Product: The Whistle Blower [VHS] (1987)
Rating: 3.0
Political drama? Perhaps. Taut espionage thriller? Hardly
This reviewer has not read John Hale's novel. An Amazon.com editorial review notes the book is not a spy thriller but rather, "a sad commentary on corruption in intelligence circles." One shouldn't expect "the excitement of a Forsyth, Ludlum, or Higgins."The 36-year-old Nigel Havers (who has a viable "family-resemblance" to his "father" Frank) portrays a 28-year-old Bob Jones. As one intelligence eavesdropper remarks, Bob is a "self-righteous little prick." How true. Bob is a Russian language specialist at British intelligence GCHQ. Despite age and experience, his world view is a 17-year-old's. He sees lies and paranoia throughout GCHQ. "Nothing is as it is made out to be." Bob sees "burglary, bribery, blackmail, drug trafficking ... (even) murder!" (the horror, the horror). Why, (he says) "Our secret world is on exactly the same tack as theirs." British intelligence is as corrupt as the Americans' and the Russians.' Despite patriotic father Frank's (Michael Caine) advice to not rock the boat and either continue this necessary and important work quietly; or at least exit gracefully; Bob plans to quit with a whistle-blowing bang, thereby being a "man in the white hat" who "always wins in the end," thus saving England, perhaps the world.To add insult to injury, Bob is also stucking his acquaintance Alan's wife, Cynthia, married with child, presumably Alan's. This stucking may be a factor in Alan's death: Cynthia had just so advised Alan, telling Bob that Alan took it "terrible." Was it carbon monoxide suicide or perhaps another GPSC murder? We'll never know, but it apparently has a big effect on paranoid Bob. It's also difficult to see what (beyond plot requirements) Cynthia sees in Bob (or for that matter what he sees in her): Alan was better-looking than Bob and an extroverted but faithful reveler to boot, though admittedly with unsavory political connections.The film succeeds brilliantly if intended to portray Bob an ideological idiot. Indeed, Bob gets his just deserts after just 45 grueling minutes, markedly improving the film's gene pool in the process, likely not the reaction intended. And that is the principal problem with this film. Induced by the script, Havers does well but his portrayal so poisons the water that it is difficult for subsequent sympathetic engagement. Even worse, the bad guys' performances and motivations are so strong (if Bob carries out his threat, he'll create a first magnitude British intelligence failure) that the film risks making them the true white hats despite their government-sanctioned murderous intentions! In this sense, the film has a refreshing ambiguity.Prolog being over, the story gets down to brass tacks. Bob's grieving father Frank tries to find out why Bob died and if he can do anything about it. He risks getting acquaintances bumped off just before they can spill the beans (a time-honored movie tradition). And when Frank confronts someone about Bob's (and others') deaths, the intelligence folks are so (literally) wired in that they know all about it and other "private" and politically sensitive conversations Frank and son had as they strolled through "safe" terrain. (Watch for the guy with the "suitcase" and ear phones, the nearby upper floor open window, the trailing taxi, the brief glimpse of a major player at the subway "accident".) But when Frank finally confronts someone much higher in the food chain, presumably under more intense scrutiny, said agents must be out to lunch, conveniently facilitating a plot twist.The performances of Caine, Barry Foster as Charlie Gregg, Kenneth Colley as Pickett and the several intelligence agents (including James Fox and Gordon Jackson, with character names like "Lord" and "Bruce" never occurring in conversation) are actually quite good, as is John Gielgud (as always) who's lesser supporting role as Sir Adrian Chapple has pretty limited screen time. The dual-sided DVD presents both a widescreen (16x9) and a pan scan version. The widescreen picture and sound are generally satisfying. The pan scan version is surprisingly crisp and pleasing.