in their car. Newman - a veteran of earlier car chase movies - takes a shortcut in his own car and manages to get in front of the baddies. In a clever twist on the traditional concept of a car chase, he slows down their getaway by driving so SLOWLY that the police eventually turn up to find out who's holding up the traffic! A rare ingenious moment in an otherwise dull potboiler.

I had very high expectations from this production. The presence of the super beautiful Anna Karina, of the charming Barry Newman from the spectacular "Vanishing Point" and "Fear Is the Key", then Wolfgang Preiss from the exceptional Mabuse series, the presence of Miss California Karen Jensen, Nazi mysteries and Salzburg as the place of action... But, everything was revealed from the first minutes and continued until the end: a total failure! A story no one believes in. If the Nazis had made a list of those who collaborated with them, they certainly would not have been in a metal box at the bottom of a mountain lake in a tourist area of Austria. And Klaus Maria Brandauer is false and the same in all his films.

When they can't locate a photographer who was documenting lake scenes in austria, his sister, the brother in law, and a lawyer sent to speak with him start to be concerned. And why are there people following the lawyer (Barry Newman)? And how are the photographer's sister and brother in law involved in what's going on ? And is the lawyer really a lawyer? We're forty minutes in, and all we know is the photographer is dead. The brother has found a box with "something" in it, and "someone" is willing to pay a lot for the contents. And others may pay even more. Some fun foreign filming locations - were they really filmed in salzburg and vienna? This one is either a bit dated, or maybe too far from the subject matter for us to care..? It goes so slowly, and we don't really care about the characters. The story is solid enough, but not exciting. Directed by Lee Katzin. Had a couple big movies, and whole lot of television. Novel by Helen McInnes. Her biggest novel/film was probably Above Suspicion, with Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray.

A film set in Austria about Nazi's starring Barry Newman (Petrocelli) as a lawyer and the beautiful Anna Karina whose husband has been murdered, this should have been a winner. Alas not quite, not awful by any means, it just lacks that vital spark.

Salzburg looks lovely as well, Newman is excellent as Mathison, as is Karen Jensen as Elissa Lang who is keeping an eye on Mathisons comings and goings. Espionage at its most convuleted as a lot of the characters we don't know where there allegiances lie, even the Americans.. Hopefully at the end when we see Mathison and Anna drive into the distance they have a happy life.

This film begins with a diver by the name of "Richard Bryant" (Patrick Jordan) finding a metal box at the bottom of a lake in a remote part of Austria which contains a list of former Nazi agents and informants which several countries realize could be of great value to them. To that extent, an American lawyer named "William Mathison" (Barry Newman) just happens to be on vacation near there and is told to investigate the details of a contract Richard Bryant had recently signed. However, it soon becomes clear to him that something isn't quite right and his suspicions are proven correct when he learns that Richard-and several people somehow involved with him-have recently been murdered. Not only that but it appears that Richard's wife "Anna Bryant" (Anna Karina) and her brother "Johann Kronsteiner" (Klaus Maria Brandauer) are also in danger as well. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay spy-drama which definitely benefited from the European scenery as it provided a good Cold War atmosphere. Likewise, having two attractive actresses like "Karen Jensen" (as Elissa Lang) and the aforementioned Anna Karina certainly didn't hurt in that regard either. One slight drawback, however, involved the "made-for-television" format which typically limits certain aspects of a film-and this picture was no exception. Be that as it may, I still found it to be worth the time spent to watch and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Tedious, completely incomprehensible spy mishmash gives the strong impression that it was made up on the spot simply to utilize some Salzburg locations that cast & crew had access to. Anna Karina is totally wasted in a drab role; the blonde knockout Karen Jensen fares considerably better - in fact, she is the ONLY virtue of this movie. Oh wait, there is also a good (if brief) car chase. *1/2 out of 4.

You can jump in and out and see what someone thinks a spy movie should look like. TV movie score for sure. I almost anticipated commercials. Don't try to follow any story line; just enjoy how the actors do what they are told to do. You can hear the director coaching, while looking at his watch. Can only imagine what went on in editing.

But it is fun to look at!

Just what vacation was Barry on anyway? He must be some lawyer back home - a Bond/Flint type practicing law?

Lawyer picks up college grad and immediately invite her to his room; poor innocent American! He's in for a surprise for sure.

Anna Bryant is a joy, as she tries hard to carry the role. Barry keeps up, and along with Karen Jensen make it viewable.

One last thought: is not Walt Bissell always great?!!

I read the book over the Christmas holiday 1971. I have to say that I did not like the movie when it came out. Characters and story items were changed and just made things confusing. I had to go back and read the book to see if it was the same. If you have a couple of hours read the book, if you can watch the movie. Just don't bother with both.

Barry Newman should have his name removed from the credits while still alive. Low budget full-frame TV-movie vibe with a script that made little go no sense. Even the ending leaves you asking "WTF!? " Utter complete waste of talent and your time viewing this mess. I wish I'd taken advice in previous reviews here, but I like Barry and he had such little movie work for some odd reason. This is no Vanishing Point or Petrocelli. It's a 2nd grader effort at a Botticelli. Terribly awful film. 3.5 stars for Barry, Klaus, a few stunts and 'some' scenery. A total stinker.

Barry Newman is "Bill", a lawyer for a publishing company who travels to Salzburg to talk to a photographer who is working on a book about the local lakes. When he stops by the man's studio, he discovers from his wife "Anna" (Anna Karina) that the man has recently died - and that she and "Johann" (Klaus Maria Brandauer) suspect foul play. When Brandauer discovers a metal box in the water, he secretes it away in a remote house; hopefully safe from those who will stop at nothing to obtain it's contents. What now follows is a series of perilous escapades as Newman tries to stay alive long enough to get to the bottom of this mystery. This film might have been better had the star had a bit more of a presence, but as it is he is little better than a jobbing television actor who brings little gravitas or style to the role. Brandauer isn't much better, with a supporting cast of mediocre acting talent that rather drags this post-war thriller into the doldrums and leaves it there.