Le quatrième protocole

Original title: The Fourth Protocol

1987
R
1h 59m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

12K

YOUR RATING

Pierce Brosnan and Michael Caine in Le quatrième protocole (1987)

John Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "special relationship" between the two countries.

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Dark Comedy Spy Thriller

John Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "spe... Read allJohn Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "special relationship" between the two countries.John Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "special relationship" between the two countries.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

12K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Videos2

Trailer 2:20

Trailer

Clip 3:00

The Fourth Protocol Clip

Clip 3:00

The Fourth Protocol Clip

Photos41

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9:57

Storyline

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Trivia
Sir Michael Caine and author Frederick Forsyth had been friends for around ten years prior to this movie. In the three earlier filmed adaptations of Forsyth novels, Caine was never selected to be in them. So the two decided to raise the financing themselves, so as to make sure they could work on a movie together. The two are billed as executive producers on this movie.

Goofs
In the NCO club, a US Air Force Chief Master Sargent is standing behind Ross with his hat on. When indoors and in uniform military members are required to remove their hats (except for armed guards and other special conditions). In most on-base clubs, this breach of protocol would require the offender to buy a round for the house.

Quotes
George Berenson: [George just found out that his South African contact is a Russian spy] Oh my God... what have I done?
Sir Nigel Irvine: You've betrayed your country. You've passed on untold numbers of military secrets to Moscow, and endangered the lives of British men and women. And I'd say you've weakened NATO. Perhaps irretrievably.
George Berenson: Oh my God...
Sir Nigel Irvine: Just you, and your schoolboy politics, and your idiotically conceited faith in your own importance.
[pause]
Sir Nigel Irvine: Now some of our more muscular colleagues would like to lock you in a cell and go to work on you with a carving knife and a pair of pliers. The rest would like to feed you to the newspapers and throw whatever's left into prison for 20 years. It's a tricky choice.
[Smiles ever so slightly, pauses]
Sir Nigel Irvine: However, this is what you will do. You shall resume your special relationship with Moscow, but this time I will be supplying the papers. Do you understand?
[George nods]
Sir Nigel Irvine: And later, when you are finished, we will decide what to do with you.
George Berenson: [very shakily] I'm very grateful, Nigel.

Alternate versions
The version shown on British Television contains all the violence but is missing one entire scene involving Michael Caine knocking out two racially abusive skinheads on an underground train. The scene was reinstated for the BBC1 showing on 8th February 2006.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Big Easy/The Fourth Protocol/No Way Out/Tampopo (1987)

Soundtracks
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 47
(uncredited)
(excerpt from 1st movement: Allegro moderato)
Composed by Jean Sibelius

User reviews59

Featured review

8/10

great film

some comments on this film have stated that there are unnecessary killings of agents or witnesses, this is done to show the politics of the film and how there must be no trace back to those who planned the operation, whilst also portraying that petrofsky is a lethal killer, and as Caine says in the film "the best". A great story, and very believable, spies that remain hidden from each other and no excruciating scene where the bad guy reveals his plot to the good guy. Would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the operation had turned out differently, or the ending for that matter!

Of course one of the best things about this film is the acting as previously stated by other people. Caine brings his character to life and is very believable in the role of John Preston, the agent who cares, and will "bend" the rules to make sure things get down. Brosnan is similarly good, his character will stop at nothing to complete his mission, he is a stone cold killer and this is portrayed well, he doesn't let anything get in the way of the mission.

All in all a very good little film, much better than some of the tripe we get from Hollywood and with one of the finest British casts i've seen in some time.