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The Tailor of Panama

  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
29K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Promotional Poster
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer1:59
1 Video
64 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Thriller

A tailor living in Panama reluctantly becomes a spy for a British Agent.A tailor living in Panama reluctantly becomes a spy for a British Agent.A tailor living in Panama reluctantly becomes a spy for a British Agent.

IMDb RATING
6.1/10
29K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Boorman
  • Writers
    • John le Carré(novel "The Tailor of Panama")
    • Andrew Davies(screenplay)
    • John Boorman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Pierce Brosnan
    • Geoffrey Rush
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Boorman
  • Writers
    • John le Carré(novel "The Tailor of Panama")
    • Andrew Davies(screenplay)
    • John Boorman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Pierce Brosnan
    • Geoffrey Rush
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 220User reviews
    • 68Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    The Tailor of Panama
    Trailer 1:59
    The Tailor of Panama

    Photos64

    Pierce Brosnan and Jamie Lee Curtis in The Tailor of Panama (2001)
    Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush in The Tailor of Panama (2001)
    Louisa Pendel (Jamie Lee Curtis) harbors suspicions about smooth British spy Andrew Osnard (Pierce Brosnan)
    Charming but ruthless British spy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) attempts to seduce Louisa Pendel (Jamie Lee Curtis), the wife of the Cockney ex-con turned tailor he is hoping to recruit
    Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush, left), a Cockney ex-con turned popular tailor to the rich and powerful of Panama, is preyed upon by ruthless, charming British spy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan)
    ierce Brosnan stars as ruthless British spy Andrew Osnard
    Tailor Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush, right) may be known for his fine suits, but British spy Andrew Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) has more than haberdashery to discuss with the ex-con
    The Tailor of Panama (2001)
    Director John Boorman
    Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush in The Tailor of Panama (2001)
    Promotional One Sheet
    Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush in The Tailor of Panama (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pierce Brosnan
    Pierce Brosnan
    • Osnardas Osnard
    Geoffrey Rush
    Geoffrey Rush
    • Harryas Harry
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Louisaas Louisa
    Leonor Varela
    Leonor Varela
    • Martaas Marta
    Brendan Gleeson
    Brendan Gleeson
    • Mickie Abraxasas Mickie Abraxas
    Harold Pinter
    Harold Pinter
    • Uncle Bennyas Uncle Benny
    Catherine McCormack
    Catherine McCormack
    • Francescaas Francesca
    Daniel Radcliffe
    Daniel Radcliffe
    • Markas Mark
    Lola Boorman
    • Sarahas Sarah
    David Hayman
    David Hayman
    • Luxmoreas Luxmore
    Mark Margolis
    Mark Margolis
    • Rafi Domingoas Rafi Domingo
    Martin Ferrero
    Martin Ferrero
    • Teddyas Teddy
    John Fortune
    John Fortune
    • Maltbyas Maltby
    Martin Savage
    Martin Savage
    • Stormontas Stormont
    Edgardo Molino
    • Juan-Davidas Juan-David
    Jon Polito
    Jon Polito
    • Ramon Ruddas Ramon Rudd
    Jonathan Hyde
    Jonathan Hyde
    • Cavendishas Cavendish
    Dylan Baker
    Dylan Baker
    • Dusenbakeras Dusenbaker
    • Director
      • John Boorman
    • Writers
      • John le Carré(novel "The Tailor of Panama") (screenplay)
      • Andrew Davies(screenplay)
      • John Boorman(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Women have been MI.6. agent Andy Osnard's weakness. As punishment for being caught sleeping with the wrong woman on his last posting in Spain, Andy is relegated to the global backwater of Panama as his next field assignment. Although nothing is happening there on the surface, Panama is still seen as having global importance due to the canal, with something always possible to rock the boat as seen by the recent history of the corrupt regime of Manuel Noriega. The advice of his superior is to co-opt one of the only few hundred British nationals living there to act as an informant for pay. Andy chooses Harry Pendel, a men's-suits tailor with Savile Row credentials through his now deceased business partner Arthur Braithwaite. This choice is because of Harry's client list, he the tailor to the elite and powerful, including the Panamanian president, who might treat him like the proverbial "bartender" or "hairdresser" confidante, and because his American wife, Louisa, works in a senior managerial position within the canal authority. But what may have swayed Andy's choice the most is that he knows the truth about Harry: that he not only does not have Savile Row credentials, but is an ex-con, Arthur Braithwaite was his Uncle Benny, also a criminal, and that despite his tailor shop doing good business, he is deep in debt from a farming venture gone wrong, none of this known to Louisa. As such, Harry has no choice but to cooperate; the payment from Andy at least gets him out of his farm debt. As a side, Harry also has some connections to people who actively worked in the opposition against Noriega: Mickie Abraxas, who has turned to the bottle to cope, and Harry's store manager Marta, the right side of her face which shows the physical scars of that war, the scars at the hands of Noriega's men. With Andy placing more and more pressure on Harry to provide intel of some importance, Andy eventually learns through Harry that the Panamanian government is planning on selling the canal to the Chinese. This intel is exactly what Andy was looking for to set in motion a plan to reach his ultimate goal with this Panamanian posting. —Huggo
    • espionage
    • watching tv
    • nipple slip
    • female nudity
    • fondling
    • 149 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A first-class thriller from John Boorman - director EXCALIBUR and DELIVERANCE.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong sexuality, language and some violence
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to director John Boorman's audio commentary, Geoffrey Rush smokes, whereas Pierce Brosnan doesn't, while Brosnan's character Osnard smokes, and Rush's character Harry doesn't. So in the breaks between scenes, often Brosnan would put his cigarette out at the same time Rush would light up.
    • Goofs
      In the high level intelligence briefing scene, the ribbons on General Dusenbaker's (Dylan Baker) uniform are displayed incorrectly.
    • Quotes

