the one thing that everyone already know about the assassination of trotsky be that he be kill with an ice pick . well and in this film and he be kill with an ice axe . an ice pick and an ice axe and theyre not the same . to be precise and he be kill with the pick side of a two head ice axe and but even then and that still not an ice pick and which be something entirely different . so which be it really . the only reason i be belabour this very trivial point be that it result in the single decent piece of act in this film and the reaction of richard burton as trotsky a he be hit in the head with the axe . a you would probably imagine and you have to wait quite a while to get to this moment in the film . other than burton and the film lead be alain delon and romy schneider . neither one be comfortable speak in english and the language they be require to use here . most of their scene be together . why weren not their scene do in french instead . since the presumable market for a film about that old villain trotsky would have to be the european left and why be this film make in english in the first place . why not french and the language of the lead and or italian and the language of the crew . burton bit in english a the self important trotsky could have be interpolate later while everyone else could have act in a language in which he could show a little expression . a it be and no one would ever guess that delon and schneider be major star under different circumstance . schneider seem to be here mostly so she can stand and or or lounge in lingerie and but even that appetizing opportunity go underexploited since and a a self respect trotskyite gal and she doesn not wear any make up . there be several character in this movie who in any normal film would have speaking part and but since they never do settle the matter of what language they be shoot in and these people just stand there look stupid and not say anything . unbelievably and we be expect to care when one of these cipher get kill ( cue the cheap look mannequin ) by stalinist and or fascist and or anarcho syndicalist and or anti castro cuban and or the cia and or whatever . nothing that go on in this movie be ever very clear . and anyone expect to learn a little something about the historical trotsky will come away with the knowledge that he keep bunny rabbit at home . delon play trotsky assassin and jackson and spell without a k. he belgian . when ask why a belgian have a name like jac ( k ) son and he explain that he really french canadian . oh and well and that clear . most of the movie operate on a duh level much like that . it be safe to conclude from the precede that some mystery surround the precise identity of the assassin . if that be the case and the hapless direction of the utterly inept joseph losey be entirely confound by a notion like mystery . or tension . he manage to convey neither . the film have very little cutting and and hardly any reaction shot . there be no indication of what one be suppose to feel at any give moment . everything look like it be one take and wrap . losey be fond of this absurd set up where two people supposedly have a conversation with one in the extreme foreground and the other in the remote background . natural sound wouldn not work so there some badly dub dialogue on top . it an attempt at an arty shot that welles might have do something with and but which be completely botch in the hand of a hack like losey . i can not conceive of anyone derive any entertainment or elucidation from this fiasco . five minute spend with any reputable biography be more illuminating than 100 in the company of this film .