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.

---

Plot Keywords:

nazi | covenant | swiss bank | death | suicide | 

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

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 film was made and released seven years after its source novel had been published in 1978.

---

Goofs

Michael Caine's New York apartment has stairs in front because a London location was used. Manhattan apartment houses do not have a flight of stairs in front.

---

Quotes

Manfredi: Mr. Holcroft, your father was a complicated man, and the word complicated doesn't begin to describe him.

---

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.

---

Connections

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

User Reviews

A watchable but not great thriller.

All of the elements for a great thriller are there. An outstanding director, John Frankenheimer, An excellent source author, Robert Ludlum and a great leading man for thrillers, Michael Caine. What went wrong? The biggest problem I had with this film was the cinematography. The film was grainy and the sub-titles were very hard to read when the actors were speaking German. There were plenty of the usual Ludlum plot twists and misdirections, but somehow the feel of this film was not up to the usual standards of Frankenheimer or Caine. A lot of it is just too kinky for most people, but an accurate portrayal of Berlin during the cold war years. It would have faired better had it been released ten years earlier rather than later. It does deserve an E for effort.