FIREFOX

US, 1982, 119 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Freddie Jones, David Huffman, Warren Clarke, Ronald Lacey.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Firefox is a spectacular cold war thriller. it opens like a John Le Carre seedy espionage story as Clint Eastwood's character comes out of Alaskan retirement and is infiltrated into Moscow. Darkness, side streets, violence abound. The film transforms when he steals the extraordinary Firefox plane and escapes with it. The special effects are reminiscent of the techniques for Star Wars and there is a lot of action excitement.

Clint Eastwood produced, acted, directed. The films that he has directed often have a more serious tone than some of his popular entertainments. He directed Play Misty For Me, High Plains Drifter, Breezy, Outlaw Josey Wales, The Gauntlet, Bronco Billy. Eastwood has a non-big name supporting cast which is English and European. The film is in some ways a throwback to the style of features of the '50s - although it is a fantasy for the confrontative situation of the '80s.

1. The film as a blend of thriller and fantasy? The old-style cold war America confronts Russia films? Science fiction? The blending of espionage adventure with space-age spectacle?

2. The film as Clint Eastwood's personal project - production, acting, direction? The Clint Eastwood style of acting, American heroics?

3. Panavision photography, Alaskan and Canadian locations? The atmosphere of espionage Russia? The transition to spectacle with the aerial special effects for the Firefox? Musical score?

4. Audience response to the confrontation between Russia and the United States? Cold war suspicions? Technological development? Mutual surveillance? Counter-espionage? The build-up of arms - Russia and NATO? How realistic the plot? How much fantasy? A fable for a nuclear age? The stealing of the Firefox and international moral standards?

5. Mitchell Gant and his background in Vietnam? The importance of the flashbacks to the flamethrowers and the death of the Vietnamese child? The trauma of these memories? Their taking possession of Gant - even during the stealing of Firefox? The film's comment on American involvement in Vietnam, death of the innocent, guilt and torment? The moral comment on Vietnam?

6. Mitchell Gant and his semi-retirement in Alaska, his jogging and the initial pursuit by the helicopter? The confrontation and the briefing for his job? The establishing of the American Clint Eastwood hero?

7. The background of the British and their expertise, the discussions amongst the boffins, the knowledge about the Firefox, the masterminding of the stealing of it? The personalities of the British? The American advisers? Technological developments, security, espionage risks?

8. The plan, the disguise and cover for Gant? The film's explaining the drug-running? The deaths of those involved? The various links and the contacts with the spies in Russia? The arrival in Moscow and the suspicions, the hotel, the side streets, the darkness, chases and death? The build-up of contacts, the communications, travelling? Hiding? The long hazardous journey to the Firefox centre?

9. The picture of the anti-Russian network? The background of Jewish spies? The various personalities, the explanation of their loyalties? Tupes, help? Deaths? The exposure at the plant and the massacre?

10. The picture of the Russian officials, their speculations, investigations, following Gant, tactics?

11. The cool stealing of the Firefox, the drama of the take-off? The long sequences of flight? Gant's recording his impressions? The techniques for the technology of the plane? The risks? The refuelling on the ice and breaking free? The fight with the pilot of the second Firefox? The build-up to the battle confrontation?

12. The intercutting to the British team and the American advisers speculating and advising about the theft and the flight? The creation of suspense by this intercutting?

13. The portrait of the Russians? The First Secretary and his decisions, pigheadedness, blaming the General? The General and his shrewdness, attempting various hypotheses? The pilot of the second Firefox? Discussions, speculations? Were the Russians made to seem too ridiculous - in comparison with the British and Americans?

14. How satisfying was the film as an espionage story? A spectacular action fable?