This TV movie or mini series is inspired from a novel which I have read, and the movie is rather faithful to the book. Anyway, every tale related to IRA is always worth, gritty, violent, gloomy. Elliott Gould, who is not the main lead here, is nevertheless the most interesting character, because the evil one, as Tom Cruise in COLLATERAL, or Donald Sutherland in EYE OF THE NEEDLE. But if you watch closely there are several main characters, but no real lead. I will insist on Gould's role, very riveting, where I remember him in Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE. I think there is something in common between those two performances; despite the fact that in 1971 he played a gumshoe and here a hired killer. But Gould is Gould. He appears a while after the opening scens and disappears before the end. Very strange but unusual.
3 Reviews
An IRA informer heads Down Under in protective custody which has a less than satisfactory safety record!
uds317 November 2001
Decent bit of intrigue here. Initially shown over two nights but also available in abridged video format. Having seen it again recently some twelve years or so after its original screening, it stands up quite well.
As was often the IRA modus operendi, a large bomb is detonated in central London during mid Christmas shopping. The same night, Michael McGurk gives himself up to British Police. In an attempt to protect both the family and the identity of their informant, the Police place McGurk under a witness-protection program, and send him out to Australia for relocation and integration.
The IRA however are understandably toey about this arrangement and hire a top US assassin to clean up their mess for them. Patrick Bergin is in fine form as McGurk and Elliot Gould has no reason to push himself to the limit as Callaghan, the assassin. This guy REALLY enjoys his work!
As I said at the outset, an eminently watchable caper, just a tad long!
As was often the IRA modus operendi, a large bomb is detonated in central London during mid Christmas shopping. The same night, Michael McGurk gives himself up to British Police. In an attempt to protect both the family and the identity of their informant, the Police place McGurk under a witness-protection program, and send him out to Australia for relocation and integration.
The IRA however are understandably toey about this arrangement and hire a top US assassin to clean up their mess for them. Patrick Bergin is in fine form as McGurk and Elliot Gould has no reason to push himself to the limit as Callaghan, the assassin. This guy REALLY enjoys his work!
As I said at the outset, an eminently watchable caper, just a tad long!
Inaccurate , Contrived And Full Of Plot Holes
Theo Robertson5 March 2003
Warning: Spoilers
!!!!!! SPOILERS !!!!!! - And no I`m not making any of this up
My first and only viewing of ACT OF BETRAYAL was way back in 1988 and it`s a sign of an extremely poor mini series that I can still remember all its flaws 15 years on
The central plot alone is a major problem: IRA man Michael McGurk turns supergrass after a bombing on London that leaves several civilians dead . He and his family are given safe haven to Australia under witness protection to start a new life and the IRA command in the Republic of Ireland hire an American hitman called Callaghan to kill the McGurk family . There are several obvious problems with this scenario. Didn`t McGurk ever realise that the provisional IRA are a terrorist organisation ? I`m just kind of curious as to why he was so angry about innocent civilians being killed when it has been happening for 20 years ? Perhaps he thought he joined GreenPeace by mistake ? And his naming names wouldn`t have led to IRA men being jailed as seen here . Internment in Northern Ireland had been stopped in the mid 1970s which meant for a conviction to be gained in terrorist trials in the province hard evidence such as forensics were needed to jail terrorists , statements from a supergrass would never stand up in a Northern Ireland court . And why would the IRA employ an American hitman ? I was under the impression they have their own execution squads . And there`s a factual error in having the IRA command in the Republic Of Ireland , since the split between the officials and provisionals in 1970 the provisionals IRA command has been based in the north not the republic .
As the plot goes on it gets more and more contrived , Michael starts an affair with some Aussie blonde with republican sympathies while his wife starts having strong feelings towards the special branch officer guarding them ( I guess that`s why the word betrayal features in the title ? ) , the officer goes home to Belfast where he is abducted and dies at the hands of the IRA who find a plane ticket from Australia and a cuddly toy Kangeroo which makes realise the McGurks are in Oz and via Michael`s extra marital lover who unknowingly gives away too much information Callaghan manages to track down the McGurks . Yes that`s right a massive country like Australia with a population of over 20 million people and a hitman can still track you down even though you`ve changed your identity and all because you fancied some extra marital sex with a blonde bimbo !
As far as I know ACT OF BETRAYAL was shown only once on British television and considering it makes PATRIOT GAMES and THE DEVIL`S OWN look like documentaries it was shown once too often
My first and only viewing of ACT OF BETRAYAL was way back in 1988 and it`s a sign of an extremely poor mini series that I can still remember all its flaws 15 years on
The central plot alone is a major problem: IRA man Michael McGurk turns supergrass after a bombing on London that leaves several civilians dead . He and his family are given safe haven to Australia under witness protection to start a new life and the IRA command in the Republic of Ireland hire an American hitman called Callaghan to kill the McGurk family . There are several obvious problems with this scenario. Didn`t McGurk ever realise that the provisional IRA are a terrorist organisation ? I`m just kind of curious as to why he was so angry about innocent civilians being killed when it has been happening for 20 years ? Perhaps he thought he joined GreenPeace by mistake ? And his naming names wouldn`t have led to IRA men being jailed as seen here . Internment in Northern Ireland had been stopped in the mid 1970s which meant for a conviction to be gained in terrorist trials in the province hard evidence such as forensics were needed to jail terrorists , statements from a supergrass would never stand up in a Northern Ireland court . And why would the IRA employ an American hitman ? I was under the impression they have their own execution squads . And there`s a factual error in having the IRA command in the Republic Of Ireland , since the split between the officials and provisionals in 1970 the provisionals IRA command has been based in the north not the republic .
As the plot goes on it gets more and more contrived , Michael starts an affair with some Aussie blonde with republican sympathies while his wife starts having strong feelings towards the special branch officer guarding them ( I guess that`s why the word betrayal features in the title ? ) , the officer goes home to Belfast where he is abducted and dies at the hands of the IRA who find a plane ticket from Australia and a cuddly toy Kangeroo which makes realise the McGurks are in Oz and via Michael`s extra marital lover who unknowingly gives away too much information Callaghan manages to track down the McGurks . Yes that`s right a massive country like Australia with a population of over 20 million people and a hitman can still track you down even though you`ve changed your identity and all because you fancied some extra marital sex with a blonde bimbo !
As far as I know ACT OF BETRAYAL was shown only once on British television and considering it makes PATRIOT GAMES and THE DEVIL`S OWN look like documentaries it was shown once too often
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