The Tailor of Panama (2001)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

John Boorman

Writers (WGA):

John le Carré (novel)
Andrew Davies (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 March 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

In a place this treacherous, what a good spy needs is a spy of his own.

Plot:

A tailor living in Panama reluctantly becomes a spy for a British agent.

Plot Keywords:

Panama | Spy | Tailor | President | Debt

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 25

3:35 AM

MAX

Cast

Pierce Brosnan	...	Andrew 'Andy' Osnard
Geoffrey Rush	...	Harold 'Harry' Pendel
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Louisa Pendel
Leonor Varela	...	Marta
Brendan Gleeson	...	Michelangelo 'Mickie' Abraxas
Harold Pinter	...	Uncle Benny
Catherine McCormack	...	Francesca Deane
Daniel Radcliffe	...	Mark Pendel
Lola Boorman	...	Sarah Pendel
David Hayman	...	Luxmore
Mark Margolis	...	Rafi Domingo
Martin Ferrero	...	Teddy, the Reporter
John Fortune	...	Maltby
Martin Savage	...	Stormont
Edgardo Molino	...	Juan-David

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, language and some violence.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | Ireland

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Brendan Gleeson, who plays Mickie Abraxas, is actually Irish. He dyed his naturally red hair black and wore brown contact lenses to complete his transformation into a Panamanian.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Andy is dancing with Francesca for the first time at the outdoor bar/restaurant, her sunglasses at one point are almost completely falling off the back of her head; when the shot moves to close up, they are back on the top of her head.

Quotes:

Louisa Pendel: Do you love her?
Harry Pendel: Yes, I love her. But I have never *made* love to her.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Taylor of Atlanta (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Two Oceans Salsa

Exciting and Cynical, LeCarre at His Best

There are no heroes or villains in "The Tailor of Panama," only exploiters and victims. Some may be turned off by the cynical tone of the film. For example, Andy Osnard, the British secret agent, played by Pierce Brosnan (who else?) is a scheming sociopath, not a patriotic hero. The title character, Harry Pendel, played by Geoffrey Rush, is a liar and an ex-convict. Don't be put off by these flawed characters, though. In the great tradition of John LeCarre's characters, these devious, selfish people are endlessly interesting -- and believable. I suspect that those who did not like this film reacted as they did because of a lack of heroes and because the outcome of the machinations it depicts are sadly grotesque. Nevertheless, this is the thinking person's spy movie. Highly recommended, 8 out of 10.