Movie spotlight
The Second Handshake
Movie adaptation of a wildly popular hand-copied unpublished novel by Zhang Yang during the Cultural Revolution that was later rehabilitated and officially published in 1979.
Insights
Plot Summary
A fictionalized account of the true events surrounding the death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in a plane crash in 1961. The film explores the political intrigue and unanswered questions surrounding the incident, suggesting a potential cover-up and assassination plot.
Critical Reception
The Second Handshake received mixed reviews upon its release, with critics often praising James Mason's performance but questioning the speculative nature of the plot. While some found the film to be a compelling political thriller, others criticized its lack of definitive evidence and historical accuracy. Audience reception was similarly divided.
What Reviewers Say
Praise for James Mason's commanding performance as the investigator.
Criticism of the film's speculative and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.
Some found the political thriller aspect engaging, despite its historical liberties.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this specific film from 1980 is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film is based on the theories proposed by investigative journalist Per-Åke Westin, who believed Hammarskjöld's death was not an accident.
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