The Deadly Recruits

English author Anthony Price wrote a string of 19 well-crafted novels dealing with espionage, published 1970/1989, within which are depicted adventures of an Oxford University Professor of history, with a specialty in Arabic, Dr. David Audley, whose exertions doubling as a British intelligence agent during the Cold War for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence were related in an esteemed series made for television, "Chessgame". This engrossing feature film, having as its source the third novel in the group, "Colonel Butler's Wolf", is an interesting tale having virtually no padding. A growing number of academically superior Oxford students are experiencing either defamation, leading to expulsion, or sudden violent death, and a veteran Master at the University, an erstwhile spy, requests for Audley (Terence Stamp) to assist in the affair because he fears that the KGB is behind the tragic incidents, as a method of destroying a breeding ground for Western intelligence operatives. Audley is initially skeptical, but soon begins to believe that the astute Master is, indeed, on to something sinister, and he thereupon decides to intertwine his own wife, Faith (Carmen du Sautoy) with his customary staff in an unconventional and hazardous endeavour to overcome the Soviet Forces of Evil. This is the final of three features released in conjunction with "Chessgame", and although it is less effective than the best of the trio, COLD WAR KILLERS (1986), it nonetheless profits from a largely realistic and intelligent screenplay, efficient leadership from director Roger Tucker, and first-class editing by Paul Griffiths-Davies. As with each entry within the extended Audley canon of Price, whichever the format, all of the primary characters are participants in a riskful game, the ground rules of which devolve upon a single gambit: that of acquiring more information than one must divulge, with a result that double and triple crosses are recurrent. The designing by James Weatherup is appropriate as ever, and minimalist scoring of Christopher Gunning contributes strongly to the film's sequences of suspense. Each member of the cast is competent, with Stamps, du Sautoy and Michael Culver all excellent, as will be expected.

**SPOILER ALERT** Top British intelligence, M15, agent David Audley, Terrence Stamp, is put on a top secret assignment by his boss known as "The Master" Sir Geoffrey Hobson, Willoughby Gray. David is to investigate the death of a very promising Oxford student Neil Smith. Smith either lost control of his motorcycle or was murdered or killed himself in a plunge into a nearby lake.

Sir Geoffrey tells David that there's been a number of not only tragic accidents by promising British university students, the cream of Britsh intelligentsia, but also arrests of students for using drugs and having wild sex parties. This is causing them to be disqualified in entering government service and thus depriving the British government of many of it's future political leaders.

At first it's thought by David and Sir Geoffrey that the Soviet KGB is involved in these underhanded actions like it was back in the 1930's 40's and early 50's. David uses both his wife Faith, Carmen Du Sautoy, and his good friend police commander Nick Hannah, Michael Culver, to go undercover in the world of the Britsh top academic circles and find out just what's going and if the KGB is involved in it.

Very complicated story that has both Faith & Nick, as well as David, risk their lives in trying to get to the bottom of these strange and unfortunate happenings to the top British students.Nick going undercover as a Col. Butler gets involved with this secretive group of British Empire elitists fanatics called "The Apostles", who were involved with the late Neil Smith. Nick is lucky to get away from them with his life when he's caught impersonating the colonel by their leader Charles Epton, Seymour Green. Epton only let Nick live in the fear that if he had him killed it would expose his anti-government subversive movement. By having whoever was involved with him, David & Sir Geoffery, know that they and Nick were really on to something.

Faith goes undercover looking for the very promising Oxford student and Rhodes Scholar Anne Osborne, Emma Relph. Faith finds had not only has Emma dropped out of Oxford, and a very promising career in politics, but joined this brain washing transcendental meditation cult headed by this blind Russian guru who calls himself Seddon, Bogdan Kominwski. Seddon together with his second in command Angel, Alexandra Stordy, keeps the people in their group in line by whacking, at least Angel does, themselves in their thighs as if that silly action on Seddon and Angel's part would scare them into not leaving! like it obviously does Anne!

The movie comes full circle later when David get's in touch with both Polly Epton, Caroline Bliss, the daughter of Apostle leader Charles Epton and her boyfriend Dan Machlachlan, Anthony Calf. The two later come under fire by some unknown assassin when they, together with David, drive back to David's place.

It becomes evident that the person, or persons, who are involved in these deadly actions against the university students are working to undermined the British government. It also turns out, by David putting two and two together, that it's in a way totally unprecedented in the history of inter-national espionage! very much like it was done in the book and movie "The Manchurian Candidate". Yet far more clever and deceptive with the person, or persons, involved in this devilishly sinister scheme fulling knowing what he or she is involved in.

DEADLY RECRUITS is an unusual and unexpectedly intelligent spy thriller made for British television. A motorcycle accident leads two government agents to investigate a series of disappearances from among the best and brightest students at Oxford University. The case takes some unexpected twists. The plot can be a little hard to follow at times and requires careful attention as well as a nodding acquaintance with British slang on occasions. There is also some nice dry English wit. The cast is good, particularly Michael Culver, a familiar face from films including THUNDERBALL and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Terence Stamp plays a most irritating government agent. Also look for Art Malik as a student.

Terence Stamp excels in this British made for TV movie about an Oxford professor who doubles as a British intelligence agent. His assignment in this film is to find out about a possible new generation of Philbys, MacLeans, Burgesses and Blunts coming out of the highest halls of Academia in Great Britain.

Ever since his exposure in America we've never ceased the debate as to how Alger Hiss who was establishment personified could have possibly found the Soviet Union attractive enough to turn traitor and spy for them. Ditto in Great Britain where several people just earmarked for positions of great authority in the establishment of that country turned traitor and in fact defected on discovery. Those names mentioned above are still a tender subject in the United Kingdom.

So when a young and promising Oxford student dies in a mysterious motorcycle crash Stamp goes in to investigate. He finds a new generation of sleeper agents just waiting to be sprung on British establishment. In fact the recently deceased young man was a total phony and we're not sure where he originated from.

Coming out as it did in 1986 the film is a bit of an anachronism because as Stamp correctly points out the Soviet Union is having its own student issues. But the film was remarkably prescient in pointing that out as the Sovierts collapsed within a decade.

Without knowing about the agents in the establishment that I've mentioned Deadly Recruits does lose a bit of impact for an American audience. Still it's an interesting work.