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The Secret Agent

  • 19961996
  • RR
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Patricia Arquette and Bob Hoskins in The Secret Agent (1996)
London of the late 19th century is a haven for political exiles of all sorts - refugees, partisans, anarchists. Verloc has made his living spying for the Russian government, an agent provocateur of sorts, while simultaneously providing information to the London police, specifically Chief Inspector Heat. When the new Russian ambassador demands he prove his worth or lose his salary, Verloc sets off a tragic chain of events that involves his pretty young wife Winnie, her intellectually disabled brother Stevie, and a figure called the Professor, whose fascination with explosives and destruction makes him the person to call on when Verloc needs a bomb.
Play trailer1:43
1 Video
12 Photos
  • Drama
  • Thriller
London of the late 19th century is a haven for political exiles of all sorts - refugees, partisans, anarchists. Verloc has made his living spying for the Russian government, an agent provoca... Read allLondon of the late 19th century is a haven for political exiles of all sorts - refugees, partisans, anarchists. Verloc has made his living spying for the Russian government, an agent provocateur of sorts, while simultaneously providing information to the London police, specifical... Read allLondon of the late 19th century is a haven for political exiles of all sorts - refugees, partisans, anarchists. Verloc has made his living spying for the Russian government, an agent provocateur of sorts, while simultaneously providing information to the London police, specifically Chief Inspector Heat. When the new Russian ambassador demands he prove his worth or los... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Christopher Hampton
  • Writers
    • Joseph Conrad(novel)
    • Christopher Hampton
  • Stars
    • Bob Hoskins
    • Patricia Arquette
    • Gérard Depardieu
Top credits
  • Director
    • Christopher Hampton
  • Writers
    • Joseph Conrad(novel)
    • Christopher Hampton
  • Stars
    • Bob Hoskins
    • Patricia Arquette
    • Gérard Depardieu
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 28User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
    • 41Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:43
    Trailer

    Photos12

    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    Robin Williams in The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)
    The Secret Agent (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bob Hoskins
    Bob Hoskins
    • Verlocas Verloc
    Patricia Arquette
    Patricia Arquette
    • Winnieas Winnie
    Gérard Depardieu
    Gérard Depardieu
    • Ossiponas Ossipon
    Jim Broadbent
    Jim Broadbent
    • Chief Inspector Heatas Chief Inspector Heat
    Christian Bale
    Christian Bale
    • Stevieas Stevie
    Roger Hammond
    Roger Hammond
    • Mr. Michaelisas Mr. Michaelis
    Eddie Izzard
    Eddie Izzard
    • Vladimiras Vladimir
    Ralph Nossek
    • Yundtas Yundt
    Neville Phillips
    Neville Phillips
    • Ticket Clerkas Ticket Clerk
    Elizabeth Spriggs
    Elizabeth Spriggs
    • Winnie's Motheras Winnie's Mother
    Peter Vaughan
    Peter Vaughan
    • The Driveras The Driver
    Julian Wadham
    Julian Wadham
    • The Assistant Commissioneras The Assistant Commissioner
    Louis Costa
    • Beggar Boyas Beggar Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Toby Hinson
    Toby Hinson
    • Studentas Student
    • (uncredited)
    Robin Williams
    Robin Williams
    • The Professoras The Professor
    • (uncredited)
    Fred Wood
    Fred Wood
    • Man Jostled in Alley ( by 'The Professor')as Man Jostled in Alley ( by 'The Professor')
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Christopher Hampton
    • Writers
      • Joseph Conrad(novel)
      • Christopher Hampton
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bob Hoskins was originally set to direct as well.
    • Quotes

      The Professor: Pull yourself together. Remorse is for the weak and weakness is the source of all evil on this Earth. There's a time coming - and it's gonna be sooner rather than later - when this will be understood by governments and individuals: that there can be no progress and no solutions until you make a rational decision to exterminate the weak.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Aliens vs. Predator 2 (2001)

    User reviews28

    Review
    Top review
    An interesting plot but an uneven delivery make for an average if watchable film
    London in the late 19th Century is a haven for all manner of political exiles. Verloc is an anarchist who has spent years in the employment of the Russian Government as a spy while also providing information to the London police. When Vladimir, the new Russian ambassador demands that Verloc start to prove his worth by bombing selected targets. Without a choice but to act, Verloc starts in motion a chain of events that will end with a bombing but hurt himself and his family in the process as it is only a matter of time before the police can find him – unless his "colleagues" can silence him first.

    Although the plot is fairly enjoyable, it is the delivery of the film that somehow stops it being anything more than interesting. The simple tale shuns the political detail that could have come and centres on the emotional drama around Verloc and his family, but it doesn't totally succeed in doing this to the point where it is enough to make the film work. The construction is good enough; Verloc's position is quite tense and the consequences had the potential to be quite impacting but it somehow never becomes as interesting as the material suggests it would. Part of this is the delivery, that is a bit uneven and unsure of itself but the most obvious weakness is the acting.

    Hoskins does as well as he can, but spread over the uneven material he comes over as a bit unsure of what he is meant to be doing. Regardless though, he is a big part of me sticking with the film as his character is effective. Of course, sharing his scenes with Arquette can only serve to make Hoskins look like a master of his trade in the same way that Arquette's make her look like some talentless waitress who was sleeping with the director (not that she was of course). Her accent is terrible of course, but this is only one failing in a performance that is wooden, emotionless and totally unconvincing. Support from Depardieu, Broadbent, Izzard, Bale and others adds colour and the impression of depth but none of them really work that well – Broadbent and Izzard in particular seem to add a slight comic touch that doesn't really fit. Williams has a small role but it is effective and memorable – just a shame that he seems to almost be in an entirely different film from the main narrative.

    Overall this is an OK film that is interesting enough to be worth seeing but it is hard to shake the feeling that nobody was totally sure what to do with it and the end result shows an uneven hand on the tiller. Hoskins helps it but Arquette is pitiful and the famous support cannot make up for her being so bad in so central a role.
    helpful•20
    7
    • bob the moo
    • May 2, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 8, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Agente secreto
    • Filming locations
      • Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Capitol Films
      • World Film Music Limited
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $106,606
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $25,909
      • Nov 10, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $106,606
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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