Product: Tailor of Panama [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 4.0
Oh what a tangled web we weave.....
The story opens as British secret agent Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) is sent to Panama in disgrace. The cynical agent is determined to profit from his exile and enlists tailor Harry Pendel into his scheme. Pendel runs the highly sucessful Panama branch of the old Saville Row tailoring firm of Braithwaite's. Unfortunately for Pendel Osnard knows that there is no British firm of that name, and that Harry learned his tailor skills while in prison, serving time for a scheme planned by Pendel's shady uncle. Pendel has managed to lie his way into respectable society in Panama, he is tailor to many members of the government, including the President, and has managed to marry well and raise a family. In order to protect all he has Harry lies to Osnard, but this only compounds the problems.This is an intriguing story, showing not the glamorous or James Bond adventure type of spy story, but more of the gritty Harry Palmer - Ipcress File sort of tale. Neither Pendel nor Osnard is particularly sympathetic, each has led the way to their destruction by their own misdeeds. The women in their lives are using the men for their own purposes, the government officals, Panamanian, British and American are all either corrupt or stupid or both.The dvd includes some extras, including a director's commentary, an alternate ending and a short featurette that are interesting.Jamie Lee Curtis turns in an excellent performance as Pendel's wife and fans of Daniel Radcliffe are treated to a brief, but well done pre Harry Potter performance.This is not a 'fun' movie, it takes a certain amount of effort to follow the plot twists, to catch the subtle nuiances of the various characters but it is beautifully filmed, well acted and definitely worth the effort.