The Tailor of Panama

Rating:
Summary: MASTERFUL INTRIGUE COMES TO THE SCREEN
Review: With a tip of his hat to Graham Greene's "Our Man In Havana" the headmaster of spy thrillers, John le Carre, gave us "The Tailor Of Panama" in 1996. Laced with humor and intellectual satire it was, as always, powerfully written with fully realized characters and an intriguing plot line.

Rather often transferring a book to the screen can be disappointing for those who relished the print version. Such is surely not the case with this film, which was co-scripted by le Carre. The movie version retains all of the novel's original luster while burnishing the story with standout direction, a superb cast, and steamy scenery.

British agent Andrew Osnard (Pierce Brosnan), whose career seems to be on shaky ground, is packed off to Panama charged with sending information back to his government. He's warned not to mess up in this place described contemptuously as "backwater." Our first on screen sight of it would confirm that identification. It's a heat filled morass loaded with double dealers.

To assist him in his mission of ferreting out secret material Osnard chooses Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), the tailor of the title and proprietor of a shop catering to the rich and powerful in Panama. Pendel is compliant when approached by Osnard; the tailor is eager for money to pay off ill chosen investments. Married to Louise (Jamie Lee Curtis), a scrupulous aide to a goverment official, the tailor has a happy and satisfying home life that he wants to maintain.

Trouble is he lies. When Osnard wants more info Pendel elaborates, building imaginative story upon story. Osnard turns over this false information to the British government, which reseults in top level meetings regarding the fate of the Panama Canal.

Brosnan does an about face in the role of Osnard, offering a suitably malevolent portrayal of a duplicitous all-for-himself charmer. Rush is a gem - imbuing Pendel with both fear and yearning as he senses that his world is tumbling around him.

Adding to the first-rate cast are Leonor Varela as Marta, a disfigured activist who is Pendel's assistant, and Brendan Gleeson as her ill-fated compatriot. Shot on location in various areas of Panama the film is a feast for the eyes.

Again, three cheers for le Carre, and now another three cheers for Producer/Director John Boorman.

Rating:
Summary: Good Movie, Okay DVD Extras
Review: This review is broken into two parts: Movie itself, DVD extras.

Movie:

Perhaps John Le Carre books do not translate smoothly into movie, because Le Carre's characters are neither good nor evil, they merely are. Unfortunately, in this manifestation of Tailor of Panama, Brosnan's character, Andy Osnard, is made to be more evil than neutral.

The movie does feature the obscure dialogue you would expect from Le Carre, but not the action one might expect from a purported "spy thriller".

Jamie Lee Curtis is underutilized, but good.

Geoffrey Rush's character is a bumbling ex-con who aspires to importance. Those aspirations lead to his almost downfall.

I have read the many other reviews of this film, most disparaging. I found it pleasant to the eye, with interesting dialogue, even with a predictable plot. The direction by Boorman is predictably understated, with a dialogue driven story, and action merely implied.

DVD:

The alternate ending is [not good].

The interview with Rush and Brosnan quite honestly adds nothing to the film.

The cast filmography is helpful to identify several familiar if not well known character actors.

The commentary by Boorman is somewhat enlightening.

This film would have benefited from the Infinifilm treatment, as the backstory from the book and the history of Panama could have been more fully developed. These extras don't go beyond one's minimal expectations.

Movie: 4 stars; DVD extras: 3 stars. 4 stars overall.

Rating:
Summary: Bad ending
Review: As a great fan of Le Carré I was very disappointed with the ending of this movie. I had hoped that the alternative ending was better, but it wasn't. Pierce Brosnan was good, though I had imagined that the actor was more like a Michael Caine-type. I don't think that Jamie Lee Curtis was the best for that part - at least not with Geoffrey Rush as her husband. However he was a perfect taylor.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing story and bravura acting
Review: The film, based on the John le Carre novel of the same name, is a story of deceit using the Panama Canal as a backdrop. Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), a fugitive laying low as a tailor, is approached by MI-6 operative Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan), who has been exiled to Panama for his sins. Osnard, wanting information on the Panama Canal situation, recruits Pendel to relay information. But how accurate is the information Pendel is reporting?

