The Holcroft Covenant (1985)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Robert Ludlum (novel)
George Axelrod (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Covenant | Architect | Conspiracy | Diplomatic Pouch

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Noel Holcroft
Anthony Andrews	...	Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson
Victoria Tennant	...	Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson
Lilli Palmer	...	Althene Holcroft
Mario Adorf	...	Erich Kessler / Jürgen Mass
Michael Lonsdale	...	Ernst Manfredi
Bernard Hepton	...	Commander Leighton
Richard Münch	...	Oberst (as Richard Munch)
Carl Rigg	...	Anthony Beaumont
André Penvern	...	Frederick Leger (as Andre Penvern)
Andy Bradford	...	Hartman (as Andrew Bradford)
Shane Rimmer	...	Lt. Miles
Alexander Kerst	...	Gen. Heinrich Clausen
Michael Wolf	...	Gen. Erich Kessler
Hugo Bower	...	Gen. Wilhelm von Tiebolt

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | USA:R | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Albert Bridge, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Trivia:

James Caan walked off the production the day before filming started. John Frankenheimer had to film around his absent lead character until Michael Caine was hired as a replacement. With time on his hands director Frankenheimer shot extra footage of the assassins in the Geneva ferry scene.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During bookstore explosion, there is a film equipment generator clearly visible that was left in the shot.

Quotes:

Noel Holcroft: You know what I think, don't you? I think I should get a gun. There are a lot of crazy people about, and they're all attracted to me.

Great action sequences let down by a bad screenplay

The Holcroft Covenant have as far I know only received bad reviews... Knowing that, I nonetheless bought the film on DVD out of curiosity. I've a fondness for bad movies and I have an affection for the espionage genre.

The Holcroft Covenant is based on the novel by Robert Ludlum . I've read a couple of his novels and they can be, if one is in the right sort of mood, exciting.

The thing one has to remember is that Ludlum's novels is about conspiracies and complicated plots and not about characters. They are plot driven. And that more than often does not make for a compelling movie experience. Somehow that was not taken into account when the transition from novel to screenplay was made.

When you go to the movies you want to care about the people in it. That's basically a film's measure of success. And thus The Holcroft Covenant fails.

But John Frankenheimer is not the one to blame. Based on the material he was given, he made a fairly interesting movie which showcases his talent as an action director. At times excellent, but not overwrought like most of the action movies are today. But apart form the scenery and the action-sequences, the films weak point lies in its characters.

They are neither very believable nor interesting enough to hold your attention. Even the star of the movie Michael Caine, a seasoned heavyweight in the espionage genre, seems out of sync in this one.

If you don't expect too much , you'll be moderately entertained. But knowing that the film is made by veteran craftsmen like John Frankenheimer and George Axelrod, one tends to be a bit disappointed.

All in all I gave The Holcroft Covenant 6 out 10

Kind regards, paul