Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story (2002) (TV)

Director:

Lawrence Schiller

Writer (WGA):

Norman Mailer (written by)

Release Date:

10 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

He betrayed his family, friends, and country. Why?

Plot Keywords:

Polaroid | Double Agent | Stripper | Cold War | Washington D.C.

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

William Hurt	...	Robert P. Hanssen
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Bonnie Hanssen
David Strathairn	...	Jack Hoschouer
Ron Silver	...	Mike Fine
Hilit Pace	...	Priscilla Galey
Alexander Kalugin	...	Oleg Kalugin
Lev Prygunov	...	Leonid Vladimirovich Shebarshin
Scott Gibson	...	Richard Timber
Cara Pifko	...	Jane Hanssen
Wayne Knight	...	Walter Ballou
Peter Boyle	...	Howard Hanssen
Dmitry Chepovetsky	...	Fatelov (as Dmitri Chepovetsky)
Lubomir Mykytiuk	...	Degtyar
Barry Flatman	...	Leroy Wauck
Nola Augustson	...	Frances Wauck
Kate Trotter	...	Vivian Hanssen
Bruce Hunter	...	Mack
Colin Fox	...	Westchester Priest
Frank Moore	...	Agent Bunky
Oleg Kalugin	...	Himself
Terra Vnesa	...	Sue Hanssen (as Terry Vnesa)
J.D. Nicholsen	...	Firing Range Instructor
Jack Langedijk	...	FBI Man at Party
Brian Paul	...	Blue Flamer
Ryan Price	...	Bob Hanssen: age 6
Chris Owens	...	Oath Reader
John Boylan	...	FBI Official
Geri Hall	...	FBI Wife at Party
Neil Crone	...	Big FBI Man
Lawrence Schiller	...	Wedding Photographer
Vadim Pozharskiy	...	KGB Student #1 (as Vadim Pozharsky)
Aleksey Yasulovich	...	KGB Student #2 (as A. Yasulovich)
Aleksei Borzunov	...	KGB Student #3 (as Aleksey Borzunov)
Sarah Lafleur	...	Kimberly Lichtenberg
Eugene Lipinski	...	Stanislav Andropov
Jim Black	...	FBI Garage Guard
Yvonne Gaudry	...	Strip Club Waitress
Sharlene Yuen	...	Jack's Wife
Craig Eldridge	...	Father Tierney
Arnold Pinnock	...	Reggie
Bill Lake	...	Father Bill
Jason Knight	...	Young Jack Hannsen
Jasmine Ellis	...	Lisa Hanssen
Mark Joy	...	D.C. Agent
John Bourgeois	...	Agent
Michael Louis Johnson	...	Strip Club MC
Elizabeth Griffin	...	Stripper
Ned Vukovic	...	Bakutin
Zeljko Kecojevic	...	Russian Soldier
Adam Silver	...	Agent Armaman
Svetlana Dzenis	...	Stripper
Joe Nascimben	...	Man In Park
Johnie Chase	...	Policeman
James Carroll	...	Briefing Officer
Tony Munch	...	Surveillance Officer
Jacqueline Pillon	...	FBI Agent
J.C. Kenny	...	TV Anchor (as JC Kenny)
Brendan Connor	...	TV Anchor
Stewart Arnott	...	Judge
Brian Kaulback	...	Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daniel Caudle	...	Robert Hanssen's son
Enrique Chicas	...	FBI Agent
Sabine Mièl Fischer	...	Priscilla Galey (voice)
Markus Alexander	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
John Henry Canavan	...	Gun Store Clerk (uncredited)
Kevin Caudle	...	Hanssen Kid (uncredited)
Jeffrey Coleman	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Rick Kain	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Aaron Michael Lacey	...	Russian Guard (uncredited)
Doug Lennox	...	Mr. Hanssen Sr. (uncredited)
David Macniven	...	Special Agent Johnston (uncredited)
Cameron Mitchell Jr.	...	CIA Affiliate Who Leads Tour (uncredited)
Christopher Redman	...	Robert Hanssen (20) (uncredited)
Melissa Jane Shaw	...	Student (uncredited)
Brittany Starkman	...	Girl in Park (uncredited)
Kathryn Zenna	...	Elizabeth (uncredited)

Directed by
Lawrence Schiller

Writing credits (WGA)
Norman Mailer		(written by)

Produced by
Chris Danton	....	line producer
Kay Hoffman	....	producer
Norman Mailer	....	executive producer
Lawrence Schiller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Laurence Rosenthal

Cinematography by
Alan Caso

Film Editing by
Anne Goursaud
William B. Stich

Casting by
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Clare Walker

Production Design by
Michael Baugh

Art Direction by
Greg Chown

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk

Costume Design by
Denise Cronenberg

Makeup Department
David R. Beecroft	....	hair stylist: William Hunt
Paul Huntley	....	wig maker
Todd Kleitsch	....	make-up artist: William Hurt
Cathy Shibley	....	key hair stylist
Tara Smith	....	hair stylist: Mary-Louise Parker
Geralyn Wraith	....	makeup artist: Mary-Louise Parker

