This was Bryan Forbers' last film made on his own novel, crowning his life's work of usually rather murky productions, introvert and diffuse but always intelligent and giving plenty to think about, which characteristic this film is something of the crowning effort of. There is nothing wrong with it, the actors are all splendid without exception, the story is a fascinating abyss of regrets, the more effectual than musical score by Ennio Morricone (90 this year) fits it perfectly and enhances certain scenes, but the main character is depressing, sordid and morbid, elements often found in Bryan Forbes' productions.
There is actually not much more to say. It's a kind of settlement with the whole spying business, not only was it Bryan Forbes' last film but also one of the very last performances of Anthony Quayle and made in the last year of the cold war. The film ends with a happy new year (probably 1989) which went to history as the year when the iron curtain went down. Like so many other films and stories from the cold war, especially by John le Carré, it gives a very bitter and humanly hopeless picture of its nature, destroying practically all lives that were involved in it. Just water under the bridge, as George Segal puts it? No, it's slightly worse than that, for there will always be new water dragging down new people into endless tragedies, - which ultimately is what "the endless game" in that business is all about.
There is actually not much more to say. It's a kind of settlement with the whole spying business, not only was it Bryan Forbes' last film but also one of the very last performances of Anthony Quayle and made in the last year of the cold war. The film ends with a happy new year (probably 1989) which went to history as the year when the iron curtain went down. Like so many other films and stories from the cold war, especially by John le Carré, it gives a very bitter and humanly hopeless picture of its nature, destroying practically all lives that were involved in it. Just water under the bridge, as George Segal puts it? No, it's slightly worse than that, for there will always be new water dragging down new people into endless tragedies, - which ultimately is what "the endless game" in that business is all about.