The Whistle Blower details
| Format: | PG DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Andrew Felindre, Gordon Jackson, Nigel Havers, Michael Caine, John Gielgud, James Fox |
| Director: | Simon Langton |
| Genre: | Drama - General |
| Studio: | MGM ENTERTAINMENT |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
The Whistle Blower |
PG Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 44 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | Currently unavailable |
| Main languages: | English |
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Most helpful review
The Whistle Blower blows hot and cold
By 2ndbanana from SCOTLAND , 10 Mar 2005[Highly rated reviewer]
The paranoid Cold War thriller is the one genre that the British can claim their own. Perhaps it’s the countries history of intrigue and duplicity; perhaps it’s the cinematic weather, but whatever the reason, the Brits were pretty adept at bringing the subtle intricacies of cold war escapades such as those offered in The Whistle Blower to the screen.
Coming towards the end of a Cold War cycle that started with movies such as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, The Whistle Blower suffers from an over familiar storyline - one man fighting to uncover a conspiracy that goes right to the top of the British establishment - and some uninspired direction. The film does offer competent performances from Cain and the ever-likeable Nigel Havers, as well as a host of familiar British faces, and manages to hold the interest without resorting to chases or violence. If the Cold War shenanigans look a little dated today, the movie adequately reflects the climate of fear and mistrust that existed at the time.
Other good films in this genre:
The Deadly Affair
In Defence of the Realm
The Ipcress File
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
The Quiller Memorandum- Was this review helpful to you?
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(2)The Whistle Blower blows hot and cold
By 2ndbanana from SCOTLAND , 10 Mar 2005The paranoid Cold War thriller is the one genre that the British can claim their own. Perhaps it’s the countries history of intrigue and duplicity; perhaps it’s the cinematic weather, but whatever the reason, the Brits were pretty adept at bringing the subtle intricacies of cold war escapades such as those offered in The Whistle Blower to the screen.
Coming towards the end of a Cold War cycle that started with movies such as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, The Whistle Blower suffers from an over familiar storyline - one man fighting to uncover a conspiracy that goes right to the top of the British establishment - and some uninspired direction. The film does offer competent performances from Cain and the ever-likeable Nigel Havers, as well as a host of familiar British faces, and manages to hold the interest without resorting to chases or violence. If the Cold War shenanigans look a little dated today, the movie adequately reflects the climate of fear and mistrust that existed at the time.
Other good films in this genre:
The Deadly Affair
In Defence of the Realm
The Ipcress File
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
The Quiller Memorandum- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
Whistle with bum notes
By a customer from South Midlands, England , 23 Nov 2004This may have seemed an avant-garde movie when it was released in the 80s, but how dated it is now. It tries to tell a story about the state abusing its power over our lives, but what it achieves is a rambling and disjointed polemic.
At least we can watch the talent - M Caine, N Havers, the guy from Van Der Valk etc. - bumble around looking miserable. Why would Sir J Gielgud believe he could convince us that his quintessential English toff routine connects with support for the Soviets (revealed early in the film) not out of socialist idealism born in his days at Cambridge, but because he couldn't bring himself to back the Americans in the superpower race? Ludicrous. Did he discuss marxist-leninist theory with his butler? Unfortunately, this is one example only out of a number of absurd plot lines.
I hope Sir John was able to pay off his tax demand, or whatever it was that motivated him. If you like Sir Michael, you can choose any one from a long list of really great movies, and just a few turkeys. In this one he got stuffed.- Was this review helpful to you?
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