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The Fourth Protocol (film)
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Protocol is a 1987 Cold War
spy film
starring Michael Caine
and Pierce Brosnan
, based on the novel The Fourth Protocol
by Frederick Forsyth
.
. One of the clauses, the Fourth Protocol, forbids the non-conventional delivery of a nuclear weapon to a target.
MI5
agent John Preston (Michael Caine
) breaks into the residence of British government official George Berenson on New Year's Eve
and finds a number of top secret NATO files that should not have been there. He reports his findings to high-ranking British Secret Service official Sir Nigel Irvine (Ian Richardson
), who deals with the leak. However, Preston's unauthorized action has embarrassed the acting-Director of MI5, Brian Harcourt-Smith (Julian Glover
), so as punishment for his insubordination, Preston is relegated to lowly "Airports and Ports".
Meanwhile, KGB
agent Major Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan
) is sent on a mission to England personally by General Govershin (Alan North
), the head of the KGB
. One of Govershin's subordinates, Borisov (Ned Beatty
), complains to his old friend General Karpov (Ray McAnally
), about his espionage department being stripped of resources and personnel, particularly his star agent Petrofsky. The surprised Karpov quietly investigates and learns about Petrofsky's unsanctioned mission – to violate the Fourth Protocol by assembling and detonating an atomic device so that it will appear to be a nuclear accident at an American base. It is intended to strain Anglo-American relations and strengthen the anti-nuclear movement in advance of an election.
In Glasgow
, a Russian sailor is struck by a truck while fleeing from a port guard. Among the dead man's possessions, Preston finds a disk of polonium
, which can only be a component of a detonator for an atomic bomb. He informs Harcourt-Smith, but is promptly suspended, as Harcourt-Smith believes that Preston is manufacturing a fake incident to work his way back into MI5. Luckily however, he has the confidence of Sir Bernard Hemmings (Michael Gough
), the gravely-ill Director of MI5. Preston sets to work and eventually comes across Winkler, a known Czech KGB agent, and tails him from the airport.
Meanwhile, Petrofsky meets another KGB agent, Irina Vassilievna (Joanna Cassidy
), a bomb expert who pretends to be his wife. Under her guidance, they assemble the device from seemingly-harmless items; She sets it on a two-hour delay per their instructions. Later, unbeknownst to Petrofsky, Vassilievna follows her own orders, resetting the delay to zero. After sleeping with Petrofsky, she finds his own secret order to liquidate her and tries to warn him about the double-cross, but he kills her before she can.
Afterwards, Petrofsky is observed contacting Winkler. The British follow him to Ipswich, lose him, then find him again. Preston eventually realises that Petrofsky's target is RAF Baywater, and locates Petrofsky's house, which lies right next to the base.
When Petrofsky starts to activate the bomb, on an impulse, he checks the timer first and realises he has been betrayed. At that moment, British agents storm the house. After a desperate struggle, Preston subdues Petrofsky. However, much to Preston's outrage, another agent cold-bloodedly kills the spy, explaining afterwards that he had orders to do so.
Hemmings dies. At his funeral, Preston is unsurprised to find Irvine secretly meeting with General Karpov. Preston had become suspicious when known KGB agent Winkler was used as a courier, making it easy to follow him, and also when Petrofsky was killed instead of being captured for questioning. He surmised that discrediting Govershin would benefit the two men he sees before him. However, Preston does not see any point in exposing them and leaves after expressing his contempt for their cynical powerplay.
, notably the A-frame house from "Homeworld 81". Scenes set on the London Underground
were shot at Charing Cross
, Green Park
, and Aldwych
stations. For some of the interiors, rooms of King's College London
on the Strand
were used. The "RAF Baywaters" scenes were filmed at the now defunct RAF Upper Heyford
as a take on the real life RAF Bentwaters
. The filming also took place in Finland
. Towards the end of the movie, the car chase in Ipswich
is actually shot in Chelmsford
. One shot shows helicopters flying under the Orwell Bridge
which is often considered a local landmark.
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
spy film
Spy film
The spy film genre deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy . Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, John Le Carré, Ian Fleming and Len Deighton...
starring Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
and Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
, based on the novel The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol is a novel written by Frederick Forsyth and published in August 1984.-Explanation of the novel's title:The title refers to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which contained four secret protocols. The fourth, of the protocols, was meant to prohibit the non-conventional...
by Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
.
Plot
The plot centres on a secret 1968 East-West agreement to halt nuclear proliferationNuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as "Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the...
. One of the clauses, the Fourth Protocol, forbids the non-conventional delivery of a nuclear weapon to a target.
MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
agent John Preston (Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
) breaks into the residence of British government official George Berenson on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
and finds a number of top secret NATO files that should not have been there. He reports his findings to high-ranking British Secret Service official Sir Nigel Irvine (Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson
Ian William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
), who deals with the leak. However, Preston's unauthorized action has embarrassed the acting-Director of MI5, Brian Harcourt-Smith (Julian Glover
Julian Glover
Julian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
), so as punishment for his insubordination, Preston is relegated to lowly "Airports and Ports".
Meanwhile, KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
agent Major Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
) is sent on a mission to England personally by General Govershin (Alan North
Alan North
Alan North was an American actor.North was born in the Bronx, New York and joined the United States Navy during the Second World War...
), the head of the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
. One of Govershin's subordinates, Borisov (Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
), complains to his old friend General Karpov (Ray McAnally
Ray McAnally
Ray McAnally was an Irish actor famous for his performances in films such as The Mission, My Left Foot, and A Very British Coup.-Background:...
), about his espionage department being stripped of resources and personnel, particularly his star agent Petrofsky. The surprised Karpov quietly investigates and learns about Petrofsky's unsanctioned mission – to violate the Fourth Protocol by assembling and detonating an atomic device so that it will appear to be a nuclear accident at an American base. It is intended to strain Anglo-American relations and strengthen the anti-nuclear movement in advance of an election.
In Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, a Russian sailor is struck by a truck while fleeing from a port guard. Among the dead man's possessions, Preston finds a disk of polonium
Polonium
Polonium is a chemical element with the symbol Po and atomic number 84, discovered in 1898 by Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie. A rare and highly radioactive element, polonium is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and it occurs in uranium ores. Polonium has been studied for...
, which can only be a component of a detonator for an atomic bomb. He informs Harcourt-Smith, but is promptly suspended, as Harcourt-Smith believes that Preston is manufacturing a fake incident to work his way back into MI5. Luckily however, he has the confidence of Sir Bernard Hemmings (Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough was an English character actor who appeared in over 150 films. He is perhaps best known to international audiences for his roles in the Hammer Horror films from 1958, and for his recurring role as Alfred Pennyworth in all four movies of the Burton/Schumacher Batman franchise,...
), the gravely-ill Director of MI5. Preston sets to work and eventually comes across Winkler, a known Czech KGB agent, and tails him from the airport.
Meanwhile, Petrofsky meets another KGB agent, Irina Vassilievna (Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy is an American film and television actress. She is known for her role as the replicant Zhora in the Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner...
), a bomb expert who pretends to be his wife. Under her guidance, they assemble the device from seemingly-harmless items; She sets it on a two-hour delay per their instructions. Later, unbeknownst to Petrofsky, Vassilievna follows her own orders, resetting the delay to zero. After sleeping with Petrofsky, she finds his own secret order to liquidate her and tries to warn him about the double-cross, but he kills her before she can.
Afterwards, Petrofsky is observed contacting Winkler. The British follow him to Ipswich, lose him, then find him again. Preston eventually realises that Petrofsky's target is RAF Baywater, and locates Petrofsky's house, which lies right next to the base.
When Petrofsky starts to activate the bomb, on an impulse, he checks the timer first and realises he has been betrayed. At that moment, British agents storm the house. After a desperate struggle, Preston subdues Petrofsky. However, much to Preston's outrage, another agent cold-bloodedly kills the spy, explaining afterwards that he had orders to do so.
Hemmings dies. At his funeral, Preston is unsurprised to find Irvine secretly meeting with General Karpov. Preston had become suspicious when known KGB agent Winkler was used as a courier, making it easy to follow him, and also when Petrofsky was killed instead of being captured for questioning. He surmised that discrediting Govershin would benefit the two men he sees before him. However, Preston does not see any point in exposing them and leaves after expressing his contempt for their cynical powerplay.
Major differences from the novel
- The Gentleman thiefGentleman thiefIn the Victorian vernacular, a gentleman thief is a particularly well-behaving and apparently well bred thief. A "gentleman" is usually, but not always, a man with an inherited title of nobility and inherited wealth, who need not work for a living. Such a man steals not in order to gain material...
character of Rawlings does not exist in the film, so nor do any of his plot elements – instead the initial robbery is undertaken by Preston himself to try and expose Berenson. - In the book, arch-traitor Kim PhilbyKim PhilbyHarold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby was a high-ranking member of British intelligence who worked as a spy for and later defected to the Soviet Union...
oversees the plan to topple the ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government and bring the unilateralistNuclear disarmamentNuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
(at the time) Labour partyLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
to power. The Philby of the novel is in charge of the execution of Plan Aurora, whereas in the film, he is shot dead by the Soviets during the film's opening scene. - The film misses out a significant section of the book dedicated to Preston's investigation into the Soviet agent Jan Marais. Instead Marais is introduced as an already exposed Soviet spy now under observation. This was almost certainly excluded from the film for pacing reasons, however the length of the investigation in the novel explains why John is removed from his current post and moved to C1 ports – this is glossed over in the film. In addition, Sir Nigel Irvine's positive impression of John in the novel is reinforced by his work in exposing Marais as an enemy agent, and provides the motivation for Irvine to trust Preston's earlier (and accurate) view of the Hard Left in Britain's Labour Party, as well as John works for Sir Nigel to track down Petrofsky.
