Blue Ice (1992)

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers (WGA):

Ted Allbeury (character)
Ron Hutchinson (written by)

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

If Harry's past ever catches up with him, he won't live long enough to regret it.

Plot:

A former British secret service agent falls for an American woman and becomes entangled in a web of espionage.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Spy | Blackmail | Murder | Unfaithfulness

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Harry Anders
Sean Young	...	Stacy Mansdorf
Ian Holm	...	Sir Hector
Bobby Short	...	Buddy
Alun Armstrong	...	Osgood
Sam Kelly	...	George
Jack Shepherd	...	Stevens
Philip Davis	...	Westy
Patricia Hayes	...	Old Woman
Mac Andrews	...	Trans Cab Driver
Alan MacNaughton	...	Lewis Mandorf
Todd Boyce	...	Kyle
Peter Forbes	...	Medic
Peter Gordon	...	Mortuary Attendant
Oliver Haden	...	Stacy's Driver

Runtime:

105 min | USA:96 min (DVD)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

M&M Productions

Trivia:

'Ian Holm (I)' replaced Denholm Elliott.

Quotes:

Stacy Mansdorf: Why did they fire you?
Harry Anders: A Czech agent broke the rules, he hurt the wife of one of my sources. They asked me to ignore it. I couldn't.
Stacy Mansdorf: So, what happened?
Harry Anders: I took him up onto the roof of my office building.
Stacy Mansdorf: And?
Harry Anders: The Czech bounced.

Movie Connections:

References The Ipcress File (1965)

Soundtrack:

This Time The Dreams On Me

No, just packing a rod, actually.

Yes, it's a British action film and Sir Michael is rather too old and although he's a big man etc etc (see "Get Carter") to credibly do "action" in all its established forms including deeply impress hot chick (Sean Young) which by custom he is supposed to do. Reaction to it seems to be generous condemnation from domestic reviewers and moderate enjoyment elsewhere.

The film itself rather resembles its own torture scene - a series of flash-backs but in this case of a dozen and more earlier movies some of which starred Caine or Bob Hoskins (one with the torture scene starred Dick Powell). That is a mixed blessing - on the down side it has all been done and seen before, some as has been noted, in British budget made-for-TV series - themselves lifted and downsized from big screen originals. This though is where all resemblances to the likes of "The Sweeney" and "The Professionals" ends.

Here there's stars a-plenty, and a good British cast. Added to which is the lovely cinematography particularly of Soho night exteriors. Caine and Hoskins are inescapably stars and watchable whatever they do, this time they reprise some of their famous roles - Hoskins his star turn in "Long Good Friday." Caine "The Ipcress File and "Get Carter". Even Alun Armstrong gets it a second time doing a Caine a favour - thought he might have learnt by now. But audiences had left cinemas wanting more and here we have more. And no bad thing at all. Oh, one other thing, Harry Palmer didn't smile, Caine here does too much. Perhaps he was having too much fun and lacked a director willing to tell him. Remember what Roman Polanski is said to have said on the subject.