An intriguing, clever, and witty tale of deception, "The Tailor of Panama" features some genuinely great performances. Geoffrey Rush ("Shine", "Quills") is outstanding as the sly tailor, and Pierce Brosnan turns in a suprisingly good performance, playing the opposite of his normal character type. Also features Jamie Lee Curtis. A must-see.

Rating:
Summary: Tailor suits me well
Review: I am so glad I saw this movie on a whim. This is one of thsoe movies where knowing nothing about the plot isn't necessarily a hindrance. The story and characters in this film are crafted beautifully. Each character stands out on their own, even those ones that are two-dimensional plot-advancers. The premise of the movie is that Geoffrey Rush plays a tailor in Panama (hence the title) whose wife (Curtis) works with the Panama government and deals with the Panama Canal. Brosnan has a masterful turn as the sort of James Bond gone bad. He has his suave debonaire style, but he deals in lies and deceptions for his own personal profit. That's about all you need to know in advance about the movie. I loved that everything about this movie isn't explained in the beginning, but the story progresses as the audience learns more about the truth and the lies the characters are telling. However, the plot can get muddled at times because all intentions are not always clear. In the end, however, everything comes together with little difficulty and leaves you with an enjoyable movie that kind of defies description. When asked what it was about, my first reply had to be, "It's about a tailor. From Panama." To understand, you just need to see the movie, but I believe you will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: MASTERFUL INTRIGUE COMES TO THE SCREEN
Review: With a tip of his hat to Graham Greene's "Our Man In Havana" the headmaster of spy thrillers, John le Carre, gave us "The Tailor Of Panama" in 1996. Laced with humor and intellectual satire it was, as always, powerfully written with fully realized characters and an intriguing plot line.

Rather often transferring a book to the screen can be disappointing for those who relished the print version. Such is surely not the case with this film, which was co-scripted by le Carre. The movie version retains all of the novel's original luster while burnishing the story with standout direction, a superb cast, and steamy scenery.

British agent Andrew Osnard (Pierce Brosnan), whose career seems to be on shaky ground, is packed off to Panama charged with sending information back to his government. He's warned not to mess up in this place described contemptuously as "backwater." Our first on screen sight of it would confirm that identification. It's a heat filled morass loaded with double dealers.

To assist him in his mission of ferreting out secret material Osnard chooses Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), the tailor of the title and proprietor of a shop catering to the rich and powerful in Panama. Pendel is compliant when approached by Osnard; the tailor is eager for money to pay off ill chosen investments. Married to Louise (Jamie Lee Curtis), a scrupulous aide to a goverment official, the tailor has a happy and satisfying home life that he wants to maintain.

Trouble is he lies. When Osnard wants more info Pendel elaborates, building imaginative story upon story. Osnard turns over this false information to the British government, which reseults in top level meetings regarding the fate of the Panama Canal.

Brosnan does an about face in the role of Osnard, offering a suitably malevolent portrayal of a duplicitous all-for-himself charmer. Rush is a gem - imbuing Pendel with both fear and yearning as he senses that his world is tumbling around him.

Adding to the first-rate cast are Leonor Varela as Marta, a disfigured activist who is Pendel's assistant, and Brendan Gleeson as her ill-fated compatriot. Shot on location in various areas of Panama the film is a feast for the eyes.

Again, three cheers for le Carre, and now another three cheers for Producer/Director John Boorman.