Production Management
Chris Danton	....	unit production manager
Daniel Hank	....	unit production manager: Washington, DC
Randall Larsen	....	unit production manager: Hawaii
Bruce A. Pobjoy	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yolanda Graci	....	second assistant director
Doron Loeb	....	third assistant director
Elizabeth Long	....	trainee assistant director
Tony Lucibello	....	first assistant director (as Anthony Lucibello)
Chris Petrou	....	third assistant director
Dmitriy Stroyev	....	second assistant director
Kurt Uebersax	....	second assistant director
David 'Wex' Wechsler	....	first assistant director
Vladimir Zhelezniakov	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Scott Ejercito	....	property assistant
Dar Higden	....	set dresser
Tom Jung	....	storyboard artist
Derrick Kardos	....	photo manipulation
Matthew Lammerich	....	key scenic artist
Erin Leslie	....	scenic artist
Chris Pellegrini	....	property master (as Chris Pelligrini)
Donald Vandewater	....	construction coordinator (as Don Vandewater)

Sound Department
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Fisher	....	sound effects editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Bob Goold	....	dialog editor
Thomas Hidderley	....	sound recordist (as Tom Hidderley)
Andy Peach	....	post-production sound recordist
Randal S. Thomas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Laird McMurray	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Aaron Michael Lacey	....	stunt driver
Duncan McLeod	....	stunt double: William Hurt
Dimitri Pavlakos	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Kathy Amerman	....	still photographer
Mark Cowden	....	best boy electric
John Duke	....	dolly grip
Dave Ferguson	....	key grip (as Dave Fergie Ferguson)
Brian Gedge	....	camera operator
John Hickey	....	first assistant camera
Scott Inge	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera: Washington D.C.
Edward Lipscombe	....	key rigging grip
Walter Lipscombe	....	best boy rigging grip
Rob Nardi	....	best boy grip
Becky Parsons	....	second assistant camera
Danny Rosner	....	key grip
John Sztejnmiler	....	generator operator
Franco Tata	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Sidra Smith	....	casting associate
Clare Walker	....	casting: Toronto

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natalie Bronfman	....	assistant costume designer
Brenda Gilles	....	costume supervisor
Kathe James	....	costume supervisor (Hawaii )

Editorial Department
Lynn Abroms	....	assistant editor
Emyr G. Graciano	....	post-production assistant
Sean Sforza	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Sowa	....	digital color timer (2002)

Music Department
Orr Rebhun	....	assistant music editor (as Orr Ravhon)
Shie Rozow	....	music editor
Curt Sobel	....	composer: song "Kings"

Transportation Department
Richard Gaal	....	driver: set decoration
Bruce McLean	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	armorer
Stephanie Lee Berger	....	weapons handler
Albert Botha	....	production consultant
Cindy Capps	....	technical advisor
Rusty Capps	....	technical advisor
Patricia Cowmeadow	....	set supervisor
Katherine Dorrer	....	assistant location manager: Washington D.C.
Carol Flaisher	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Mitch Glick	....	assistant: Miss Hoffman
Niko Godfrey	....	production assistant: Washington D.C.
Barbara Gregson	....	film researcher
R. Emerson John	....	daily script supervisor
Wes Johnson	....	photo double: "Ballou"
Redd Knight	....	production coordinator
Sophia Lansky	....	additional voices
Rachel Leko	....	production assistant
Sandra Lum Lock	....	production accountant
Stephanie Lovell	....	set production assistant: Washington, DC
Carlos Lozano	....	legal advisor
Neil Lumlock	....	location manager (as Neil Lum Lock)
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
David Major	....	technical advisor
Paul Moore	....	technical advisor
Kevin Nakatsuka	....	production assistant
George Ploszczansky	....	assistant location manager
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor
Catherine Sample	....	assistant production coordinator
Stefan Steen	....	travel coordinator
Willem Wennekers	....	production secretary
Amy Wright	....	choreographer
Ken Arnold	....	stand-in: William Hurt (uncredited)
Rick Kain	....	stand-in: Ron Silver (uncredited)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Fox Television Studios
• Lawrence Schiller Productions
• Oakdale Productions Inc.

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2002) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Television

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance and research
• Centre for Counter-Intelligence and Security Studies  technical advice
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• Hand Prop  props supplied by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, nudity and brief violence

Runtime:

200 min | USA:123 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Hawaii, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The real Robert Hanssen was allowed to watch this film by his jailers, but he was so angered by it that he turned it off.

Movie Connections:

Version of Breach (2007)

Fascinating and Complex but Deeply Reactionary Film

This film contains one of William Hurt's best performances and anybody who is an acting fan in general or a William Hurt fan in particular will enjoy it.

I thought that the ideology of the film was quite complex, but ultimately dishonest and reactionary. The film wants to convince us that Robert Hanson was only a strange mentally-ill man who betrayed his family, friends, religion, colleagues and country. They have little sympathy for his painful situation.

If one looks at the facts that the story presents, instead of the way the movie presents them, this is clearly not the case. Hanson has to choose between his family, friends and religion and his government and job. He chose his family, friends and religion over his job and his government. He was simply a very intelligent man in an incredibly difficult position. If he had not sold secrets to the Soviet Union and Russians, he could not have afforded the lifestyle to maintain his family, friends and religion. His alternative was to lose his job and everything he loved most in life. His choice can be seen as incredibly courageous on some level.

The producer Lawrence Schiller and the writer Norman Mailer are very rich men who do not have to worry about making money every day (as Hanson did).

The film deserves credit for at least raising some quite interesting lines of defense for Hanson. For example, the film brings up the point that it is possible that his actions of helping the Soviets and Russians actually made the world a safer place and saved the world from nuclear catastrophe. The film should have seriously considered that in betraying his country, he may have saved the human race. Instead, the film presents this as merely one more fantasy on the part of Hanson.