Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within (1998) (TV)

Director:

John Mackenzie

Writer (WGA):

Michael Burton (written by)

Release Date:

29 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Fact-based story about a 90's espionage case that was chronicled as the worst case of espionage in US history...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Timothy Hutton	...	Aldrich Ames
Joan Plowright	...	Jeanne Vertefeuille
Elizabeth Peña	...	Rosario Ames
C. David Johnson	...	Brooks
Eugene Lipinski	...	Vlad
Robert Benedetti	...	Chief of Operations
Patricia Carroll Brown	...	Connie Drucker
Joyce Gordon	...	Sandy Grimes
Mike Shara	...	Tim Brett
Daniel Magder	...	Paul Ames
Dwight McFee	...	Harris
Alan McCullough	...	Nash
Michael Rhoades	...	George
Géza Kovács	...	Sergei Chuvakhin
Ivo Founey	...	Divokulsky

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:16 (video premiere) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

York University, North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Meat and potatoes spy movie, could use a bit more suspense

I love spy flicks and this time we have Hutton revisiting a similar role to his character in Falcon and the Snowman although he's in a vehicle that doens't treat us to the action and intrigue that Falcon had. This one is more of a meat and potatoes offering. This movie is based on the real Aldrich Ames, who was the CIA operative who sold secrets to the Russians as the Cold War was winding down in the late 80s. Hutton does well as Ames as we see the character become disillusioned not with the idea of democracy, but with how the system operates. Ames does not quite fit in with the ex-frat boys he is working with but takes his lumps as he is passed over in being promoted. Obviously more intelligent than most of his cohorts, he becomes dismayed at how his ideas are put aside to make room for decisions based on policy rather than policy based on information gathered from intelligence operations. The movie glosses over parts of the story and details that might have made it more suspenseful. Hutton might be a bit young to for the role of a burnt-out career government worker, but it doesn't detract that much from the story. Pena also does well as his Columbian wife but her role is somewhat diminished by lack of screen time. And there is a little old lady who plays a consultant to the CIA that is given the task of figuring out who the spy is. She and her crack team of old hens suprised me with their no-nonsense, dogged determination to get to the bottom of the thing. As far as spy movies go, this one is ok. I liked it, but it lacked depth of classic spy flicks. Others that I recommend would be Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Falcon/Snowman as mentioned above, and No Way Out.