The Debt (I) (2010)

1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.

Director:

John Madden

Writers:

Matthew Vaughn (screenplay), Jane Goldman (screenplay),

Stars:

Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds

8 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helen Mirren	...	Rachel Singer (Tel Aviv 1997)
Tom Wilkinson	...	Stephan Gold (Tel Aviv 1997)
Ciarán Hinds	...	David Peretz (Tel Aviv 1997)
Romi Aboulafia	...	Sarah Gold (Tel Aviv 1997)
Tomer Ben David	...	Sarah's Husband (Tel Aviv 1997)
Ohev Ben David	...	Sarah's Son (Tel Aviv 1997)
Jonathan Uziel	...	Mossad Agent (Tel Aviv 1997)
Elana Kivity Davenport	...	Publisher (Tel Aviv 1997)
Eli Zohar	...	Stephan's Driver (Tel Aviv 1997)
Irén Bordán	...	Seminar Moderator (Tel Aviv 1997)
Jessica Chastain	...	Young Rachel (Berlin 1965)
Marton Csokas	...	Young Stephan (Berlin 1965)
Sam Worthington	...	Young David (Berlin 1965)
Jesper Christensen	...	Doktor Bernhardt / Dieter Vogel (Berlin 1965)
Brigitte Kren	...	Frau Bernhardt / Nurse (Berlin 1965)

Storyline

The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1965, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished - or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.

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Plot Keywords:

mossad | secret | nazi war criminal | secret agent | nazi hunter | 

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Taglines:

Every secret comes with a price

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK Hungary

Language:

English German Russian

Release Date:

31 August 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Al filo de la mentira

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$9,949,109 (USA) (2 September 2011)

Gross:

$31,146,570 (USA) (28 October 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films, Marv Films, Pioneer Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tom Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds had both worked previously with Helen Mirren on the TV hit series Prime Suspect Wilkinson in season 1, and Hinds in season 3. Hinds had also worked with Mirren on The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and they played husband and wife in Calendar Girls.

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Goofs

When Rachel is been driven in the car in Israel, a green Egged bus is reflected in her sun glasses. Until the end of the '90s all of Egged's buses were red or white with faded red stripes and the company did not change the color of its buses to green until after 2000 but the scene takes place in 1997.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Young Stephan: Breathe.

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Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 21 September 2011 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Leila"
Written by Dol Dauber, Beda (Fritz Löhner-Beda)
Performed by Bruno Majcherek
Courtesy of Marlstone Music

User Reviews

Great Movie

A movie that is entirely driven by the plot is refreshing these days. The script is well written and the acting very good. The dialog and interaction between the Dr. form Birkenau and the more troubled of the 3 young agents builds up in great narrative drama. The twists in the plot keep coming. Everything falls into place, even the somber air of the characters at the start of the movie. To me, the movie really starts with the first twist in the story, a good 45 minutes into the film. Your mind has got to reset the sequence. I thought this is getting interesting.

Will those who you love the most, prefer your trophies or your truth? Mirren's character choice was clear. I enjoyed this film very much, it does actually make you think. How often does that happen these days?