      Harry Pendel: Welcome to Panama, Casablanca without heroes.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Say It Isn't So/Wit/The Brothers/The Tailor of Panama/The Gleaners and I (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Todavía Cantamos
      Written by Víctor Heredia

      Performed by Rita Connolly

    User reviews220

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Good, entertaining and worthwhile, but not quite great
    Geoffrey Rush is excellent as Harry, an Englishman with a sadly shady past who has re- invented himself in Panama as the best tailor in the country, making clothes for the rich and politically powerful. Into his world comes Osnard, played by Pierce Brosnan. A morally corrupt, self-serving MI6 spy, sent to Panama as a last chance after seducing a Euro diplomats wife.

    Many were bowled over by the irony of casting Brosnan, so associated with James Bond, as this much realer, creepier Bond alter ego. A man who is handsome, and self-confident, but whose endless seduction of women seems smarmy not sexy, and who delights in screwing other people while profiting himself.

    For me the casting was actually problematic. Brosnon's terrific, but the irony is so distractingly obvious, that it pulled me out of the story, and made me think too much about film and our hero images instead of simply accepting the character. Beyond that, Osnard is drawn a little too broadly for my taste. He's so transparent, I have a hard time he gets anyone to trust him even for a moment. If his inner self-serving pig were a bit better hidden, it might have given the audience more to unravel, and make other characters' willingness to do his bidding a bit easier to buy.

    The mix of tones also was a bit of a misfire for me. Never quite darkly funny enough to ascend into true satire, but certainly never edgy enough to be taken seriously, there's a lack of danger here. Unlike 'Dr. Strangelove', we never really think Harry and Osnard's games will reduce Panama to a pile of rubble, and the intimation of it seems false and a bit silly.

    Yet, all that complaining is because the movie is good enough, smart enough, brave enough and entertaining enough that I felt frustrated it didn't quite work as brilliantly as is should. But I'd certainly still recommend it, in spite of my long winded misgivings, and I'm also willing to give it another look.
    helpful•14
    3
    • runamokprods
    • Nov 18, 2012

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    Photos

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 30, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Ireland
    • Official site
      • Production Notes
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • John le Carré's the Tailor of Panama
    • Filming locations
      • Gatun Lake, Panama
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Merlin Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $21,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $13,729,742
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,837,068
      • Apr 1, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $28,008,462
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital EX
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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