La main du pouvoir

Ingenious British-made corporate thriller with an impressive cast well-versed in this sort of thing – James Coburn, Keenan Wynn, Ian Hendry, Michael Jayston and Harry Andrews; Lee Grant provides both a feminist viewpoint and a romantic partner for Coburn. The plot involves Coburn’s rise in the political stakes, abetted by ruthless bigwig Wynn; however, he needs to put his shady past behind him and, to this end, organizes an intricate scheme by which his four former associates will eliminate one another on the same night!

Those expecting action, comedy, sex and colorful scenery a' la Coburn’s “Flint” pictures will be sorely disappointed by this low-key, intelligent but humorless character-driven piece – filmed against drab European settings (albeit by the great Geoffrey Unsworth); composer Roy Budd, another genre fixture, delivers an appropriately moody score. Still, the murder sequences themselves (with Coburn bemusedly ticking away each carefully-timed step of his plan) – particularly Andrews’ vicious shower murder of the Christiane Kruger character and the hesitation at carrying out his part of the bargain by the typically angst-ridden Hendry – generate the requisite amount of suspense during the film’s second half.

While Grant’s reporter character seems an intrusion at first, her presence (or, rather, Coburn’s callous mistreatment of her) eventually threatens to jeopardize his ‘mission’ – on finally getting wise to his machinations, she’s willing to suppress her affections and expose him for what he is! The film, however, provides a delicious twist ending, which sees the over-confident Coburn getting his come-uppance – even if the audience is clearly rooting for him – at his moment of glory (by the person he least expected it from)!

Regrettably, this is only available via a reportedly substandard pan-and-scan R2 DVD; then again, I did watch it in this aspect ratio myself – and dubbed in Italian to boot!

THE INTERNECINE PROJECT is an intriguing little thriller made as a collaboration between the UK and West Germany. It's one of those films that nobody mentions anymore, but which provides a few surprises and nice elements for film fans. The unusual plot itself is a highlight, as this is a film which explores the meaning of the word 'internecine' (mutually destructive, as it happens).

James Coburn plays an anti-hero, a politician with more than a few skeletons in his closet. In order to tie off some loose ends, he sets a plot in action to kill off people who know a little too much about him. The thrills come from seeing said plot play out, and wondering whether he'll succeed or not.

The spy elements of the storyline give this some decent, Cold War-era paranoia shudders. The cast is very well picked; even Lee Grant is an asset, although her character - a feminist journalist - is extraneous to the storyline, although she does have a jaw-dropping encounter with the chauvinistic Coburn. Harry Andrews continues to delight in his later years, Ian Hendry is memorably twitchy, and the likes of Julian Glover and Keenan Wynn prop up the cast. There's little to dislike and much to enjoy about this thought-provoking thriller.

This largely forgotten film from the darkest days of the British film industry probably deserves to be better known, if only for the fact that it manages to make a long sequence in which one man sits alone in a room waiting for the phone to ring quite suspenseful.

James Coburn plays Robert Elliott, a former secret agent who must erase all evidence of his dirty past before taking a job as adviser to the US president. That past comes in the form of four former colleagues – nervy diabetic Ian Hendry, misogynistic cat-lover Harry Andrews, scientist Michael Jayston and call-girl Christiane Kruger. Eliot hits upon the ingenious idea of getting each of his intended victims to do the deed for him, leaving him completely unconnected to the murders. It's a fairly unique idea, and quite well-handled with some quirky characters thrown in (not of least of which is Harry 'A *woman*, Sir?' Andrews), and it is to writer Barry Levinson's credit that he manages to stretch what is a fairly thin plot over a reasonable running time without losing the viewer's interest.

The ending belongs in a James Bond movie – although given the recent murder of a dissident Russian journalist, maybe that's not quite true – but it is a delicious pay-off and a fitting fate for an urbane character who is totally lacking in scruples.

British espionage movies generally fall into two categories. Those that are inspired by Ian Fleming and those inspired by John Le Carre'. If you are looking for daring escapes, beautiful girls, gadgets and gizmos plus lots of pyrotechnics then don't bother with THE INTERNECINE PROJECT. On the other hand if the concept of an ingenious plot involving multiple murders committed by the people being murdered intrigues you, then go no further for INTERNECINE will give you that and more.

James Coburn portrays Professor Robert Elliot, an intelligence agent whose specialty is providing damaging and/or sensitive information anonymously to powerful businessmen and politicians. He does this through a network of 4 operatives who do not know each other. When he is offered the plum assignment of becoming a chief advisor to the President, it becomes necessary for him to eliminate those who know about his past activities. Elliot then conceives a plan where his operatives will all kill each other on the same evening while he sits at home.

Lee Grant co-stars as a crusading reporter who was once involved with Coburn but knew nothing of his background. Now that he is associating with a powerful and unscrupulous figure (Keenan Wynn), she wants to use him to dig up dirt on the businessman. Coburn's 4 associates are played by British character actors Ian Hendry, Harry Andrews, and Michael Jayston. The one female operative is German born Christiane Kruger. All are very good with Hendry's twitchy diabetic being the standout.

The film was shot in drab and dark colors which perfectly suits the tense and humorless story that unfolds. This made poor copies of the movie TOO dark in some scenes but this new Kino Blu-Ray has an excellent transfer that rectifies that problem. Made around the time of Watergate, THE INTERNECINE PROJECT reflects the cynicism of political thrillers from the 1970s. There is a twist ending that James Coburn didn't like but in hindsight it turns out to be very satisfying. All in all a superior spy thriller that some will find too slow and uneventful...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

The movie begins (and ends) like a political movie,a la Pakula .But if the "hero" is blamed for butchering democracy ,the essential is a thriller ,some very special "domino theory" .To get rid of some people who become embarrassing,the professor (a spy) ,pushes the "divide and rule" concept to its absolute limits and ,although completely implausible (all works out much too well) , displays an implacable logic in his sinister plans.Probably not great,but not derivative,and rather gripping.

Main objection: Lee Grant's character is almost useless and her would be feminist journalist is only decorative.