The Internecine Project (1974)

You won't be disappointed!

Excellent but underrated film

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Shrewd and unscrupulous former secret agent Prof. Robert Elliot (a marvelously ruthless portrayal by the always commanding and charismatic James Coburn) gets a chance to become a top adviser to the President of the United States. However, Elliot must devise a plan to eliminate four people who know about his shady past in order to achieve this goal. Capably directed by Ken Hughes, with a gripping and ingenious script by Barry Levinson and Jonathan Lynn, a steady pace, lively cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth, a gritty, serious, no-nonsense tone, a robust and rousing score by Roy Budd, a substantial amount of tension, several startling moments of savage violence (a shower murder set piece is especially harsh and shocking), a tough and cynical central theme about the vicious extremes some people will resort to so they can acquire true power, and a real corker of a surprise ending, this unjustly overlooked item sizes up as one extremely effective and engrossing affair. The first-rate cast helps matters a whole lot: Lee Grant as pesky reporter Jean Robertson, Harry Andrews as brutish misogynist Albert Parsons, Ian Hendry as the antsy and squeamish Alex Hellman, Michael Jayston as the reluctant David Baker, Christiane Kruger as the sultry Christina Larsson, and Keenan Wynn as evil businessman E.J. Farnsworth. Moreover, the cold stream-lined efficiency of Elliot's brilliantly diabolical scheme gives this picture an extra potent and chilling edge. Recommended viewing.

The movie begins (and ends) like a political movie,a la Pakula .But if the "hero" is blamed for butchering democracy ,the essential is a thriller ,some very special "domino theory" .To get rid of some people who become embarrassing,the professor (a spy) ,pushes the "divide and rule" concept to its absolute limits and ,although completely implausible (all works out much too well) , displays an implacable logic in his sinister plans.Probably not great,but not derivative,and rather gripping.Main objection: Lee Grant's character is almost useless and her would be feminist journalist is only decorative.

This largely forgotten film from the darkest days of the British film industry probably deserves to be better known, if only for the fact that it manages to make a long sequence in which one man sits alone in a room waiting for the phone to ring quite suspenseful.James Coburn plays Robert Elliott, a former secret agent who must erase all evidence of his dirty past before taking a job as adviser to the US president. That past comes in the form of four former colleagues – nervy diabetic Ian Hendry, misogynistic cat-lover Harry Andrews, scientist Michael Jayston and call-girl Christiane Kruger. Eliot hits upon the ingenious idea of getting each of his intended victims to do the deed for him, leaving him completely unconnected to the murders. It's a fairly unique idea, and quite well-handled with some quirky characters thrown in (not of least of which is Harry 'A *woman*, Sir?' Andrews), and it is to writer Barry Levinson's credit that he manages to stretch what is a fairly thin plot over a reasonable running time without losing the viewer's interest.The ending belongs in a James Bond movie – although given the recent murder of a dissident Russian journalist, maybe that's not quite true – but it is a delicious pay-off and a fitting fate for an urbane character who is totally lacking in scruples.

I'm amazed that THE INTERNECINE PROJECT has received less than 100 votes . I saw it a couple of times in the early 1980s and despite not seeing it for almost 25 years it's still lodged in my mind as being a clever thriller . Perhaps I shall never watch it in case it's not as good as I remember . The plot centres around former secret agent Robert Elliot ( Played suavely by James Coburn in one of his best roles) gaining a White House promotion , just the first step in a long and successful political career . There's just one thing and that is there's several people who know about Elliot's past and Elliot can't allow his dirty secrets to be revealed by anyone I won't reveal the plot but it's smart and there's a twist at the end . But for me the best part of the movie is where Elliot visits the home of military veteran Albert Parsons played by Harry Andrews . Parsons and his collection of cats warmly greet Elliot , but it's obvious by his mannerism that Elliot has something on his mind : " We've got a problem " " A problem sir ? " asks Parsons " It's to do with a woman " Parsons is shocked " A WOMAN SIR ? " Elliot rubs his chin and studies Albert " She's a sort of high class whore " By now Parsons is having convulsions and spitting his hatred " THEY'RE ALL WHORES THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM , YOU CAN'T TRUST ANY THEM SIR , NOT ANY OF THEM " Hmmm I wonder if Albert Parsons is a repressed homosexual ?