Three Days of the Condor

Joe Turner is a calm, meticulous CIA researcher who spends his days cataloging patterns and signals rather than chasing adrenaline. When a routine coffee break uncovers a bloodless scene and the rest of his colleagues vanish, he realizes someone is actively hunting him. With a woman he has just rescued or kidnapped seeking protection, Turner slips from one fortified space to another, trying to make sense of a labyrinth of misinformation. He discovers a covert plot that stretches far beyond his desk, and every lead seems to point toward trusted allies who may be the real danger. As he pieces together who wants him dead, Turner must decide who to trust while staying one step ahead. Time runs against him.

Directed by Sydney Pollack, Three Days of the Condor adapts James Grady's novel with a screenplay by David Rayfiel and Lorenzo Semple Jr. The 1975 thriller pairs Redford's cool, precise Joe Turner with Dunaway's resourceful Kathy Hale, elevating political paranoia.

Three Days of the Condor earned $41,509,797 worldwide against a budget of $7,800,000, showing strong performance for a mid 70s espionage thriller starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. Its brisk pace drew audiences and helped cement Pollack's reputation for suspense.

Three Days of the Condor helped define a 1970s mood in thrillers that doubt government, media and power. Its tense urban gossamer of secrecy, a lone investigator against a layered conspiracy, along with Redford's restrained charisma, left a blueprint for later espionage films and political dramas. Its practical realism resonates.

Critics praised the film for its clean pacing, sharp scripting, and Redford’s low key intensity. The story foregrounds paranoia, trust, and the price of whistleblowing, presenting a world where allies fold under pressure and tactics blur between espionage and personal survival. Film is cited as a touchstone of 70s craft.