- While Preston wanted Petrofsky taken alive instead of killed in both the movie and the novel, his reaction in the film is much angrier to the Soviet agent's death, with his angry confrontation and denunciation of Sir Nigel Irvine's actions. In the book, he seems to agree with Irvine's view that publicly humiliating the Soviets is not a good idea, and they also end the story on good terms with Irvine offering to find Preston lucrative private security work so he can get full custody of his son.
Cast
- Michael CaineMichael CaineSir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
– John Preston - Pierce BrosnanPierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
– Valeri Petrofsky / James Ross - Ned BeattyNed BeattyNed Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
– Borisov - Joanna CassidyJoanna CassidyJoanna Cassidy is an American film and television actress. She is known for her role as the replicant Zhora in the Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner...
– Irina Vassilievna - Julian GloverJulian GloverJulian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
– Brian Harcourt-Smith - Michael GoughMichael GoughMichael Gough was an English character actor who appeared in over 150 films. He is perhaps best known to international audiences for his roles in the Hammer Horror films from 1958, and for his recurring role as Alfred Pennyworth in all four movies of the Burton/Schumacher Batman franchise,...
– Sir Bernard Hemmings - Ray McAnallyRay McAnallyRay McAnally was an Irish actor famous for his performances in films such as The Mission, My Left Foot, and A Very British Coup.-Background:...
– General Karpov - Ian RichardsonIan RichardsonIan William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
– Sir Nigel Irvine - Anton RodgersAnton RodgersAnton Rodgers was an English actor and occasional director. He performed on stage, in film and in television dramas and sitcoms.-Life and career:...
– George Berenson - Caroline BlakistonCaroline BlakistonCaroline Blakiston is an English actress who has appeared predominantly in television roles, notably in the series Brass. She also appeared as Mon Mothma in the science fiction film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
– Angela Berenson - Joseph BradyJoseph BradyJoseph Brady was a Scottish actor.Brady was trained at the Glasgow College of Dramatic Art. He starred in a number of television shows, notably as PC Jock Weir in Z-Cars , as Kenny McBlane in the third series of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and as Gramps in the 1993 Rab C...
– Carmichael - Matt FrewerMatt FrewerMatthew "Matt" Frewer is a Canadian American stage, TV and film actor. Acting since 1983, he is known for portraying the 1980s icon Max Headroom and the retired villain Moloch in the film adaptation of Watchmen.-Life and career:...
– Tom McWhirter - Alan NorthAlan NorthAlan North was an American actor.North was born in the Bronx, New York and joined the United States Navy during the Second World War...
– Govershin - Ronald PickupRonald Pickup-Life and career:Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer. Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA.His television work began with an episode...
– Wynne-Evans - Michael BiltonMichael BiltonMichael Bilton was an English actor best known for his roles in the British television sitcoms To the Manor Born and Waiting for God....
– Kim Philby
Locations
Much of the movie was shot in the Heelands district of Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, notably the A-frame house from "Homeworld 81". Scenes set on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
were shot at Charing Cross
Charing Cross tube station
Charing Cross tube station is a London Underground station at Charing Cross in the City of Westminster with entrances located in Trafalgar Square and The Strand. The station is served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines and provides an interchange with the National Rail network at station...
, Green Park
Green Park tube station
Green Park tube station is a London Underground station located on the north side of Green Park, close to the intersection of Piccadilly and the pedestrian Queen's Walk...
, and Aldwych
Aldwych tube station
Aldwych is a closed London Underground station in the City of Westminster, originally opened as Strand in 1907. It was the terminus and only station on the short Piccadilly line branch from Holborn that was a relic of the merger of two railway schemes. The disused station building is close to the...
stations. For some of the interiors, rooms of King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
on the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
were used. The "RAF Baywaters" scenes were filmed at the now defunct RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
as a take on the real life RAF Bentwaters
RAF Bentwaters
RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles NE of London, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England...
. The filming also took place in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Towards the end of the movie, the car chase in Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
is actually shot in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
. One shot shows helicopters flying under the Orwell Bridge
Orwell Bridge
The Orwell Bridge was opened to road traffic in 1982 and carries the A14 over the River Orwell just south of Ipswich in Suffolk, England....
which is often considered a local landmark.