Assignment: Paris

This movie assumes we viewers have a lot of background knowledge. I guess this is a "cold war drama". It seemed, to me, like a James Bond film. Anyway, it's about reporters in Hungry being threatened by Communists. Dana Andrews is taken by the Communists, and George Sanders has to get him back.

I found myself watching lead actress Märta Torén's performance above all. The photography, direction, and performances are interesting - Ms. Torén's performance is my favorite.

My biggest criticism it that I couldn't figure out what the Communists ultimately do to Mr. Andrews. Did he have a lobotomy or something? I think the filmmakers owe it to the audience to explain; and, with more than just an offhand speculation that he'll be "okay". We're supposed to assume Mr. Andrews is going to be "okay" and character Gabor will be safe with the Communists?

I don't understand.

***** Assignment: Paris (1952) Robert Parris ~ Dana Andrews, Märta Torén, George Sanders

Dana Andrews is one-man newspaper "Race" who is transferred to the Paris office where he works for veteran "Nick" (George Sanders) whilst trying to prize his girlfriend "Jeanne" (Märta Torén) away from him. She resists but he persists and she is soon beginning to fall for his charms. Luckily for "Nick" though, a situation develops when an American citizen is sentenced to twenty years in an Hungarian prison for espionage. "Race" is sent to follow up the story and soon finds himself arrested and embroiled in a plot that involves the highest level of the Government and some secret meetings that might well annoy the Soviets. "Nick" and "Jeanne" now have to find a way of obtaining freedom for the writer and getting to the bottom of this conspiracy. This film moves along well with some engaging characterisations from Andrews, Sanders and Torén. It mixes romance and political intrigue with less emphasis on the first aspect and there's some torture and a bit of sarcasm before a denouement that smacked very much of a John Le Carré novel. I enjoyed this.

Half of the movie takes place in Paris ,like the title reads;the other half ,which was obviously NOT filmed on location takes place in Hungaria Based on a true story ,we are told ,but the script is really one-sided .A cold war thriller,it's one of the most anti-commies movie I know,this side of "the red Danube" (1949)Americans are loyal,nice,chivalrous ,full of abnegation whereas -with the exception of Gabor- the commies are sinister-looking,cruel ;to think that they would not think twice before killing an innocent child!and they ill-treat a patient in a hospital!and what they do with the tape is not fair play!and they torture you,physically or mentally!And their long fingers are everywhere ,even in our sweet Paris.However,in 1952,if my memory serves me well,some Americans were having a bad time in their own country too.

Dana Andrews does not find here one of his best parts but his talent partly saves the movie and the supporting cast follows suit.I particularly like the coded messages in the conversations or in the phone calls."The little match girl" is a good idea.

Dana Andrews has "Assignment: Paris" in this 1952 Cold War drama that also stars George Sanders and Marta Toren. Andrews is Jimmy Race, an ambitious reporter in the Paris office of the New York Herald Tribune; his boss is George Sanders. Race is assigned the espionage trial of an American captured by the Hungarians. In Budapest, Race is captured, and it's up to Sanders to try to free him.

Sanders gets help from a woman, played by Marta Toren, whose background is not explained. Audrey Totter plays a fashion editor.

All the performances are good, but the revelation is Toren, whom I'd never seen before. She was remarkably beautiful and a fine actress. Unfortunately she died very young, which is a terrible tragedy. She never makes the list of most beautiful, and she should. I suppose not that many people are familiar with her.

Sanders carries the film in the workhorse role, and an unusual one for him as he's a good guy. The film is done in more of a documentary style with a dynamic conclusion, though some plot points are up in the air.

Definitely worth seeing for the stunning Toren.

A cold war insight that is fairly realistic and gives a very clear picture of the state of Europe, especially Hungary, during the last years of Stalin. It is especially relevant today as Putin tries to exonerate him and repeat his methods of stretching far outside Russia to persecute so called enemies that could be considered a threat to the infallibility of Russian dictatorship. Dana Andrews is reliable as usual, seconded here by the lovely Marta Toren, who played in films together with almost all the major stars of Hollywood before she died suddenly at only 30 as the successor to Ingrid Bergman, but Marta Toren also married and filmed in Italy. George Sanders is the sober diplomat who handles the intricate situation with due dignity, while the most realistic scenes are the most revolting, those of the Hungarian brainwash procedure under Stalin.

It's not one of Dana Andrews' best pictures, but no one could have made the part he plays better - he had been in it before, like in "The Iron Curtain" 1948.