The Anderson Tapes (1971 Sidney Lumet)

Another New York story from Sidney Lumet, with Sean Connery (who Lumet must have liked, as they often worked together), Dyan Cannon, Martin Balsam (great fun as a gay crooked art dealer), Christopher Walken (debut), Dick Anthony Williams & Stan Gottlieb (Pop). The cantankerous old woman in the apartment who we liked was none other than the Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton!

With its theme of technology and surveillance it's very topical, and a few years ahead of Coppola's The Conversation.

Interesting editing in finale, which keeps jumping ahead to the aftermath (without giving anything away). Joanne Burke also worked on Gimme Shelter. Good twists with paraplegic kid, and ending.

Dig that crazy lime green font!

On location realistic sound. Well put together and enjoyable. Quincy Jones is having fun with an early synthesizer. Photography by Arthur Ornitz.

When the cameras move in on the faces of the protagonists when Connery announces his agreement to rub out 'Socks', I'm reminded of Lumet's debut Twelve Angry Men.

Running 97 minutes (adjusted for the frame rate difference), Film 4's print, screened in the afternoon, is two minutes too short, and unfortunately must have been cut (the original rating was AA).