Derek Jacobi, Jon Voight, Klaus Lowitsch

An overeager German journalist (Jon Voight) discovers a long-buried secret plot beginning to resurface in this moderately compelling, surprisingly straightforward adaptation of a novel by conspiracy w...( read more  read more... )hiz Fredrick (Day of the Jackal) Forsythe. Although this somewhat pokey suspenser never quite flows the way a classic espionage thriller should, it does offer a number of compelling diversions along the way, including a blessedly nonhammy (and impressively accented) performance by Voight, Derek Jacobi's amusingly Freudian supporting turn, and a tremendously physical hand-to-hand confrontation in a print shop that leaves no pane of glass intact. Maximillian Schell's scenery-chewing, deliciously evil cameo almost makes this worth the watch by itself. Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the garishly florid (yet somehow effective) score. --Andrew Wright

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65% liked it

459 ratings

PG, 130 min.

Directed by: Ronald Neame

Release Date: October 18, 1974

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (105)


  • April 26, 2009
    a strong post war story that's a little slow starring a rather younger looking than i'm used to jon voight and surprise surprise maximilian schell playing a nazi baddie
  • August 25, 2008
    Great film. Bit dated now but brillaince of the writting says it all.
  • October 13, 2009
    Another good espionage thriller that goes well with The Amateur.
  • October 5, 2009
    Saw it as it was highly applauded by most of the viewers, but unfortunately, it failed to meet my expectations & proved to be just an average fare.
  • February 27, 2009
    A Nazi story that seems true.
  • June 6, 2008
    I liked that he took revenge for his father and not the Jews. :3
  • April 23, 2008
    Based on Frederick Forsthy's book. Set during cold war in Russia.
  • January 25, 2008
    Suspense at its very best, The Odessa File is a very engrossing flick with Jon Voight who was spectacular throughout.
  • December 24, 2007
    Loved Jon Voight in this one. Nice scenes of post WW II Germany
  • August 16, 2007
    I remember the first time I watched this; It was interesting then as it is now. Voight is a journalist in Germany that covers a Jewish man's suicide on the same day that President Kennedy's killed; Reading a journal left by the man, he becomes intrigued by it and uncovers a under...( read more)cover operation for former Nazis and is tagged to infiltrate it.

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