The Holcroft Covenant (1985)

The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Robert Ludlum (novel), George Axelrod (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Caine, Anthony Andrews, Victoria Tennant

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	Noel Holcroft
Anthony Andrews	...	Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson
Victoria Tennant	...	Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson
Lilli Palmer	...	Althene Holcroft
Mario Adorf	...	Erich Kessler / Jürgen Mass
Michael Lonsdale	...	Ernst Manfredi
Bernard Hepton	...	Commander Leighton
Richard Münch	...	Oberst (as Richard Munch)
Carl Rigg	...	Anthony Beaumont
André Penvern	...	Frederick Leger (as Andre Penvern)
Andy Bradford	...	Hartman (as Andrew Bradford)
Shane Rimmer	...	Lt. Miles
Alexander Kerst	...	Gen. Heinrich Clausen
Michael Wolf	...	Gen. Erich Kessler
Hugo Bower	...	Gen. Wilhelm von Tiebolt

Storyline

Noel Holcroft is a foreign-born American citizen working in New York City as an architect. In Geneva he meets with a respected Swiss banker who tells him he has been designated to be executor of a huge 4 1/2 billion dollar trust fund designed to make reparations for the war crimes of the Nazis. Holcroft's father, who committed suicide in 1945, was a key Hitler financial advisor who became conscience-stricken about German war atrocities, turned against the Fuehrer, and covertly diverted Nazi funds to a secret Swiss account. Under the terms of the covenant Holcroft must locate the sons of his father's two associates so they can jointly activate their fathers' account. They battle the sinister forces seem to be trying to prevent them from signing the document as it is believed that it will be used to establish a Fourth Reich.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | covenant | swiss bank | death | suicide | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German Serbian

Release Date:

18 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Holkroftova pogodba

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$151,627, 20 October 1985, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$393,825

Company Credits

Production Co:

Holcroft Films,Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of the book shop in Berlin was "Holcroft's Book Store".

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Goofs

In the latter part of the film, it is said that the Covenant has cost six lives, but the body count at that time is nine.

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Quotes

Noel Holcroft: [after one man is stabbed, another shot, a a third brushes past him with a bloody hand] What happened?
Manfredi: The world is full of lunatics shooting each other in the streets.

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Alternate Versions

International prints open with "The Cannon Group Presents" as the first title. This was because Cannon were in the process of taking over Thorn EMI -- the studio behind the pic.

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Connections

Referenced in Edición Especial Coleccionista: Los Teleñecos en el espacio (2011)

User Reviews

Oh Why Did They....

This muddled movie offers another insight into what happens when rather good film makers overstay their talents.

The well known director, writers, and actors, all disappoint in a film that's terrible from start to finish. When a feature offers up the names of several writers (known for far better work) you could be forgiven for assuming that one of them, has been brought in to attempt to fix the mess of another - and here, it shows painfully. For a film from the mid eighties, it has the look of something made a decade earlier.

Michael Cain playing Michael Cain, at times looks as if he's not sure if he is working on the right set (or understands the script). Other main leads are equally unconvincing. The only notable performance comes from the always reliable Lilli Palmer, who's simply wasted in her role as Cains mother. In one sequence the terrible script (and director) has her hysterically crying about her poor 'shop window' after a car has plowed into it...leaving several innocent by-standers lying tragically 'crushed to death ' in front of her! James Cann, did himself a huge favor when he walked out on this one.

A marginally interesting original idea lurches from one unbelievable situation to the next within an unintentionally laughable screenplay adaptation. For those who don't want to take its serious plot seriously, it might pass with a push, but it'll be a big push. Sorry, but not this time. Local telecaster Gem Australia, who often run marvellous vintage classics put this to air as a very blotchy telecine transfer (as they unfortunately often do with some of their classics). It's poor when a HD Digital channel uses sub standard transfers. Looks like they just don't care. KenR.