6/10
MIRAGE was the follow-up to “Charade” from writer Peter Stone (“1776,” “Taking of Pelham 1-2-3”) that tries to strike a similarly Hitchockian vibe via Gregory Peck’s amnesia-ridden protagonist. Unable to recall anything beyond the past two years, Peck’s accountant David Stillwell also finds himself being unable to recognize assorted acquaintances save one of his work colleagues (Kevin McCarthy), yet as time progresses, he uncovers a vast conspiracy where nobody is who they seem to be.
Edward Dmytryk helmed this black-and-white Universal thriller, packed with familiar faces – Jack Weston, George Kennedy, and Walter Matthau (as a private eye) among them – that contribute an enormous amount to making “Mirage” watchable. So does the NYC location lensing and Quincy Jones’ Mancini-esque, romantic and energetic score – yet “Mirage” ultimately becomes a tedious affair midway through. Stone’s script, adapted from a novel by Howard Fast (“Spartacus”), is overly convoluted and talky, while too much time ends up being devoted to Peck’s relationship with Diane Baker, whose role serves little purpose outside of being “the girl.” It all ends with a claustrophobic “reveal” climax that’s not especially well-staged by the director.
Kino Lorber’s new Blu-Ray (1.85, DTS MA 2.0 mono) premieres “Mirage” in high-def from an older Universal master that suffers from the usual ailments as the label’s early HD presentations (artificial sharpening, noise-reduction, etc.). It’s an upgrade over DVD but just a minor one. Extras include a wonderful 14-minute new interview with Diane Baker recalling the shoot (and Dymtryk’s general lack of direction towards the actors), image gallery, the trailer, and a commentary from Nathaniel Thompson, Howard Berger and Steve Mitchell.