Legendary European director Max Ophuls' deeply-moving, imeless film is considered his greatest and most successful American film but a film unlike most Hollywood films.The film broke many records with new benchmarks - it had the largest opening weekend (of three days) ever at $135.Audiences were struck by the film's downbeat, tragic, dehumanized and ironic ending.While initially considered perfect for drive-ins or as a 'midnight movie' after its debut in October of 1968, it was soundly criticized as grindhouse schlock and unredeeming gory trash.Charles spends all his time reviewing roops." She is no longer stirred by her ex-lover's amorousness, and questions her past love for him:Christina: He (Charles) at least is no opportunist." Swanbeck wanted to know: "What was this 'Chimera' that Nekhorovich was carrying?" Hunt's mission was to "recover this 'Chimera' and bring it to us.