I only saw the last few minutes many years ago. English dialog, probably 60s-80s era, possibly black & white. Ending scenes: A plane lands. A wired message is printed by a telex machine or something similar, it says something will be published or exposed, character(s) are relieved / triumphant. External shot of an apartment building (European?). Interior: the protagonist(?)'s apartment has been trashed or searched. There is a record playing, looping the ending, on a turntable (record player / gramophone / phonograph?). When they stop the record, a bomb is triggered. External shot of apartment destroyed by explosion, occupant presumed dead. Roll credits.
#What's the name of this old political/crime thriller/drama?
livid hearth
worn wedge
The mechanic?
livid hearth
The mechanic?
The Mechanic (1972) doesn't fit. I would have recognized Charles Bronson, and that one ends with a car bomb.
livid hearth
I still haven't found it. Here's a list of Phonograph appearances in movies: https://phonographia.com/PhonoMovies/PhonoM Menu.htm
queen hatch
The 39 steps?
livid hearth
The 39 steps?
Nope.
I'm certain now it was Defence of the Realm. The elements I remembered are more or less all there, and the ending matches. Thanks @keen prawn for streaming this, and @worn wedge and @queen hatch for the guesses. It only took me ~20 years to find it. Mystery solved.
Wikipedia has a plot synopsis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_of_the_Realm
keen prawn
Who woulda thought my bogus movies would actually be useful for once
Congrats Bobtree
livid hearth
Curious that I didn't recognize Gabriel Byrne as the lead, but I probably just didn't see enough of it the first time. Smilla's Sense of Snow was a favorite of mine.