The Holcroft Covenant (1985)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Robert Ludlum (novel)
George Axelrod (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Conspiracy | Architect | Inheritance | Trafalgar Square

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Noel Holcroft
Anthony Andrews	...	Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson
Victoria Tennant	...	Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson
Lilli Palmer	...	Althene Holcroft
Mario Adorf	...	Erich Kessler / Jürgen Mass
Michael Lonsdale	...	Ernst Manfredi
Bernard Hepton	...	Commander Leighton
Richard Münch	...	Oberst (as Richard Munch)
Carl Rigg	...	Anthony Beaumont
André Penvern	...	Frederick Leger (as Andre Penvern)
Andy Bradford	...	Hartman (as Andrew Bradford)
Shane Rimmer	...	Lt. Miles
Alexander Kerst	...	Gen. Heinrich Clausen
Michael Wolf	...	Gen. Erich Kessler
Hugo Bower	...	Gen. Wilhelm von Tiebolt

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | USA:R | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Lindau, Bodensee, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Trivia:

The voice of Bernie Sussman on Holcroft's answering machine is director John Frankenheimer.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During bookstore explosion, there is a film equipment generator clearly visible that was left in the shot.

Quotes:

Leighton: You must go to Geneva, as scheduled. And you must face the bastard. When the Covenant is signed, I will kill him, of course. Or you can, if you like.
Holcroft: I like!

A watchable but not great thriller.

All of the elements for a great thriller are there. An outstanding director, John Frankenheimer, An excellent source author, Robert Ludlum and a great leading man for thrillers, Michael Caine. What went wrong? The biggest problem I had with this film was the cinematography. The film was grainy and the sub-titles were very hard to read when the actors were speaking German. There were plenty of the usual Ludlum plot twists and misdirections, but somehow the feel of this film was not up to the usual standards of Frankenheimer or Caine. A lot of it is just too kinky for most people, but an accurate portrayal of Berlin during the cold war years. It would have faired better had it been released ten years earlier rather than later. It does deserve an E for effort.