The Internecine Project
Encyclopedia
The Internecine Project is a 1974
British espionage thriller film written by Mort W. Elkind, Barry Levinson
, and Jonathan Lynn
, directed by Ken Hughes
and starring James Coburn
and Lee Grant
. Set in London in the early 1970s, it tells the story of former secret agent Robert Elliot who is being promoted to a government advisor. To eliminate any ties to his past, Elliot devises and carries out a clever plan in which his four former associates will unwittingly kill each other on the same night.
Elliot's four associates are:
The intricate plot is broadly summarised as follows: Christina plants David Baker's own device in his home on a timer. When Baker returns, it goes off before he can stop it - apparently looking like an accident. Earlier in the evening, Baker had substituted Alex Hillman's insulin
(Hillman being diabetic) with a lethal dose. Hillman, the last to die, has previously savagely murdered Bert with a hammer, this after Bert has strangled Christina in the shower after her return from Baker's home. With Bert, Christina and Baker all dead - Alex returns home in a state (having never murdered anyone before) and takes his lethal substituted medication. He dies slowly.
In the film's final scene, Elliot is leaving the country - having apparently cleared his dirty past clean away by disposing of his associates. Shortly before leaving his house, he has received a package through the mail. The package contains a notebook. The pages of the notebook contain a message written to Elliot from scientist David Baker. The message informs Elliott that Baker had never really trusted him - and that this package was only to be sent to Elliot in the event of Baker's death (which has just happened). The pages of the notebook have been saturated with a poison Baker had been working on. The poison is ingested through the skin. Elliot instructs his driver to take him to the nearest hospital - but he is dead on arrival.
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
British espionage thriller film written by Mort W. Elkind, Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
, and Jonathan Lynn
Jonathan Lynn
Jonathan Lynn is an English actor, comedy writer and director. He is best known for being the co-writer of Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.-Personal life:...
, directed by Ken Hughes
Ken Hughes
Ken Hughes was a British film director, writer, and producer.-Personal history:Wife Charlotte Hughes living in LA...
and starring James Coburn
James Coburn
James Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
and Lee Grant
Lee Grant
Lee Grant is an American stage, film and television actress, and film director. She was blacklisted for 12 years from film work beginning in the mid-1950s, but worked in the theatre, and would eventually win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Felicia Carp in the...
. Set in London in the early 1970s, it tells the story of former secret agent Robert Elliot who is being promoted to a government advisor. To eliminate any ties to his past, Elliot devises and carries out a clever plan in which his four former associates will unwittingly kill each other on the same night.
Elliot's four associates are:
- Christina: A high-class prostitute who has given Elliot information from her clients.
- Bert: A masseur who has also given Elliot information from his industrialist clients
- Alex Hillman: A civil servant who has fed Elliot government information.
- David Baker: A research scientist who appears to have benefited from Elliot's fund in producing a weapon which uses sound to kill.
The intricate plot is broadly summarised as follows: Christina plants David Baker's own device in his home on a timer. When Baker returns, it goes off before he can stop it - apparently looking like an accident. Earlier in the evening, Baker had substituted Alex Hillman's insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
(Hillman being diabetic) with a lethal dose. Hillman, the last to die, has previously savagely murdered Bert with a hammer, this after Bert has strangled Christina in the shower after her return from Baker's home. With Bert, Christina and Baker all dead - Alex returns home in a state (having never murdered anyone before) and takes his lethal substituted medication. He dies slowly.
In the film's final scene, Elliot is leaving the country - having apparently cleared his dirty past clean away by disposing of his associates. Shortly before leaving his house, he has received a package through the mail. The package contains a notebook. The pages of the notebook contain a message written to Elliot from scientist David Baker. The message informs Elliott that Baker had never really trusted him - and that this package was only to be sent to Elliot in the event of Baker's death (which has just happened). The pages of the notebook have been saturated with a poison Baker had been working on. The poison is ingested through the skin. Elliot instructs his driver to take him to the nearest hospital - but he is dead on arrival.
Cast
- James CoburnJames CoburnJames Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
as Robert Elliot - Lee GrantLee GrantLee Grant is an American stage, film and television actress, and film director. She was blacklisted for 12 years from film work beginning in the mid-1950s, but worked in the theatre, and would eventually win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Felicia Carp in the...
as Jean Robertson - Harry AndrewsHarry AndrewsHarry Fleetwood Andrews, CBE was an English film actor known for his frequent portrayals of tough military officers. His performance as Sergeant Major Wilson in The Hill alongside Sean Connery earned Andrews the 1965 National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and a nomination for the...
as Albert Parsons - Ian HendryIan HendryIan Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School...
as Alex Hellman - Michael JaystonMichael JaystonMichael Jayston is a Nottingham-born English actor.- Early life :He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford, then worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an...
as David Baker - Christiane KrügerChristiane KrügerChristiane Krüger is a German television actress. She is the daughter of actor Hardy Krüger.-Television:*Soko 5113 - "Spurwechsel" *Unser Charly *Ich schenke dir meinem Mann...
as Christina Larsson - Keenan WynnKeenan WynnKeenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
as E.J. Farnsworth - Terence AlexanderTerence AlexanderTerence Joseph Alexander was an English film and television actor, best known for his role as Charlie Hungerford in the British TV drama Bergerac.-Early life and career:...
as Business tycoon - Philip Anthony as Eliott's secretary
- 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...
as Arnold Pryce-Jones