Windsor Protocol (TV 1996)

Director:

George Mihalka

Writers:

Jack Higgins (novel), David Preston (teleplay),

Stars:

Kyle MacLachlan, Macha Grenon, Chris Wiggins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kyle MacLachlan	...	Sean Dillon
Macha Grenon	...	Catherine
Chris Wiggins	...	Sir Charles Ferguson
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Lenny
John Colicos	...	Gerhardt Heinzer / Albert Greenfield
Vlasta Vrana	...	Hardy's Aide
Sonia Benezra	...	Altina Morales
Eugene Clark	...	Vice President Anson Powers
James Bradford	...	Sir Reginald Welland
Lorne Brass	...	Lead Terrorist
Ken Pogue	...	Peter Pruitt
Serge Houde	...	Montreal Police Captain
Tom Rack	...	Dr. Harold Flegg
Colin Fox	...	FBI Agent James K. Smith
John Maclaren	...	Jenkin

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

A fallen evil empire is about to rise again. Only one man can stop it.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some language and nudity

Details

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jack Higgins' Windsor Protocol

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Telescene Productions, Visionview Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Sean Dillon leaves Montreal to go to the Miami strip club he is still in Montreal as all the business signs are still in French.

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Connections

Followed by Thunder Point (1998)

User Reviews

Give 'The Windsor Protocol' a very, very wide berth and see something else.

The Windsor Protocol, made in 1996, surfaces from time-to-time on TV networks and as such, I strongly recommend giving this dud a wide berth. The story penned by novelist Jack Higgins centres on the notion that a new dawn for the Nazi era will result in the coming of The Fourth Reich. Somehow, and how is not entirely clear, this secret Nazi ring has squirreled away "billions" to finance their forthcoming rise to power. The architect of the Arian movement is the dark and wizened man who goes by two names Gerhardt Heinzer / Albert Greenfield (played by John Colicos). Heinzer is as mad as a hatter and lets no-one come between himself and the quest for world domination. The slightly mad plot thickens as he possesses a secret document – The Windsor Protocol – which apparently is of the highest Nazi authority (from Hitler) to start killing with abandon. The document also contains names and numbered bank accounts. One might assume that with "billions" in secret global accounts Heinzer would have massive armies at his disposal, but all his dirty deeds are carried out by one henchman.

Meanwhile, the Protocol plan is to install American Senator Joplin Hardy (Alan Thickle) as the dark regime's puppet President. Through him they intend to control the world. Heinzer has a hold over the Senator, using blackmail, and unless he plays the piper's tune his financial misdeeds and hand in illicit black ops will be exposed. Heinzer also tells the Senator he must agree to his "unsuitable" leggy fiancé meeting with a terminal accident. The weak willed Senator agrees – apparently she is disposable. He desires the Presidency more than a new wife.

In steps our 'hero', a ruff, roguish British spy… namely agent Sean Dillion (Kyle MacLachlan). As is the norm with these sort of films we are supposedly led to believe only Dillion can save the day. There's little he cannot find out in two seconds flat: who the bad guys are, where they hang out, the very existence of the secret Windsor Protocol, endless information, all without doing any work (his techie literate doting secretary Lenny does all that!). To demonstrate how tough he is Dillion is frequently beaten up and causes mayhem wherever he drives. So he races around following Heinzer, supposedly in disguise but does so very conspicuously in residential areas, amateurishly wearing dark glasses and a leather jacket, standing out like a sore thumb assuming he won't be noticeable – but still manages to fail when his quarry walks around the first hedge and disappears! How incompetent is that for a hero? Clear now? Well, no… I doubt anyone is. The story is muddled. Quite honestly, by this point you might be forgiven for thinking that lifelong catatonia might is preferable to watching the rest of this movie.

Worse still, none of the characters are in the least engaging. Whilst they deliver their lines very competently, speak clearly, are backed up with unintrusive music, and the camera work is actually solid – nothing makes this story gel or take off. It hardly bodes well for a film's quality when the good guys fall dead you think 'oh good!' One farcical scene late in the film involves the henchman chasing Lenny into a cul-de-sac where the only cover is Dillion's van. Totting a gun and ready to shoot her he looks inside, and under the vehicle but it doesn't occur to him the only place left for her to hide is lying flat on the van's roof. He walks away and Lenny does a visible 'Whew'.

The conclusion must be…. despite Director George Mihalka who has notched 40 films on his CV – the direction of this celluloid nonsense is pitiful.

Naturally Dillion personally outwits and outmuscles Heinzer and the lone henchman, resulting in the Windsor Protocol being burned for good measure. However, in a well told story all the loose ends should be tied up but no-one seems to care that those "billions" are not found or recovered. Well, if no-one wants them, I'll have them as compensation for watching this mindless pap. And if you movie buffs out there are still intent on eventually catching this movie, please don't say I didn't warn you.