Rating:
Summary: "Tailor" makes a perfect fit
Review: "The Tailor of Panama" is a brooding, mysterious, slow paced, and malicious film. It's not really a noir film, but it carries that spirit. It's a dark film with interesting characters, and carefully planned twist and turns. The Panama in this movie is a place we are told that is like "Casablanca, without heroes." Pierce Brosnan is cast as Andy Osnard a secret agent who is sent to Panama for his sins. He gambles, he drinks too much, and he's a womanizer. Does this sound like the traits of another secret agent Brosnan played? If you answered yes, then you'll be able to get more "fun" out of this movie than thoughs who are not familiar with the James Bond series. The directing by John Boreman really sets the mood that makes this movie so enjoyable. You never really know which way this movie is going to go. Something just doesn't add up you might think to yourself. Why is this character doing this or that? But, right when you think you got it all figured out, that's when you see just how wrong you are. Geoffrey Rush is a tailor (Harry Pendel) who Osnard (Brosnan) meets while in Panama. They have a special relationship which deals with secrets. The movie is about the Panama canal and how the U.S wants to get it back from Panama. That is all the information I will give away concerning the story. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Louisa Pendel, who happens to be invloved with the activities relating to the canal. The screenplay by John Le Carre (Who's novel this is based on), Andrew Davies and the director himself is a very smart, sharp, witty, and intelligent. I really can't understand why so many people have decided to stay away from this movie. The only reason I can think of is people may feel it's too smart for them. This is not meant as an insult, and is not intended to offend anyone. I've heard many people say they like to go see a movie where they don't have to think. I think that's what happened here. But people just don't know what they're missing. This is a great movie, with characters that really impressed me. I enjoyed watvhing these people on screen. If anything go see this movie for the acting.

Rating:
Summary: Not the story LeCarre wrote
Review: This movie presents a different story altogether than the one LeCarre wrote. The plot line of Harry and Marta was not the unspoken love story of the book, and the ending in no way resembled LeCarre's tale. The verbally explosive scene at the tailor shop makes Harry the one who gets upset, rather than Mickey (via Harry's humiliation of him), giving Mickey's suicide a different motivation entirely. The episode where Harry moves Mickey's body and cleans up Mickey's apartment is left out. Louisa is given an alternate personality more suitable to Jamie Lee Curtis. Don't waste your time and money--read the book. Better yet, listen to The John LeCarre Collection audio. Let LeCarre tell the story himself--he does so wonderfully.

Rating:
Summary: A spy flick with a different angle and a streak of humor.
Review: This movie is the opposite of the Bond movies. This is not a showcase of the smooth or sophisticated. Most of the characters are seedy. They are generally examples of pride, greed, incompetence, and power mongering. However they are likeable and understandable in their own twisted ways. I am not suggesting that you'll like everything they do. Yet I found myself hoping for a happy ending for the primary characters. (I won't spoil it for you.) Also there is some great humor. I laughed at the vibrating bed scene. A must-see for a fresh look.

Rating:
Summary: Sex, Lies and Saville Row.
Review: If before the release of John Boorman's adaptation of John le Carre's "Tailor of Panama" (scripted by the novel's author himself) anybody had told me I'd ever see Geoffrey Rush and Pierce Brosnan costarring in the same movie, I'd have snapped "And pigs fly" in response. Apparently I wasn't alone in that feeling, as Mr. Rush himself said much the same thing - although more politely - in an interview broadcast around the time the movie hit the theaters.

Yet, on second thought, who'd have been more appropriate to play James Bond's evil twin than the latest incarnation of Bond himself? Who more appropriate to play the story's multifarious title character than the actor who shone in complex roles like David Helfgott, the Marquis de Sade and Shakespearean theater owner Philip Henslowe?

Going in, I didn't doubt that Geoffrey Rush would be an amazing Harry Pendel - the role of the seemingly pathetic antihero, the little man desperately trying to maintain his dignity in the face of overwhelming odds fits him like a glove; and he does indeed give a bravura, almost Chaplinesque performance. The greater surprise for me was Pierce Brosnan, who takes every single Bond cliche and merrily runs with it in the opposite direction: I confess this took some getting used to, but once I'd gotten into the swing of it, I enormously enjoyed his skill and courage in deconstructing the very image on which his fame is grounded.

