THE SERPENT/ NIGHT TRAIN TO MOSCOW

France/ Italy/ West Germany, 1973, 121 minutes, Colour.
Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, Dirk Bogarde, Philippe will Noiret, Michel Bouquet, Virna Lisi.
Directed by Henri Verneuil.

The Serpent, Night Flight from Moscow, adds to the spate of espionage films with far-fetched plots, strong on action and heroics. This one retains the far-fetched plot and, instead of action, concentrates on the intelligence techniques and processes used for counter-espionage.

The film is strong on interrogations, computers, data-processing, lie-detectors. This probably gives the film a more serious tone than was intended.

Yul Brynner plays the part of the Russian defector well. Henry Fonda is sturdy as usual as the CIA chief. Dirk Bogarde lurks on the side for Britain. There are the usual plot twists, which means that the film is your average enjoyable spy thriller.

1. The title? Originally, The Serpent, and with some explanation during the film? How is The Serpent the more appropriate title?

2. The impact of the film as a thriller? Mystery? Espionage? The structure for involving audiences, following the plot details, for clues to the mystery?

3. Audience reaction to the CIA and to espionage? The melodramatic aspects, the use and political backing of espionage?

4. How did the film highlight the necessity of espionage? Rules of politics? Developments of technology in spying? People’s ingenuity? The use of people for political purposes? A pessimistic
outlook?

5. Questions of ideology and loyalty, careers, money, adventures and the adventurers, use of power, cleverness, skill in deceit?

6. How ingenious was the original plan? The details and its working out, the risks, deaths, final discovery?

7. The film’s focus on Vlassov? The initial escape, sympathy for him? His wife? The detail of the interrogation? Lie detector, tapes, photos, television? Vlassov and his skill inconsistency? Underlying attitudes? Explored well as a character?

8. Presentation of the briefings and the deceit? The truth about Vlassov?

9. Davies as the typical American hero of the CIA? Henry Fonda’s style? Davies’ ingenuity in spoiling the plan?

10. Audience interest in Boyle? British and espionage, Boyle’s style? When did the audience suspect the truth? Boyle’s cruelty?

11. Berthon: suspicion, truth? Humiliation of the politician? Emotional pressure? Drama of the television interrogation? Victimisation? Assassination attempt? His future?

12. People branded by lies? Suicides and murders? To what purpose?

13. Concentration on the details of interrogation? How interesting, dramatically? The role of Annabel lee?

14. The details of technology, detection of the truth? Interesting comment on contemporary espionage?

15. The irony of the final exchange of prisoners, dramatic presentation, culmination of the story?

16. The comment on wall, the Cold War, espionage, human values?