Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Leonor Varela, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson, Harold Pinter, Catherine McCormack
Director: John Boorman
Producer: John Boorman
Screenplay: Andrew Davies & John Le Carré and John Boorman, based on the novel by John Le Carré
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot
Music: Shaun Davey
U.S. Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Anyone venturing into The Tailor of Panama anticipating a James Bond movie is in for a big surprise. The expectation is not entirely out of the question. After all, putting together the name "Pierce Brosnan" with the word "spy" immediately conjures images of the suave, debonair 007 jet-setting his way across the globe. That's how closely Brosnan has become identified with the role. But his character in The Tailor of Panama, Andy Osnard, is far from a Bond clone. He is an opportunist and a user - someone without a conscience who consistently looks out only for himself, and this allows The Tailor of Panama to offer a lot more in terms of plot and character than all of Brosnan's 007 outings put together.
As a result of his scandalous behavior, Andy is on the outs with MI6, and they decide to exile him to Panama, described alternatively as a "nasty web of money laundering, drug trafficking, and corruption" or as "Casablanca without heroes". Once there, Andy gets to work trying to unearth some big secret that will get London's attention. He sets his sights on uncovering the true balance of power surrounding the canal, and, as his informant, he chooses an unassuming tailor with a dark secret in his past. Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush) is a nice, meek man with an adoring American wife, Louisa (Jamie Lee Curtis), who minds his own business but has made an unwise investment. Now, he's $50,000 in debt and the bank is ready to call in the loan. Enter Andy, Harry's "guardian angel." If Harry will spy on his wife, who is the assistant to the Canal director, Harry will find his financial woes eliminated. Soon, Harry is spinning a fiction for Andy to keep the money flowing, and Andy is apparently eating it up, because it fuels his own agenda.
The screenplay for The Tailor of Panama, based on the novel by John Le Caré, is a wonderfully complex and devious affair that leaves us constantly befuddled about who's using whom and who really knows what. Some characters are a lot smarter than the initially appear to be, while others are less intelligent. And, while certain individuals aren't what they seem to be, others are. The movie sorts everything out in the end, but part of the fun is playing the game along with the characters. And, to add a sense of verisimilitude to the proceedings, much of the movie was filmed on location. (Apparently, the government deemed the consideration of having Pierce Brosnan filming in the country to be more important than the negative light in which the story portrays Panamanian politics.)
Le Caré, the veteran author of spy thrillers, has often expressed dismay with the way his movies have been brought to the screen. For this adaptation, he not only had a hand in writing the screenplay, but served as executive producer. After viewing director John Boorman's final cut, he gave his stamp of approval. Le Caré is careful to say that this version of The Tailor of Panama is not necessarily a faithful translation of his novel, but it is a good movie - and the cinema should be viewed as a different medium from the printed word.
The casting of the two leads is intriguing, with both actors being selected against type. Boorman's choice of Brosnan is a little risky, because some of the actor's fans may not want to see him portray such a callous anti-hero (in one scene, he attempts a seduction that nearly turns into a rape). For his part, Brosnan has no difficulty handling Andy's dubious morals, and our association of the actor with Bond and other, similar characters, gives Andy a layer of complexity that another actor might not have been able to impart. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Quills), normally associated with larger-than-life personalities, offers a low-key portrayal. Harry is presented as a timid man who is tempted by the devil, then foolishly thinks he can cheat his way out of the pact. For most of the film's 109 minute running length, we're assessing and re-assessing the relationship between Andy and Harry, trying to figure out who has the upper hand. It isn't until late in the film that we learn the definitive answer.
The Tailor of Panama is not an action thriller; those expecting shoot-outs and car chases will be as disappointed as those on the lookout for James Bond (there is one chase, but it's quick and not terribly exciting). Instead, this plot-centered motion picture demands that its audience thinks rather than sits passively and watches. More than one reference is made to Casablanca, but, while the setting may bear a resemblance, Andy Osnard is no Rick Blaine. And, although the film is primarily a serious affair, Boorman gets the opportunity to take a few shots at the American military by portraying the strategists at the Pentagon as a group of inept men who don't really know or care how accurate their information is. Over the course of a long career, Boorman has experienced his share of hits (Hope and Glory, The General) and misses (Exorcist II). The Tailor of Panama belongs in the former category.
© 2001 James Berardinelli