The Fourth Protocol (1987)

John Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "special relationship" between the two countries.

Director:

John Mackenzie

Writers:

George Axelrod (screen story), Richard Burridge (additional material)

Stars:

Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Ned Beatty

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	John Preston
Pierce Brosnan	...	Valeri Petrofsky / James Edward Ross
Ned Beatty	...	Borisov / Pavel Petrovic
Joanna Cassidy	...	Irina Vassilievna
Julian Glover	...	Brian Harcourt-Smith
Michael Gough	...	Sir Bernard Hemmings
Ray McAnally	...	General Karpov
Ian Richardson	...	Sir Nigel Irvine
Anton Rodgers	...	George Berenson
Caroline Blakiston	...	Angela Berenson
Joseph Brady	...	Carmichael
Betsy Brantley	...	Eileen McWhirter
Sean Chapman	...	Captain Lyndhurst
Matt Frewer	...	Tom McWhirter
Jerry Harte	...	Professor Krilov

Storyline

K.G.B. Agent Major Valeri Petrofsky has been reassigned at the request of the K.G.B. Chairman for a secret mission wherein he is sent to England to establish a residence near an American military base and receive various items from couriers from the U.S.S.R. John Preston is the top British spy catcher, currently at odds with his superior because he doesn't lick his boots. After he conducts an operation without his superior's permission which caused his superior some embarrassment, he is reassigned to the menial task of overseeing airports and ports. One day, one the couriers Petrofsky was expecting comes off of a freighter and has an accident which leaves him dead. Preston is informed by the pathologist that the man is not a seaman, so Preston goes through his things and finds that he was carrying something which he is told is an atomic bomb component. Preston now suspects that someone is bringing in parts for an atomic bomb, his superior doesn't want to let Preston be proven right, ...

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Plot Keywords:

dead body in a bathtub | british | kgb | russian | england | 

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Taglines:

If the Fourth Protocol is ever breached, there would be no warning, just a nuclear explosion from a bedsitter...The unthinkable has just begun...

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

El cuarto protocolo

Filming Locations:

Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,636,831, 30 August 1987

Gross USA:

$12,423,831

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,423,831

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fourth Protocol

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The spy movie that Pierce Brosnan made before becoming James Bond in GoldenEye (1995). Ironically, it was the same year that The Living Daylights (1987) was released. That was the Bond movie, for which Brosnan was originally cast, but in the end, could not do, due to his contract being picked up for further episodes of Remington Steele (1982).

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Goofs

As the van pulls out of the traffic it has no number plate, then as it rides down the hill a smashed one is visible on the front bumper.

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Quotes

General Karpov: Govershin need not last forever.
Borisov: [Realizing what Karpov is suggesting] I want to die in my bed.

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Alternate Versions

The version shown on British Television contains all the violence but is missing one entire scene involving Michael Caine knocking out two racially abusive skinheads on an underground train. The scene was reinstated for the BBC1 showing on 8th February 2006.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: The Living Daylights/Maid to Order/The Lost Boys/Stakeout (1987)

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Soundtracks

We Shall Overcome
(uncredited)
Musical and Lyrical adaptation by Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan and Pete Seeger
Sung by the protesters at the air force base

User Reviews

great film

some comments on this film have stated that there are unnecessary killings of agents or witnesses, this is done to show the politics of the film and how there must be no trace back to those who planned the operation, whilst also portraying that petrofsky is a lethal killer, and as Caine says in the film "the best". A great story, and very believable, spies that remain hidden from each other and no excruciating scene where the bad guy reveals his plot to the good guy. Would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the operation had turned out differently, or the ending for that matter!

Of course one of the best things about this film is the acting as previously stated by other people. Caine brings his character to life and is very believable in the role of John Preston, the agent who cares, and will "bend" the rules to make sure things get down. Brosnan is similarly good, his character will stop at nothing to complete his mission, he is a stone cold killer and this is portrayed well, he doesn't let anything get in the way of the mission.

All in all a very good little film, much better than some of the tripe we get from Hollywood and with one of the finest British casts i've seen in some time.