MovieChat Forums > Three Days of the Condor (1975) Discussion > 'He's being held at New York Center....'

'He's being held at New York Center....'

posted 12 years ago by doodleboy
10 replies | jump to latest

when JOhn Houseman talks to Cliff Robertson toward the end, and asks him "You know the company's position on this? You don't have a problem with it?"

He intimates that *someone* is being held at New York Center - who? They didn't have Condor in custody. Presumably they didn't know where he was. The Mailman was dead...

Were they talking about hiring Jobert for his last job? Perhaps they had to go meet him face to face?

Just wondering.

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 12 years ago

Yes, I believe you're correct . . . they had to bring in Joubert for the final elimination . . .

[–] lynnrnsd 12 years ago

Pretty sure it's Joubert as well. Condor had just told them where he was. "Room 819. You'll find that Alsatian gentleman".

[–] tombombs 10 years ago

But Joubert wasn't being held in the NY Center. The next scene has him in Chevy Chase, MD killing Atwood. If he was contracted to kill Turner he would not have given him the gun back and probably have killed him on the way to Union Station.

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 10 years ago

A period of time lapsed . . . after Higgins signed Joubert up for one last assignment--he made his way to DC . . . easy to figure . . .

[–] tombombs 10 years ago

Could not have been match of a time lapse. Houseman and Robertson are in DC talking at 12:30am. MvS is being "held" in NYC at that time. Redford is taking the train to DC in the early hours of the morning and MvS is heading there too .

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 10 years ago

Plenty of time . . . when Joubert and his new found buddy, Turner, depart from the Atwood residence it already is daylight . . . I guess the agreement was that this would be the last time Joubert would be utilized . . .

[–] lynnrnsd 10 years ago

I think they took Joubert in to make the contract to kill Atwood. Perhaps once Atwood was dead, the contract Joubert had with him was null. In any case, Turner had earned Joubert's respect by being so resourceful. I doubt Joubert would risk his reputation by just letting Turner go, and he warned Turner that the CIA was still after him. Maybe he just omitted any mention of running into Turner when he reported to the CIA.

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 10 years ago

With Atwood eliminated . . . Turner, at best, was now an afterthought . . . there is no contract out on Turner . . . Joubert tells Turner that he's returned to the fold for this one time only . . .

Wasbash tells Higgins that he's being held at the New York center (obviously Jourbert) . . . it's now up to Higgins to go and arrange a new contact--which he apparently does . . . for Atwood (who was the one who originally brought Joubert back) . . . of course, it's all nasty business . . .

The main question though is: which factions wins in the end?

[–] howard_w13 10 years ago

The main question though is: which faction wins in the end?

Therein lies major aspect of what the film explores: the moral ambiguity of the CIA.

There is so much wheeling and dealing going on that it's practically impossible to tell who's good or bad. Though Higgins wasn't part of the plot to assassinate Condor's coworkers, notice how he defends Atwood's plan (and the disturbingly realistic logic behind it) and then tries to silence anyone that knows about it.

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

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 10 years ago

Your friend today could easily become your enemy tomorrow . . .

One's enemy could be my friend . . . and your friend could be my enemy . . . and you and I could be the best of pals . . . or, at least, for the time being . . .

Condor triggered a violent reaction . . . so bad, that all within that unit had to be eliminated . . .

Ultimately, to salvage the company, even Condor would have to be sacrificed . . .

You have to place the main characters by groupings . . . and work it out.