L'uomo di Londra

A British agent tries to infiltrate the IRA to find an assassin and capture him before he himself is found out. I keep trying to get people to watch this film. This is the best treatment I have seen about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the causes and the futility. Both the British and the IRA are intelligent, and we see the reasons each side does what it does. The tension is very well handled. The film PATRIOT GAMES pays tribute by borrowing some of the music, but it does not match the quality of the storytelling.

I read the Seymour novel in the eighties and really enjoyed it then. It was remarkably potent and pithy, with immensely satisfying characters, plot and subplots all so well developed. Finding a copy of the DVD of the miniseries was an opportunity too good to miss. It's great television, and actually gains from the lack of big names, and from the austerity of the production and performances. Credible portrayals in the vein of "the professionals", and even "edge of darkness". To their credit the actors all give a degree of subtle authenticity to their roles that's commendable, and combined with the great plot, HG makes for evocative if nostalgic viewing, especially for enthusiasts of the genre, period or subject matter. Not flashy, but rewarding.

Easily the best thriller set in Belfast, taken from Gerald Seymour's excellent novel. The film benefits from a degree of accuracy you will never find in 'The Devil's Own,' 'Patriot Games' or any of the other Hollywood nonsense. A good cast with many Belfast actors adds realism and the story is fast-paced and believable. The opening sequence is shocking, but again very detailed and the use of the IRA CO as a voice-over is pretty clever. The tension as the IRA close in on Harry is palpable as is his feeling of isolation and all the characters are three-dimensional. Leeds was used for some filming, but it feels like Belfast and there is good use of Belfast locations as well, especially during the climax. 'It was well done, Billy...'

I was over in Belfast not long after this film came out & although it was filmed in Leeds, it is so close to looking like Belfast that it always brings back memories -- good & bad. The acting is excellent, most of the accents authentic, the immorality of the bosses on both sides well shown, & the plot totally believable. There now seems a real chance of peace in NI but if ever the 'troubles' resume, this should be used to prepare anyone posted over there. Thoroughly recommended.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to see Harry's Game in 1982 on TV were watching a stitched together version for broadcast distribution. It was originally made as a TV mini series in three one-hour parts. The recently available British DVD (PAL region 2) is shown in its original episodic format.

The other postings have said enough to describe the story, so I won't go into it. We've seen the story in many incarnations, but the real attraction to this film is the film making.

Typical of British cinema, it is very Spartan: no superfluous music, sound, or special effects. The costumes are "everyday," and the sets are actual row houses, typical of the times and area. This gritty story plays out without cinematic distractions or any of the nauseating political correctness which has become "de rigueur" in today's films.

It has been said about music that a simple melody well played is far more beautiful than a symphony butchered. Similarly, one can say about film that a simple, believable story well told is far more captivating than a howler of a story tossed together with a dog's dinner of special effects. Think of this film in terms of Zen.

** I will say the very opening of the film with the haunting Celtic vocals by Enya and Clannad instantly caught my attention. At the time Enya was merely the vocalist in the family band, Clannad, and in 1981, was an unknown in North America. However, I knew immediately this was a voice destined for greatness. For Enya fans who only know her music, the "Theme to Harry's Game" refers to this marvelous film.

This is yet another example of the abysmal ignorance of marketing on the part of the British film industry. Evidently the owners of the property don't like making money. The only thing this film lacked was a marketing budget and someone to market it.

For film lover's who are disappointed by the dearth of North American releases of marvelous British, Aussie and European films, I would highly recommend purchasing a region free DVD player, and ordering your films from England. There are several sites which sell them very cheap. Also, if you like French cinema, set your browser to detect French language hits also when you search film titles. Lots of great used titles available on ebay.fr or amazon.fr.