THE COMPANY 3

US, 2007, 91 minutes, Colour.
Chris O’ Donnell, Alfred Molina, Michael Keaton, Alessandra Nivola, Rory Cochrane, Ulrich Thomsen, Tom Hollander.
Directed by Mikael Salomon.

The Company is an excellent miniseries from the United States about the CIA. However, it can be seen as three separate and self-contained movies.

The first film is set in the 1950s, in Berlin in 1954, mostly in the dingy east of Berlin. It focuses on the work of two CIA agents, the veteran played by Alfred Molina and the up-and-coming Jack Mc Auliffe, the central character of the series, played by Chris O’ Donnell in one of his best roles. The film shows espionage with contacts, moles in the CIA and the consequences, and the danger of an agent falling in love. Also central to this Berlin episode is the presence of Alexandra Maria Lara as a ballet dancer, caught up in communication of data.

The film is also set in Washington DC, focusing on Mother, the experienced investigator played by Michael Keaton. Keaton was a zany comedian when he was young, moved to being Batman with some more serious roles. This is certainly one of his best, over the three episodes. He is the meticulous investigator, his walls filled with notes, his painstaking cross-referencing before computers. Also in his office is Adrian Kim Philby, played well by Tom Hollander, who is ultimately exposed and flees to Russia.

Other characters whose work spans three films include Alessandro Nivola who works in the Washington branch, Rory Cochrane as a Russian, educated in the US, and sent back as a plant, and Ulrich Thomsen is the head of the KGB.

The second film is more action-oriented, a rather graphic presentation of the Bulgarian Apra uprising in 1956, with Jack Mc Auliffe present and picked up and tortured, with Natasha Mac Elhone as a British mother, wife of leader of the uprising.

The second half of the film is rather different, moving to 1960 – 1961, the rise of Fidel Castro, the reaction of the American administration, of the Kennedys, of the CIA under Alan dallies. Once again, the three main characters are present, Jack Mc Auliffe in action at the time of the Bay of Pigs. Alfred Molina is back again, this time in cahoots with the Mafia, preparing poison for the assassination of Castro. Of significance, it is Leo Kritzky, played by Alessandro Nivola, who determines that the Bay of Pigs is the place for the invasion of Cuba. At the end of this episode, the CIA has had its authority and reputation undermined.

The third film moves on almost 15 years, problems of the 1970s, the presence of a mole in Washington, with evidence seeming to incriminate Leo Kritzky. He is picked up, interrogated, tortured. Michael Keaton’s Angleton is brought in to do the interrogation and is once more painstaking, Jack Mc Auliffe believing Leo to be guilty. However, a would-be Russian defector appears at the time which leads to a different interpretation and Leo being released. Time passes to the mid-80s and the introduction of computers – with eager young women working in offices, doing the same kind of cross-referencing previously done personally by Angleton, and this leads to the fact that Leo was, in fact, the traitor.

He escapes to Russia, visits Kim Philby. In the meantime, the Russian who has lived in Washington is uncovered and works with Jack Mc Auliffe whom he knew a quarter of a century earlier. The former significance of the CIA, the Grand Game, is over with the collapse of communism. However, indications are given of the new role of the CIA with the election of President Yeltsin.

An interesting and absorbing serious films, very well acted, with the periods re-created effectively, and find work of directing by Mikael Solomon, whose career with film and television has led to work with a variety of genres.

1. The third film in the series? The presuppositions of the first two films? Characters, situations, the development of the CIA, the role of the CIA, changes?

2. The locations, Washington DC, CIA officers, the city of Washington? Scenes in Russia? In the 70s and 80s? In the 1990s? musical score?

3. 1975 and the glimpse and memories of the Vietnam war? The context for the CIA in the mid- 70s?

4. This film’s focus on the workings of the CIA, the issue of moles and information going to Russia? The methods of the CIA, interrogations, torture? Rehabilitation of a man proved innocent? The irony of the 1980s methods, the use of computers, comparing data and information, the revelation that Leo Kritzky was actually the traitor?

5. The role of Jack Mc Auliffe, his previous career, leading in the CIA, his still being involved? His personality, his relationship with Leo and his family, the information pointing to Leo being Sasha, disbelief, belief, consulting with Angleton, interrogation, his intervention, the possible deal? His reaction when Leo was vindicated, applause? The further information from the computer workers, his going to see Leo, their discussions, their past friendship? Leo shooting him? Leo’s escape? Listening to Leo’s ideology and reasons? Later following him in Moscow, pushing Leo into the traffic, saving, unable to kill him? Jack Mc Auliffe as the focal point of the series?

6. Jim Angleton, his previous work, painstaking, notes on his wall, cross referencing everything? His suspicions about Sasha, his investigations, comparing dates and travel, information from the defector, the description, the holiday in Nova Scotia? The details of the interrogation of Leo, his been taken into custody, the reasons given to his wife, in the cells, deprivations, the light, water, his suspicions? Leo and his denials, the exploration of his father, background as a migrant, what he suffered, suicide? Leo and Jack, the rowing? Justifying himself to Jack? Checking on the evidence, dating the defector? Leo being released, the speeches in praise of his work, going back to his work, for 10 years?

7. The issue of the defector, the interrogation by the CIA Director, Jack present, getting Harvey’s advice? The defector and his wife’s health, the plan to go to the dentist and seeing the specialist? His return to Moscow, the issue of whether it was planned or was executed? The reason for the defection, the interrogation of Sasha and his being released and continuing to work from Moscow?

8. Jim Angleton, the use of his work, his detail, on Sasha? His being retired? His insistence that Sasha was real? The long speech in retirement, his paranoia, governments being in league with Moscow, conspiracies? his work in retirement, his painstaking care of his flowers, the orchids? Jack going to see him in the 1980s, the information about Sasha? Alice in Wonderland, the references, the lottery numbers, the codes? The young women in the investigations, use of computers? The change of CIA methods and investigations?

9. The leads for the woman who was the contact for Dodgson and his deliveries? Surveillance of her house? The tracking down the identity of Dodgxon? Yevgeni and his years in the United States? The past friendship with Jack and Leo? His being trapped, his being taken, discussions, the information about Sasha?

10. Yevgeni, the woman ringing, the codes, his father, the return, not getting in contact with Starik, his visit to Kim Philby, the gift, Philby in exile and his yearning for the better things of Britain? Yevgeni and his being American? His father’s pride in him? His tracking down the records of his girlfriend, her being in the gulag, the signature of Starik? His going to seek Starik, the dementia, the ideology, the failure of his financial plan?

11. The information about the financial plan, the CIA and information, supporting the banks, the Soviet plan failing?

12. Jack, going to Moscow, trailing Leo, pushing him into the traffic, saving him? Talking to Harvey, that he could not kill Leo?

13. The end of the series, a survey of four decades of espionage, the world crisis, the Cold War, the Castro era, the fall of communism – the Berlin Wall coming, Gorbachev and his role, George Bush and Gorbachev, the prospects of Yeltsin – and CIA still seeing prospects for their work?