Progetto micidiale

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.

The Internecine Project is a devious plan in which the people who were part of a spy operation are now in the way and become unwitting participants in a plan where they kill each other. The idea is that if you took a 60's era Cold War spy and appointed him or her, in this case James Coburn who's now a suave professor of economics who is a guest on TV news interviews for his views, to a top government post in the 70's (or beyond for that matter), that person would face a thorough background investigation, prompting him or her to eliminate anyone with any damaging knowledge that would derail the appointment. It seems like an extreme solution to the problem, but good enough to make a movie about. One wonders how many political appointees today have had to think up there own internecine projects in order to assure their Senate confirmations. The movie is mostly about the contrived plot and seems trivial and weak, held together more by the locations and some nice background music. Before the ball gets rolling Coburn shares neat scenes with each person on his list that build up the characters. Lee Grant's part as an idealist reporter who's in love with Coburn but doesn't trust his methods, doesn't add much, but Keenan Wynne has a few good scenes as one of Coburn's ruthless business and political connections.

I'm amazed that THE INTERNECINE PROJECT has received less than 100 votes . I saw it a couple of times in the early 1980s and despite not seeing it for almost 25 years it's still lodged in my mind as being a clever thriller . Perhaps I shall never watch it in case it's not as good as I remember . The plot centres around former secret agent Robert Elliot ( Played suavely by James Coburn in one of his best roles) gaining a White House promotion , just the first step in a long and successful political career . There's just one thing and that is there's several people who know about Elliot's past and Elliot can't allow his dirty secrets to be revealed by anyone

I won't reveal the plot but it's smart and there's a twist at the end . But for me the best part of the movie is where Elliot visits the home of military veteran Albert Parsons played by Harry Andrews . Parsons and his collection of cats warmly greet Elliot , but it's obvious by his mannerism that Elliot has something on his mind :

" We've got a problem "

" A problem sir ? " asks Parsons

" It's to do with a woman "

Parsons is shocked " A WOMAN SIR ? "

Elliot rubs his chin and studies Albert " She's a sort of high class whore "

By now Parsons is having convulsions and spitting his hatred " THEY'RE ALL WHORES THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM , YOU CAN'T TRUST ANY THEM SIR , NOT ANY OF THEM "

Hmmm I wonder if Albert Parsons is a repressed homosexual ?

Although not a blockbuster, "The Internecine Project" is an outstanding European political thriller from 1973 that has deserved much more attention from critics and movie buffs! Directed by Ken Hughes ("Casino Royale"), this British-German co-production tells the intrigues of corrupt London scientist and former secret agent Robert Elliot who is about to become the personal consultant of the American president. The only problem are four witnesses of his corrupt and dirty past who could break his career, so Elliot has to get rid of them one by one...

Now that's where the big plan starts - Elliot directs the assassination of all four people - a politician, a scientist, a call-girl and a women-hating psychopath - by sending all of them out to kill another one of them in one night while he controls every single action by phone in his office. This all happens in the second half of the movie and causes a nail-biting suspense and hardcore thrill that leads to the very surprising bitter ending...

The direction is great and the dark, and the disturbing settings (the plot mostly takes place at night and in dark rooms) adds much atmosphere to this great thriller. Roy Budd's menacing, "psychological" score with elements of spy music, blaxploitation funk, ethnic sounds and dark cool jazz like his "Get Carter" success is brilliant and don't need to hide behind the seventies' works of Ennio Morricone, Lalo Schifrin or Jerry Goldsmith. The cast is superb as well, with James Coburn as devilish Professor Elliot and a very good supporting cast of Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Keenan Wynne and young German actress Christiane Krueger.

If you ever have the occasion to watch this breath-taking thriller don't hesitate, sit down on your couch and take a ride! The film has also been released as "The Black Panther" and with the very simple title "G" in Germany.

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.