Power Play

Just to correct an error in the details; this same error is repeated in most movie books/websites.

"Power Play" is not based on a novel, but on an academic book: "Coup d'Etat- A Practical Handbook" by the distinguished academic Edward Luttwak; London- Allen Lane The Penguin Press 1968

This book is an entertaining critique of the coup - chiefly in Latin Amerioa and Africa - its practical aspects and the economics of repression and revolution.

This possibly explains why the movie fails to a certain extent as a gripping drama. However the individual performances are excellent.

Nevertheless, it is worth watching.

And after more than 20 years the book rewards a re reading. Incidentally; I last read the book during the coup against Gorbachev in 1991; and applying Edward Luttwak's principles - I judged - rightly as it turned out- that the coup would fail because the promoters of the coup had not secured or neutralised all their objectives. They should have read the book or watched the movie!

"For a coup to be successful you need tanks. My tanks" declares tank commander Peter O'Toole to idealistic young army officer David Hemmings in this engrossing military drama reminiscent of Bunuel's 'La Fievre Monte a El Pao' and Jancso's 'The Red and the White' with a wonderful punch line as he demonstrates to Hemmings that power comes down the barrel of a gun and you never know who's next for the firing squad.

Firstly I personally feel we need all the political films we can get, as they are somewhat far and few between.

The plot is believable if you relate it to something akin to the Portugal Coup in 1974, with the exception of the rather grim ending. This is also not too difficult to accept when looking at other events in the not so distant past.

One point of interest is the motivation of the concept, being a Canadian production may have been the now forgotten political kidnap of the British Government official James Cross by the Front de liberation du Quebec in 1970.

I think the dialogue is the weakest point but I can overlook the somewhat unconvincing conversations as some set pieces, like the Aldo Moro kidnapping and Chilean Secret Police style torture sequence are effective.

I read a TV review of this once that appeared to misunderstand what a coup involves, When the critic stated only one tank was blown up as if to highlight the low production values. The reviewer clearly missing the point entirely.

When I first saw this movie about ten years ago, I was blown away by it. On subsequent viewings, its flaws have become more apparent -- most of the characters are flatly written, a few of the minor roles are poorly played. However, the film still remains a worthy effort. Whereas most political films only pay lip service to ideological concerns, Power Play actually attempts to examine both what it means to live in a totalitarian regime and how easily the best intentions can be subverted. The film has a fine lead performance from David Hemmings. While he at first seems to be flamboyantly overacting, Peter O'Toole eventually reveals the chilling truth behind his character's manner. Lastly, Donald Pleasence plays the head of the Secret Police but, as opposed to later performances, doesn't descend into camp and is a frightfully Himmleresque figure. The scenes where he tortures a young woman are disturbing and, thankfully, played for outrage than for exploitation. Powerplay features a downbeat ending but in the end, its the only honest way the film could end. Check it out if you get a chance.

Familiar faces in this film (Hemmings, Pleasance, O'Toole) help to get a Western audience to empathise with what it's like to live under a totalitarian regime. Our sympathies are with the heroes as they move towards a coup d'etat (an odd one in which the military intends to replace a more repressive regime with one less so). However not every conspirator's motives are the purest...