THE SECRET AGENT
UK, 2016, 170 minutes, Colour.
Toby Jones, Vicky Mc Clure, Charlie Hamblett, Marie Critchley, Tom Goodman- Hill, Raphael Accloque, Stephen Graham, David Dawson, Tom Vaughan- Lawlor, Ian Hart, Penny Downie.
Directed by Charles Mc Dougall.
The Secret Agent is a television adaptation of the novel by Joseph Conrad, set in London in the late 19th century, the world of anarchists and espionage. It was filmed in 1936 by Alfred Hitchcock under the title, Sabotage, with Oscar Homolka and Sylvia Sidney, Hitchcock having used the title The Secret Agent for a W. Somerset Maugham story in 1935. Conrad’s novel was also adapted for the screen in 1996 by playwright Christopher Hampton with Bob Hoskins and Patricia Arquette in the central roles and a strong supporting cast including Jim Broadbent and Robin Williams.
This version was screened over three evenings in hour-long episodes.
Toby Jones portrays Verloc, the proprietor of a rather seedy shop in Soho, along with his wife, Winnie, played by Vicky Mc Clure. His wife’s mother also works in the shop as does her mentally impaired younger brother, Stevie, played by Charlie Hamblett. It is a centre for meetings of anarchists including The Professor, an explosives expert, played by Ian Hart, along with Michaelis (Tom Vaughan- Lawlor) recently freed from jail and Opison, a continental anarchist (Rafael Alcoque). The investigating police inspector is played by Stephen Graham.
Verloc has been in the pay of the Russian Embassy but has also been an informant for the government. The Russians pressurise him to set an explosion, an act of provocation. He takes Stevie along, who playfully runs with the bomb when it explodes.
The Home Secretary and the police chief are suspicious of the Russians, confront them.
There is melodrama at home when Verloc’s wife is told of the death of her brother, leading to her killing Verloc, going to Opison and attempting to flee England with him by train.
With her death and Opison going to the Russians, there is a twist as he is also in the employ of the British police.
Commentators were critical of the slowness of the production as well as whether the adaptation from Conrad was faithful or not.
1. Interest in Joseph Conrad’s novel? 19th century? London? Anarchists? The Russian Embassy and Russian intentions? The work of the British police?
2. Hitchcock’s adaptation? Christopher Hampton’s adaptation?
3. The London settings, the Soho streets, the shop, the interiors and home? The police precincts? The Russian Embassy and its lavish style? Social occasions? Greenwich, the park, the explosion? The home in Kent? The professor, the police, prison? The colour photography – and its muted and darker sequences? The musical score?
4. The character of Verloc, his background, his marriage, mother-in-law in the shop, his attitude towards Stevie? His long years in the pay of the Russians? Information to the British police? His house as the centre for anarchist meetings, the range of views? The Russians pressurising him to do a provocative action? His suggestions at the meeting? The discussions with The Professor, going to him to get the explosives?
5. The decision to go with Stevie to the country, creating the pretext for his wife, the visit to Michaelis, his not wanting to be part of the plot, sending Verloc away? Verloc going to Greenwich, with Stevie, Stevie playing the game, running with the explosive, his death, the huge crater? His body, the police taking it, the address tag from his coat?
6. The Russian Embassy, the secretary, his imperious manner, the other members of the staff, keeping Verloc waiting, interviewing him, putting the pressure on him? The attendance at social functions, encounters with the police chief, the aristocrat sponsoring Michaelis, being confronted by the police, unmasked? The role of Russia at the time?
7. The Professor, his eccentric manner, his skills with explosives, his laboratory, the credits and the making of bombs? Meetings, his views? Supplying Verloc with the explosive? His wearing the explosives on his coat? The arrest, the interrogation, in prison? His defiance – but the police getting the better of him with lesser charges and his release?
8. Michaelis, release from jail, theoretical anarchist? Going to the country to write his memoirs? The patronage? His not wanting Verloc in his house?
9. Opison, the pamphlets, the attraction to Winnie, the outing together, her going to him in desperation, the sexual attraction and encounter, getting the money, escaping to the railway, buying the tickets, taking Verloc’s money, the ticket for the ferry, his return to London, in the employ of the police, going to the Russians?
10. Winnie, the devoted wife, accepting the sleazy nature of the shop and its contents? Devoted to Verloc? Devoted to Stevie? The role of her mother, moving her mother out of the shop? Her happiness that Stevie was going out? The inspector giving her the information about his death? Her being frozen and emotionless? Listening to Verloc, his meal, his rationalisations, getting the knife, killing him? Going to Opison, the sexual attraction, interrogated at the railway station, on the train, the ticket to the ferry, on the ferry, alone, drowning herself?
11. Stevie, mentally deficient, working in the shop, his devotion, the walks with Verloc, going to Michaelis’ house, at Greenwich, his death?
12. The police chief, moving in social circles, the discussions with the Home Secretary? Reputation? The death of Verloc? The disappearance of Verloc’s wife? Working with Opison?
13. Inspector Heat, his reputation, his contacts and informants? The relationship with Verloc? With the police chief, the discussions? The explosion, the tag from the coat, the morgue? His telling the truth to Winnie? The consequences, Verloc’s death? With the police chief?
14. A strange underworld in Victorian England?
