"The Fourth Protocol" is a gripping, intelligent and very good Cold War espionage thriller. It was produced by the Rand Organization and premiered in London in March of 1987, opening in late summer in the U. S. A. The film is based on the 1984 novel of the same title by English author Frederick Forsyth. He is a master story teller of espionage, political thrillers and mysteries. "Protocol" is one of five such films that were based on or adapted from Forsyth novels, the others being "The Day of the Jackal" in 1973, "The Odessa File" in 1974, "The Dogs of War" in 1980, and "The Jackal" of 1997, which was based on the 1973 movie.
This story has a more purposeful, deliberate screenplay that includes a considerable look at discovering and tracking suspected spies, as well as the detailed work of spies smuggling in parts and then assembling an atomic bomb. It's more intelligent than many films that are heavy with action and have much less discovery.
In this story, there is dissent among some of the heads of Soviet agencies. Generals Karpov and Borisov are worried and wonder what the head of the KGB is up to. Comrade Govershin has been stripping Borisov's department of his best people. Only later will they learn of the KGB chief's plot to explode an atomic bomb in England. It will be blamed on a mistake by the U. S. Air Force which flies nuclear-armed aircraft out of its base in the U. K. That will lead to Britain ousting the Americans, with hopes for the demise of the NATO Treaty and pact.
At the same time, there is dissent among the top level British intelligence heads. Brian-Harcourt Smith heads an agency in which John Preston is assigned. Preston is Britain's best intelligence brain. Harcourt-Smith is the envious type who is more concerned about his own recognition than getting the job done. Preston is the opposite. Fortunately, the head of them all, Sir Bernard Hemmings, and another department head, Sir Nigel Irvine, support Preston in his efforts to sniff out Soviet spies. All of this is clearly shown up front in the film, but the intrigue and action follow in the Russians trying to carry out their mission and the British intelligence sniffing out, tracking and trying to stop the plot.
All of the cast are very good. Michael Caine is John Preston and Pierce Brosnan plays Valeri Petrofsky, the best Soviet agent who gets the special mission to explode the atomic bomb in England. A subtle aspect of this film is the portrayal of Soviet mistrust and the KGBs little regard for the lives of its own agents and citizens. It secretly instructs some of its own agents to kill one another.
Forsyth's novel and this film came out just before the end of the Cold War. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and just four years after this film, the Soviet Union was dissolved. Still, these espionage films are very interesting. There were some real spy stories based on real spies during World War II and in the Cold War, so many of the public were interested in and enjoyed these type of films. I am such a fan. And those who know some of the history will recognize and appreciate the inclusion in the opening, of Kim Philby. He was one of the most famous real spies, a double agent, for the Soviet Union from well before WW II and well into the Cold War. He was one of the Cambridge Five of Soviet agents within the ranks of British intelligence and foreign service. Philby tipped off colleagues Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean who fled to the USSR in 1951. Then, he himself fled to Moscow in 1961. The film shows Philby as a Russian colonel who gets killed on order by Govershin. But, in reality he was still alive and died the next year in Moscow, at age 76.
This is a very good spy thriller. Comic book fans will probably find it too slow. But many in the modern audiences should still enjoy it.
This story has a more purposeful, deliberate screenplay that includes a considerable look at discovering and tracking suspected spies, as well as the detailed work of spies smuggling in parts and then assembling an atomic bomb. It's more intelligent than many films that are heavy with action and have much less discovery.
In this story, there is dissent among some of the heads of Soviet agencies. Generals Karpov and Borisov are worried and wonder what the head of the KGB is up to. Comrade Govershin has been stripping Borisov's department of his best people. Only later will they learn of the KGB chief's plot to explode an atomic bomb in England. It will be blamed on a mistake by the U. S. Air Force which flies nuclear-armed aircraft out of its base in the U. K. That will lead to Britain ousting the Americans, with hopes for the demise of the NATO Treaty and pact.
At the same time, there is dissent among the top level British intelligence heads. Brian-Harcourt Smith heads an agency in which John Preston is assigned. Preston is Britain's best intelligence brain. Harcourt-Smith is the envious type who is more concerned about his own recognition than getting the job done. Preston is the opposite. Fortunately, the head of them all, Sir Bernard Hemmings, and another department head, Sir Nigel Irvine, support Preston in his efforts to sniff out Soviet spies. All of this is clearly shown up front in the film, but the intrigue and action follow in the Russians trying to carry out their mission and the British intelligence sniffing out, tracking and trying to stop the plot.
All of the cast are very good. Michael Caine is John Preston and Pierce Brosnan plays Valeri Petrofsky, the best Soviet agent who gets the special mission to explode the atomic bomb in England. A subtle aspect of this film is the portrayal of Soviet mistrust and the KGBs little regard for the lives of its own agents and citizens. It secretly instructs some of its own agents to kill one another.
Forsyth's novel and this film came out just before the end of the Cold War. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and just four years after this film, the Soviet Union was dissolved. Still, these espionage films are very interesting. There were some real spy stories based on real spies during World War II and in the Cold War, so many of the public were interested in and enjoyed these type of films. I am such a fan. And those who know some of the history will recognize and appreciate the inclusion in the opening, of Kim Philby. He was one of the most famous real spies, a double agent, for the Soviet Union from well before WW II and well into the Cold War. He was one of the Cambridge Five of Soviet agents within the ranks of British intelligence and foreign service. Philby tipped off colleagues Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean who fled to the USSR in 1951. Then, he himself fled to Moscow in 1961. The film shows Philby as a Russian colonel who gets killed on order by Govershin. But, in reality he was still alive and died the next year in Moscow, at age 76.
This is a very good spy thriller. Comic book fans will probably find it too slow. But many in the modern audiences should still enjoy it.