Bullet to Beijing (1995)

Director:

George Mihalka

Writer:

Harry Alan Towers (writer)

Release Date:

1995 (France)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A stolen biological weapon begins a high-stakes game of kill or be killed !

Plot:

A retired British spy is called back into service by his government to help prevent North Korea from getting its hands on a deadly virus called "The Red Death."

Plot Keywords:

1990s | British Spy | Russia | Russian Mafia | Former Soviet Union

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Anatoly Kulbitsky	...	Prof. Kulbitsky
Shaughan Seymour	...	Carruthers
Michael Caine	...	Harry Palmer
Corinna Richards	...	Policewoman
Tamara Timofeyeva	...	Elderly Woman
Jason Connery	...	Nick
Anatoli Shvedersky	...	Doctor
Helena Michell	...	Henrietta
Juliette Benson	...	Juliette
Patrick Allen	...	Col. Wilson
Sue Lloyd	...	Jean
Annika Bullus	...	Girl in Savoy Bar
Chris Tulloch	...	Attendant
Mia Sara	...	Natasha Gradetsky
Michael Gambon	...	Alex

Also Known As:

Beijing express (Canada: French title)
Len Deighton's Bullet to Beijing (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, nudity and language.

Runtime:

101 min | USA:122 min

Country:

Canada | UK | Russia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Astralcolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Harry Palmer Productions, Limited

Trivia:

While shooting in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Michael Caine and crew members received death threats from Russian crime lords.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the end credits roll at the end, Special Effects is spelled "Special Effets".

Quotes:

Harry Palmer: Is this Siberia?

Movie Connections:

References Funeral in Berlin (1966)

Only for HP fans. Even then, a disappointment

Like the majority of people brought up on The Ipcress File I was disappointed by sequels such as Billion Dollar Brain (yet to see Funeral in Berlin). This sequel is no exception. Although he has done some great stuff in his career, Mr Caine, a "working actor" who does not suffer luvvies and primadonnas gladly, has produced some real stinkers. This is one of them, although I have to say it was initially good to see Caine returning to the role after all these years (and he looks bloody good for 62 as well). There are some interesting scenes. At the beginning of the film when HP is spying on an embassy through some net curtains, you can see where the comedian, Paul Whitehouse, got the inspiration for "Michael Paine, the nosey neighbour." Apart from that, a disappointment and an unbelievable plot. And tell Jason Connery not to give up the day job.