Adaptation of Irving Wallace's bestseller stars Paul Newman as a hard-drinking, womanizing writer who once showed great promise but who now turns out detective stories to pay the bills; nevertheless, he's been chosen as one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and sobers up just in time for an exciting adventure in Stockholm. Newman comes to suspect that one of the other winners is a ringer, but can't get anyone to believe him (only Foreign Ministry worker Elke Sommer, who ends up in his arms!). Ernest Lehman, the screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock's "North By Northwest", was a terrific choice to take on Wallace's far-fetched but enjoyable tale...and though director Mark Robson may never be confused with Hitchcock, the overall look, pacing, and feel of "The Prize" are quite similar to "Northwest". It's a handsome piece of work despite some minor deficiencies: the opening introductions are amusing but a bit pedantic, while an overlong sequence with Newman escaping killers by hiding out at a nudist convention lands with a thud (Cary Grant may have been able to pull this off, but Newman is still too callow). Supporting cast is first-rate, though Lehman tries to have it both ways with Diane Baker's mysterious character, and one ends up not understanding much about her actions or motivations. Newman, shuffling along with a bemused smile, has some nice moments with Sommer, while Edward G. Robinson does a fantastic actors' turn playing both sides. **1/2 from ****
Review of The Prize
