The Secret Agent (1996)

Director:

Christopher Hampton

Writers:

Joseph Conrad (novel)
Christopher Hampton (written by)

Release Date:

8 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

London of the late 19th century is a haven for political exiles of all sorts - refugees, partisans, anarchists...

Plot Keywords:

Anarchy | Betrayal | Sabotage | Spy | Based On Novel

Cast

Bob Hoskins	...	Verloc
Patricia Arquette	...	Winnie
Gérard Depardieu	...	Ossipon
Jim Broadbent	...	Chief Inspector Heat
Robin Williams	...	The Professor (as George Spelvin)
Christian Bale	...	Stevie
Roger Hammond	...	Mr. Michaelis
Eddie Izzard	...	Vladimir
Ralph Nossek	...	Yundt
Neville Phillips	...	Ticket clerk
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Winnie's mother
Peter Vaughan	...	The Driver
Julian Wadham	...	The Assistant Commissioner

Also Known As:

Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent
Agente secreto, El (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Agent secret, L' (France) [fr]
Agente Secreto, O (Portugal) [pt]
Anarkistit (Finland) [fi]
Joseph Conrads Der Geheimagent (Germany) [de]
Secret Agent (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for some moments of violence.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:16 | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | UK:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Bob Hoskins was originally set to direct as well.

Quotes:

Stevie: Then... then what... what are they there for, Winnie?
Winnie: The police are there so as them as have nothing can't take nothing away from them as have a lot.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Aliens vs. Predator 2 (2001) (VG)

Worth watching through.. don't bail out in the middle.

I'm constantly amazed how well Conrad is adapted by modern film makers. The political intrigue can be mostly ignored, as it is slight and not very interesting. What this movie does well is depict human emotions and reactions in difficult situations, and here is where the well picked cast delivers. Robin Williams is unbilled, but provides a fascinating character study of a true anarchist which contrasts nicely against Bob Hoskins' unwilling agent role. I was beginning to grow tired in the middle of the film, thinking the shallow political action was the ending, but the later intense focus on the human reactions and struggles following the incident do a wonderful job of drawing you back in.