The Good Shepherd (2006)

Director:

Robert De Niro

Writer (WGA):

Eric Roth (written by)

Release Date:

22 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Edward Wilson believed in America, and he would sacrifice everything he loved to protect it.

Plot:

The tumultuous early history of the Central Intelligence Agency is viewed through the prism of one man's life.

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star | Bigotry | Blood | Family Relationships | Secret

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. May 28

7:00 PM

MAX

Cast

Matt Damon	...	Edward Wilson
Angelina Jolie	...	Margaret 'Clover' Russell
Alec Baldwin	...	Sam Murach
Tammy Blanchard	...	Laura
Billy Crudup	...	Arch Cummings
Robert De Niro	...	Bill Sullivan
Keir Dullea	...	Senator John Russell, Sr.
Michael Gambon	...	Dr. Fredericks
Martina Gedeck	...	Hanna Schiller
William Hurt	...	Philip Allen
Timothy Hutton	...	Thomas Wilson
Mark Ivanir	...	Valentin Mironov #2
Gabriel Macht	...	John Russell, Jr.
Lee Pace	...	Richard Hayes
Joe Pesci	...	Joseph Palmi

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

167 min | Russia:139 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | German | Russian

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | USA:R (certificate #43094) | Ireland:15A | Norway:15 | UK:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Denmark:15 | Australia:M | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Malaysia:18PL | Germany:12 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:M18 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:15 | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | New Zealand:M | South Korea:18 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

49-51 Chambers Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Dr. Ibanez (played by Marcos Cohen) bears some similarities, and is probably a reference to Jacobo Arbenz (president of Guatemala from 1951-1954).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the Valentin Mironov #1/Yuri Modin character first contacts Wilson's office in 1953 (film insert), one of the agents claims "man is senior officer KGB...", but the KGB was founded in March 1954 (former MVD, MGB, GPU).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Miriam: You are safe here with me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in De Niro: A Self Portrait (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Embraceable You

Not for the dim or distracted, an outstanding film.

Not for the dim or distracted, this outstanding trans-generational exploration of father/son paranoia and betrayal fueled by unresolved oedipal turmoil takes us on a historical tour of US Intelligence from the OSS of World War II to the Bay of Pigs. Acting, editing and directing are all superb. The characters are complex and vital, and the relationships textured.

No narrative spoon-feeding here. The viewer shares in the protagonist's bewilderment of who's who and what's what, which may be more than the viewer bargained for. If a second screening is needed to sort out the nuance of it all, consider it well worth the cost of the ticket. -Doug