Movie Reviews: The Holcroft Covenant

The Holcroft Covenant
directed by John Frankenheimer

The late John Frankenheimer made some gripping action, suspense and political thriller movies including but not limited to Ronin, The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, 52 Pick-Up, Black Sunday, and Seconds. 

However no one bats a thousand. The Holcroft Covenant should have been a better film, based as it was on the novel of the same name by Robert Ludlum (who also wrote the The Bourne Triology), whose political intrigue story creations would seem to be a perfect fit for a director such as Frankenheimer. I think one of my parents had this Ludlum novel way back in the day. 

Watching the movie I had a strong sense of deja vu so I purchased the novel to read (again?). This wasn't a great movie but it had its moments. I think the casting was off. Bad casting impacts everything. 

I enjoy watching Michael Caine in almost everything he does. But if there's one thing that makes Caine distinctive as an actor it's his very strong Cockney accent which firmly marks Caine's place and age. 

A movie that posits that a Caine character is an American, as this one does, is going to have to work REALLY hard to get me to suspend disbelief. 

In 1985 Noel Holcroft (Caine) is a British-born American architect, who despite being in the United States from a very tender age, has someone retained a South London cadence and accent. 

Holcroft is also the son of a deceased Nazi financier who committed suicide at the end of WW2. 

Way to pick them, Mom! Gold star in the paternal vetting department. 

Holcroft gets a call from an enigmatic Swiss banker Manfredi (Michael Lonsdale) who wants to meet with Holcroft in Geneva. 

Manfredi says that Holcroft is the heir/executor to about $4.5 billion. 

Dear old Dad and buddies apparently felt guilty about the whole take over the world/exterminate the untermenchen thingie and so put some money aside for their children to make amends. 

That money has grown over the past four decades. Now that Holcroft is forty he and a few other special children need to sign a few documents to get this "covenant" up and running. 

No, Holcraft doesn't need to read anything. No, Holcraft doesn't need his own lawyers or bankers. No, Holcroft doesn't need to check with his Mom. Just sign. 

Well Holcroft may be naive to the ways of high finance, political intrigue, and intelligence operations but he's no dummy--except when the plot requires him to be. As Holcroft travels across Europe and the US he notices that more than a few people are trying to follow him, kidnap him, or kill him. 

At least one person, Helden Von Tiebolt (Victoria Tennant), a co-inheritor and daughter of another Nazi, is trying to make love to him.

Maybe there's more to this covenant business than meets the eye. Is someone lying to Holcroft? There are many dead ends, double crosses, triple crosses, implausible narrative devices, and very occasional humor. 

Frankenheimer adds to the conspiratorial paranoid feeling by shooting characters from behind and above, or having people suddenly realize that they are being watched. 

Ultimately the narrative is both too convoluted and too simple. Decent film if you don't expect too much and don't feel like being challenged. As mentioned, I'm hoping the book is better.