do you think the ny times published it? - Three Days of the Condor (1975) Discussion

[–] melinda2001 9 years ago

Not after Condor's monologing. That wasn't a bright idea.

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Not after Condor's monologing. That wasn't a bright idea.

Condor was unaware of the CIA's level of manipulation before letting Higgins know about exposing the hit and Middle East plans to the press. That's why he hurries away so scared when Higgins asks him how he's so sure that the story will be printed.

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The movie has a plot hole?!?
EVERY FRIGGIN' MOVIE HAS A FRIGGIN' PLOT HOLE!!!!!

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[–] melinda2001 9 years ago

He had nothing to gain from monologing. If he wanted the greatest chance of success, he should keep his mouth shut until after it's published. Why risk something so important just to stroke his own ego?

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[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 9 years ago

They'd never publish . . . unless the powers that be okayed it . . . and they certainly wouldn't . . . poor Condor . . . he must live a life in obscurity . . . his lot in life . . .

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[–] melinda2001 9 years ago

The powers that were, didn't know until he told them, stupid Condor.

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[–] PrometheusTree64 9 years ago

Operation Mockingbird. So, no.

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[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 9 years ago

Poor Condor . . . to roam about an outcast . . . so sad, and it all started so upbeat . . .

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[–] shurbanm 9 years ago

more likely dead soon after.

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[–] LauraJ1234 9 years ago

I imagine that the NY Times would reach out to the CIA for possible comment before publishing it, which might change things. And as Turner just told Higgins, the CIA would have time to prepare a response, to approach the reporter, or to take other actions to alter or prevent the story from being published.

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[–] gregstar 8 years ago

I think Higgins knows that the CIA controls the New York Times, so he knows it won't get published.

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[–] chris3-4 8 years ago

I don't think they would either. The NYT's was going through a lot of flak for publishing the Pentagon Papers which involved the C.I.A. too. This was in the 1970's when Pollack was developing the movie. Then there was Nixon and the C.I.A. and the NYT published some negative stuff about C.I.A. again in 1974 about Seymour M. Hersh and C.I.A. as a "shadow government". That fact was verified years later by the late Sen Daniel Inouye (D-Hw) during Iran Contra hearings.

So no Higgins would have no trouble with NYT responding positively to a NSL (NatSec Letter) from Higgins and/or the DCI (Houseman). Katherine Graham at WP would have been a better choice for Turner. She would publish anything about them. WP still does. 😎

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[–] LTUM (969) 7 months ago

really good point about the post. would've been much better.

but of course that may have altered the effect of that final scene in the film.

wait, in fact, the novel was set in DC so maybe it WAS the post at first, which got changed when they chose NYC for the film? hmmmm. i am not familiar with the book but i would assume it was the post in the book, since he was in DC.

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[–] KutWrite (1220) 4 years ago

I don't think so, either.

I like to think Turner goes to Europe after all, finds Joubert and joins his team... like one of the behind the scenes guys in "Sneakers."

I might write a fan-fiction short story along those lines!

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[–] Checkman (29) 4 years ago

He would have been better off sending it to "The Guardian" in the UK or maybe the "Greenwich Voice". Possibly "Rolling Stone" or "Mother Jones" magazines as well. Smaller readerships, but still public and possibly picked up by other new services. "Time" magazine might be a good one as well. Of course I'm trying to look at it in terms of 1975.

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[–] LTUM (969) 7 months ago

i like that option best; him joining with joubert. i like it, though it doesn't flow with turner's nature. (being a killer)

grady wrote 3 (or 4) novels in this series so he must have come up with a storyline to follow this one. I am not sure i am interested in reading the books, though. may go check the wikipedia summary though, lol

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[–] johnmiller (3316) 3 years ago

I guess the point at the movie's end is that Condor is just plain out of luck. He is out of options in telling Higgins what he was going to do. The best he could have done is to tell Higgins that, if Condor was killed, THEN all the secrets would be spilled. But, not tell Higgins how they would. Higgins is a pure butt kisser corporate stooge, and would simply want to cover his ass.

At the same time, Joubert was exactly right: There was the car to get into, with the "friendly face" wanting you to get in. And, if Condor did, he'd be dead. So, living in exile for the rest of his life is preferable to that. Condor should just go to Europe and work for Joubert. That's what I would have done. Maybe Condor could have done research on the people Joubert needed to track down, etc.