Brosnan is Andy Osnard, an MI6 agent sent to Panama as a punishment for having stepped on one toe to many during his last posting. He isn't exactly enthusiastic about the assignment to what he views as a seedy tropical backwater, but his superiors tell him that he's there to safeguard British interests in the wake of the Panama Canal's turnover to the Panamanian government after General Noriega's ouster. Generating leads in preparation for his arrival, Osnard comes across the name of Harry Pendel, a tailor billing himself as one half of "Pendel and Braithwaite," ostensibly an enterprise in the venerable Saville Row tradition, founded by now-deceased Arthur Braithwaite. But the shop's alleged provenance is as big a fabrication as Harry's personal history; for in fact, he learned tailoring in prison, where he was sent for burning down his Uncle Benny (Harold Pinter)'s shop. Discovering this - and the fact that Harry used to be Noriega's tailor and is still very much in favor with the currently reigning clique (the same people already in power under Noriega: "They got Ali Baba but missed the 40 slaves," Harry comments) - Osnard quickly decides that Harry Pendel is the weakest link in the British expat community; the perfect guy to lean on and generate intelligence.

Soon Harry is trapped between the growing pressure exercised by Osnard, his considerable financial needs (which Osnard has promised to remedy) and the admonitions of his faux conscience Uncle Benny never to tell the truth, the only thing that can really hurt him: "Try sincerity, that's a virtue" Uncle Benny advises - "truth is an affliction." And so Harry spins lie after lie; constructing a mesh in which he is ultimately caught together with his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis in one of her best-ever performances) and closest friends Micky Abraxas (an almost unrecognizable Brendan Gleeson) and Marta (Leonor Varela), who have barely survived Noriega's regime - Micky broken in spirit, Marta with a perpetually scarred face. Because Harry's lies about a "silent opposition" network and alleged plans to sell the Panama Canal to the Chinese are good enough to eventually prompt the British *and* American governments to plan a new invasion - and with that prospect looming large over Panama City's infamous "cocaine towers" skyline, the Pendel family, Micky and Marta find themselves in an almost inescapable stranglehold.

Although written by one of the great masters of the spy thriller genre and despite a plot featuring all the trademark elements, "The Tailor of Panama" is *not* a thriller but a farce; as much parody of the genre as mordant satire on the intelligence community (which le Carre knows intimately from personal experience) and sharp criticism of the first world's exploitation of the corrupt power structures of strategically located, cash-strapped countries in the developing world. References to both "Casablanca" and Graham Greene's "Our Man in Havana" are deliberate; obviously so in its setting and in the satirical creation of a would-be spy spinning a web of lies just to keep the cash coming in and eventually caught in that web when his lies come true; but also in Harry's reference to Panama as "Casablanca without heroes," and when Osnard, taken to a small plane by a British diplomat, wonders aloud whether this could be "the beginning of a beautiful friendship" ("I think it desperately unlikely," is the icy response).

The movie seems to be particularly unpopular with two groups: Brosnan fans disappointed not to see him play another superhero like James Bond and Remington Steele (and there's little to be said about this; you either buy into his deconstruction of that image or you don't) and Panamanians alienated by their country's portrayal as a corrupt banana republic. I admittedly haven't been to Panama (yet); and I'm sure it has more to offer than corruption, cocaine and the colorful, seedy nightlife so amply displayed here. But Panama's history is a troubled one, and the ongoing role of the Western powers (particularly the U.S.) in its politics is problematic; so I do think le Carre and Boorman have a legitimate point.

In sum, this is a fine production, featuring great performances from its entire cast (also including Catherine McCormack as the career diplomat who becomes Osnard's love - err, sex - interest and Daniel Radcliffe, now of "Harry Potter" fame, as Pendel's son) and spellbinding cinematography by Philippe Rousselot, making Panama's lush, tropical setting come to life in all its vibrant facets. Don't be discouraged by the naysayers ... take a look and judge for yourself!