THE ODESSA FILE (1974) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
THE ODESSA FILE (1974) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell, Mary Tamm, and Directed by Ronald Neame is in Very Fine condition. Movie Poster and Condition....
THE ODESSA FILE (1974) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell, Mary Tamm, and Directed by Ronald Neame is in Very Fine condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This Original Daybill, Movie Poster is presented in Very Fine condition, 2 Daybill folds as issued, a small 1cm tear on the left hand side towards the bottom and some minor edgewear on the left top side. Otherwise, this poster presents in excellent condition with a colourful clean presentation.
This is an original Australian The Odessa File (1974) movie poster, advertising the gripping political thriller starring Jon Voight and Maximilian Schell. Based on the bestselling novel by Frederick Forsyth, this original vintage 1970s Daybill represents an interesting piece of classic cinema memorabilia. The film's compelling subject matter, involving post-war Nazi fugitives, international espionage and a dangerous secret organisation, makes this an appealing collectible for admirers of classic thriller films, historical dramas and original Australian movie posters.
Movie Synopsis
The Odessa File (1974) is a gripping British-German political thriller directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ronald Neame, starring Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell, Mary Tamm and Maria Schell. Based on the bestselling 1972 novel by Frederick Forsyth, the film explores the disturbing world of former Nazi officials who have escaped justice following the Second World War, and the secret networks allegedly established to protect their identities and influence in post-war Europe.
The story begins in Hamburg, West Germany, in November 1963. Freelance German journalist Peter Miller, played by Jon Voight, becomes involved in an unexpected investigation after following an ambulance to the home of an elderly Jewish man who has taken his own life. The man, Salomon Tauber, was a Holocaust survivor who left behind a deeply disturbing diary documenting his experiences during the Second World War. As Miller reads the diary, he discovers a horrifying account of atrocities committed at the Riga concentration camp in Latvia, particularly those overseen by its former commandant, SS Captain Eduard Roschmann.
Known as the Butcher of Riga, Roschmann, portrayed by Maximilian Schell, was responsible for horrific crimes against Jewish prisoners. Tauber's diary describes the brutality of the camp and recounts the murder of innocent people, including his own family. Even more disturbing is the discovery that Roschmann may still be alive and living under an assumed identity in West Germany, despite his wartime crimes.
Determined to uncover the truth, Miller begins investigating Roschmann's whereabouts. His enquiries lead him to the famous Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, played by Shmuel Rodensky, who provides valuable information about a clandestine organisation known as ODESSA. The name refers to an alleged network established to assist former members of Hitler's SS, helping them escape prosecution, obtain false identities and rebuild their lives in different parts of the world.
As Miller digs deeper, he discovers that ODESSA is far more powerful and organised than he initially imagined. Its members occupy influential positions throughout German society, making the investigation extremely dangerous. Anyone attempting to expose the organisation risks becoming a target themselves. Despite warnings and threats, Miller remains committed to finding Roschmann and bringing the truth into the open.
His investigation takes him across Europe, involving elaborate disguises, secret identities and encounters with people whose loyalties are difficult to establish. Miller eventually decides that the only way to penetrate the organisation is to assume the identity of a deceased former SS officer. This dangerous deception allows him to move closer to the people protecting Roschmann, but also places his own life in considerable danger.
Meanwhile, the investigation reveals that Roschmann's activities extend beyond concealing his wartime past. He has become involved in a strategically important industrial operation connected with the development of missile guidance technology. With international political tensions mounting, Miller discovers that the organisation's influence could have consequences extending well beyond Germany. His search for one notorious war criminal consequently develops into a much larger struggle involving international security and the protection of Israel.
The film features a strong supporting cast, including Mary Tamm as Sigi, Derek Jacobi as Klaus Wenzer, Maria Schell as Frau Miller and Peter Jeffrey as David Porath. Interestingly, Maximilian and Maria Schell, who play prominent roles in the film, were brother and sister, and The Odessa File was their only joint film appearance.
Produced by John Woolf, the film was adapted for the screen by Kenneth Ross and George Markstein, based on Forsyth's bestselling novel. Filming took place in West Germany, including Hamburg and Munich, with additional production at Pinewood Studios in England. The film's atmospheric cinematography was handled by Oswald Morris, while its musical score was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The theme song, Christmas Dream, featured lyrics by Tim Rice and Andre Heller and was performed by Perry Como.
Combining historical subject matter, espionage, suspense and an international conspiracy, The Odessa File remains a memorable example of the 1970s political thriller. Its exploration of post-war Nazi networks and the pursuit of historical justice gives the film a particularly compelling place among the era's crime and espionage cinema.
To find out more about The Odessa File (1974) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes.
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.