Intrigue (TV 1988)

A spy is looking for his old colleague who now works for the other side.

Director:

David Drury

Writers:

Robert L. Collins (screenplay), Robert L. Collins (story),

Stars:

Scott Glenn, Robert Loggia, William Atherton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scott Glenn	...	Crawford
Robert Loggia	...	Higbe
William Atherton	...	Doggett
Martin Shaw	...	Roskov
Cherie Lunghi	...	Adriana
Eleanor Bron	...	Sophia
Paul Maxwell	...	Esterbrook
William Roberts	...	Merriman
Don Fellows	...	O'Brian
Blain Fairman	...	Geneva Station Chief
Philip O'Brien	...	Secretary of State
Bozidar Smiljanic	...	T.V. Reporter (as Bozo Smiljanic)
Sanja Plepelic	...	Michelle
Slobodan Dimitrijevic	...	Security Man
Marija Kohn	...	Soprano

Storyline

A spy is looking for his old colleague who now works for the other side.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | secret | made for cable tv | cia | agent | 

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 September 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Intriga

Filming Locations:

Yugoslavia

Company Credits

Production Co:

CPT Holdings Inc., Columbia Pictures Television, Crew Neck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Whilst our man is waiting to have his papers checked, we see a fax arriving in the guard house. The fax machine is clearly a small thermal unit typical of the era - but we hear the sound of a dot-matrix printer.

User Reviews

very sturdy, simply plotted, character driven espionage thriller

I have to agree with vhsiv's analysis, but I think that a bigger budget would only spoil it, rather than enhance it. I think this is more typical of actual espionage, where most clandestine operatives aren't memorable faces, and that's what casting tried to do and achieved by picking Glenn and Loggia. Most people probably couldn't name -both- of these actors.

Having Matt Damon or Ben Affleck would only focus the viewer on the actor rather than the character. Basically, Glenn and Loggia look like people I see on the Metro everyday, just your average guys. It's not perfect, but I'd watch it first if it came on, definitely a priority pick.

This is along the same lines as "The Jigsaw Man" and the Harry Palmer flicks done by Michael Caine, or solid cold war character fiction done in the late '60s and '70s, a la "The Defector" or "The Naked Runner" or "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold."

Two pervasive elements of intrigue are timing and opportunity, and this movie shows that mission success is intimately tied to both. The pacing may be off, but so is combat, and the slower parts are used for character development and background, and they don't detract from the film.

The art gallery owner was a good pick, also. A nice, attractive Italian woman with depth. Poor old Atherton, though, he's never going to break out of that over-achiever dweeb role.