The Tailor of Panama

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The Tailor of Panama
The Tailor of Panama.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by John Boorman
Produced by John Boorman
John le Carré
Kevan Barker
Screenplay by John Boorman
Andrew Davies
John le Carré
Based on The Tailor of Panama 
by John le Carré
Starring Pierce Brosnan
Geoffrey Rush
Music by Shaun Davey
Cinematography Philippe Rousselot
Editing by Ron Davis
Studio Merlin Films
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)
  • February 11, 2001 (2001-02-11) (BIFF)
  • March 30, 2001 (2001-03-30) (United States)
Running time 109 min.[1]
Country United States
Ireland
Language English
Spanish
Budget $21 million[2]
Box office $28,008,462[2]

The Tailor of Panama is a 2001 American-Irish thriller film directed by John Boorman and starring Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush. Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Radcliffe, Catherine McCormack, and Harold Pinter appear in supporting roles.

The film is based on the 1996 spy novel of the same name by John le Carré, who wrote the screenplay with Boorman and Andrew Davies. It was shot at the Ardmore Studios in County Wicklow, Ireland, and on location in Panama City, Lake Gatun, and Gamboa, Panama.

Contents

Plot [edit]

Andy Osnard is an MI6 spy reassigned to Panama after having an affair in Madrid with the foreign minister’s mistress. His superior warns him of the corruption present in Panama, but Osnard views that as an opportunity. Consulting a list of British citizens residing in Panama, he comes across Harry Pendel, who is the tailor to many of Panama's elite, including the President. Pendel, who has kept his criminal background hidden, is married to Louisa, who is the assistant to the administrator of the Panama Canal Authority. While Harry is a superb tailor he is a bad businessman, his tailor shop is constantly in debt.

Knowing that Pendel often does work for the elite of Panama, including the president, and that he needs money, Osnard offers to help him, if Pendel feeds him information about the elite of Panama City. Pendel agrees. However, Osnard tells Pendel he needs better information to keep the arrangement going, and now he can also threaten to reveal that Pendel has been spying. Pendel starts "tailoring" his stories, making them fit better, escalating the roles of friends to make them appear like more than they are. His friend Mickie, a local drunk, he casts as a revolutionary who still holds sway over the youth of Panama. His shop manager he also casts as the leader of an opposition movement. After fixing the suit of the President of Panama (whose conversation consisted of his suit being too tight), he came up with a tale that the president intended to sell the canal to China. When an incredulous Osnard asks which, Beijing or Taiwan, Pendel replies "both". Osnard knows that Pendel is making up these stories, but does not care if it is true, as long as it is believable to his superiors.

As he feeds this information to his superiors (bypassing the embassy staff, apart from Francesca, a staffer he has an affair with), the information makes its way to Washington, where officials are alarmed and plan an invasion to prevent the canal from falling into Chinese hands. Pendel meanwhile seeks to end his spying, saying the opposition won't listen to him because they need funds. Osnard asks how much, and Pendel names a figure he thinks is high enough to put off Osnard: $10,000,000. Osnard smiles, and relays a request to fund the opposition as a means to control Panama after this supposed revolution. He asks for fifteen million. At the Pentagon the request is made for twenty million, which then gets pushed back down to fifteen. Osnard's superior arrives with a briefcase containing the money, ready to meet with the opposition, while attack helicopters are preparing for an assault on the city.

The British Ambassador uncovers what Osnard has been up to, and threatens to reveal everything. Osnard offers to bribe him and they haggle over the price, settling on 1.25 million for his silence and cooperation. Osnard manages to ditch his superior and make off with the briefcase.

Louisa, who never approved of Osnard, finds out what Pendel has been doing. She races to the Administrator's office, who contacts the president of Panama, who is able to contact the US government and have the invasion called off shortly after it began. During this confusion, Osnard makes it to the airport, where he meets the Ambassador and hands him his bribe. The Ambassador allows Osnard and Francesca to make it to an airplane.

Pendel returns home to Louisa, where he tries to explain everything.

Cast [edit]

Reception [edit]

The film currently holds a 77% approval on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 based on 112 reviews; the consensus states: "The Tailor of Panama is a smart, darkly satirical thriller with exuberant performances from Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush."[3] On Metacritic, it holds a score of 66 out of 100 indicating "generally favorable reviews".[4]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "The Tailor of Panama (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 2001-02-22. Retrieved 2012-06-12. 
  2. ^ a b The Tailor of Panama at Box Office Mojo
  3. ^ The Tailor of Panama at Rotten Tomatoes
  4. ^ The Tailor of Panama at Metacritic/

External links [edit]

Films directed by John Boorman
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
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