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Charles Bronson, Lee Remick, Donald Pleasence, Tyne Daly, Alan Badel ... see more see more... , Patrick Magee , Sheree North , John Mitchum , Ed Bakey , Hank Brandt , Carl Byrd , Helen Page Camp , Regis J. Cordic , Jeff David , Cliff Emmich , Burton Gilliam , John Hambrick , Roy Jenson , Åke Lindman , Frank Marth , Jim Nolan , Kathleen O'Malley , George Petrie , Robert Phillips , Tom Runyon , Derek Rydall , Jacqueline Scott , Iggie Wolfington , Carmen Zapata , Alex Sharp , Peter Weiss , Al Dunlap , John Carter , Ville-Veikko Salminen , Lew Brown

Don Siegel took over the directing chores from Peter Hyams on this taut cold war action film, based on the novel by Walter Wager. With the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union thawi... read more read more...ng, old KGB hard-liner Nicolai Dalchimsky (Donald Pleasence) activates a group of Americans who were brainwashed twenty years earlier to blow up United States defenses when a passage from a Robert Frost poem is recited to them. When bombs go off at an abandoned United States defense installation, the Kremlin realizes that they have a rogue KGB agent on their hands who is trying to re-ignite the cold war. To stop him, the Russians send out KGB agent Grigori Borzov (Charles Bronson). Accompanying him is KGB double agent Barbara (Lee Remick). As the two agents try to stop Nicolai from starting World War III, they find time to fall in love with each other. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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1,240 ratings

PG, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Don Siegel

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Flixster Reviews (58)

  • skactopus
    October 19, 2008
    skactopus
    Telefon is an intriguing spy thriller from Don Siegel, and while it does have its moments, it also falls short of expectations. It just lacks that extra something seen in other Siegel films.

    The plot is a good one and it has a ton of potential. The Soviet Union has pla

    ... read moreced 50+ brainwashed sleeper agents all over the United States and suddenly, one by one, they begin to carry out their purpose of blowing up key military installations. I say that is a great concept for a spy movie.

    The first 20 minutes are great as it involves the telephone calls, in which the culprit delivers the "trigger" phrases, to set the sleeper agent in motion. These "trigger" phrases are what Tarantino uses in his movie Deathproof. The main character of Charles Bronson doesn't show up until the 20 minute mark and that is where the film begins to lose its pizazz. The rest of the film focuses less on the sleeper agents and more on Bronson's attempt to stop the culprit from triggering the rest of them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but watching the agents get the telephone calls and carrying out their missions are the high points of this picture.

    Charles Bronson is a little flat. If you combine this with Don Siegel's directing you get a movie that doesn't live up to the hype. Fortunately, the supporting cast gets the job done. Donald Pleasance is a good "trigger" man and Lee Remick is a beautiful partner for Bronson. Tyne Daly gives a solid performance as a computer wiz, but her part of the story feels incomplete and unnecessary.

    Telefon may not be great, but it is still a better than average movie that Charles Bronson or Donald Pleasance fans may want to check out.
  • garyX
    July 27, 2007
    garyX
    A rather flat and dour cold war thriller starring a rather flat and dour Charles Bronson as a Russian agent sent to kill a cell of sleeper agents who are activated by a fanatical Stalinist. It's an interesting idea, but none of Siegel's trademark intensity and panache is in evide... read morence and Bronson is at his least charismatic.
  • cacutshaw
    January 17, 2008
    cacutshaw
    Assassins living as normal Americans are programed to kill when they are given a certain phrase (I'll think of the word later and replace this... what the hell is the word I'm looking for? Let's just say a "trigger" word). Like Manchurian Candidate if Bronson had been there to ... read morekick all kinds of ass.
  • bradwest
    January 6, 2009
    bradwest
    Before detente there was Bronson. Well, it's an effective thriller, but with Bronson attached you expect a little more action. Donald Pleasence is right in his realm of creep-master general here.
  • futsin
    July 3, 2007
    futsin
    Gets kind of slow, but it's a cool idea and there's some hella badass elements here and there. Love the Donald Pleasance character and the tension in which his scenes are protrayed. Charles Bronson as a Rooskie, though? Phew. :P

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Critic Reviews

March 26, 2009
Variety

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Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

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Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

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Jake Euker
March 9, 2006
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
June 17, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Robin Clifford
November 19, 2004
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews

No review available.

Christopher Null
January 27, 2004
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

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Geoff Andrew
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

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May 24, 2003
Film4

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Telefon Trivia

  • In the film "Telefon" starring Charles Bronson; the poem being read by Donald Pleasance (as a code to activate hypnotized Soviet sabateurs in the US) was written by which poet?  Answer »
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