"The Company" (2007) TV mini-series

Director:

Mikael Salomon

Writers:

Robert Littell (book)
Ken Nolan (teleplay)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Thriller

Plot:

A mini-series that traces CIA activities over a 40-year period, from the beginning of the Cold War through the demise of the Soviet Union.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Spy | Cold War | Secret | Mole

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Ted Atherton

...

Frank Wisner (3 episodes, 2007)

Runtime:

286 min (3 parts)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Añasco, Puerto Rico

Company:

Turner Network Television (TNT)

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At least one of the cans tied to the bumper of the car in the 1950's wedding scene was a two-piece late 20th C. food can (no side or bottom seams) which were not used commercially until the 1980's.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008) (TV)

The Sword and The Shield

There is a book by the name of "The Sword and The Shield," which details all the historical gaps that this movie may leave out. I haven't read the book titled "The Company," which this film is based on. However, this book (The Company) and the likewise named mini-series will probably be the best telling of the historical account in video format. For any Cold War buff and espionage fanatic who is familiar with the true workings of the NKVD to the KGB, they will be pleased.

This film is no James Bond type cold war thriller. After all, could you really detail the exploits of 50 some years of history in a 2 hour spy film? The main plot and character's names of this mini-series are on par with the facts that history reveals to us. To anyone who is intimately familiar with the Cold War and the espionage struggles between the Soviet Union and the USA, you will find this mini-series extremely accurate. But more so, you will find this mini-series entertaining.

The bottom line is that, this is an entertaining production that holds true to a majority of the facts. If the Cold War and real spy stories are entertaining to you, then it's suggested that you view this mini-series. Not only will the "uninformed" viewer enjoy this mini-series, but the historian will also enjoy how this mini-series doesn't vary far from the truth. This is definitely a recommended mini-series on the real spy games of the Cold War!