Undescribable Perfection

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

...because if I do, it will go way beyond spoilers."The Holcroft Covenant" is based on a Robert Ludlum book which went some 600 pages. Unfortunately it did not have a David O. Selznick at the helm, overseeing writers and scripts the way he did with Gone with the Wind. This was doomed to failure, although it is a John Frankenheimer film.The plot, for starters, is far-fetched even for those of us who don't mind suspending some reality. Michael Caine stars as Noel Holcroft, an architect living in New York who is contacted by a Swiss banker. He is told that his father, a financial adviser to Hitler whom his mother left and that he never acknowledged, has left him the executor of a trust worth $4.5 billion.The trust is to be used, according to the letter his father wrote him, to make restitution to victims of the Holocaust. There are two other people who will serve as advisors, sons of the men who went in on the covenant with Noel's father. One is Jonathan Tennyson (Anthony Andrews), whose sister Helden (Victoria Tennant) is also involved in bringing the covenant to fruition, and Erich Kessler, a conductor who changed his name from Jurgen Mass.Noel's mother (Lili Palmer) is against his involvement and begs him not to sign or even look into the matter. Turns out she's not alone. But some people have a vested interest in Noel signing the covenant - and they'll stop at nothing to get him to do it.This should have been an episode of Whom Do You Trust? The audience certainly doesn't know, which should keep the action exciting - instead, it's muddled and confusing.And why the officers made this covenant to accumulate for 40 years is beyond me - seems kind of a long time to wait for those reparations. And then there's the plot giveaway component I can't mention, which reminded me -- strongly -- of a much better, much more famous film done a decade earlier. I almost burst out laughing. I don't have to tell you what it is - you'll know it immediately.The acting is pretty bad. Sadly this was the wonderful Lilli Palmer's last film. She had a decent role and she does it as well as can be expected given the script, but it was a sad ending to an excellent career. When you look at the fact that Anthony Andrews' film career did not take off, nor did Victoria Tennant's -it's a little sad for all of them, most especially the marvelous John Frankenheimer.

The Holcroft covenant is from a time when Robert Ludlum still wrote very readable thrillers. And the book is actually one of his better efforts. The movie however is terrible. It's so full of clichés that some scenes are actually funny although I'm sure they weren't meant to be. For instance, at some point Caine sits in an almost empty church. In comes a woman with a scarf over her head and giant sunglasses, Places herself right behind him and in a whisper that can be heard miles away says "don't turn around". I almost fell off my seat laughing. They also shaved the plot Down to something thats neither here nor there, and the acting is simply awful with some of the corniest lines ever. "My sister, my lover, my spouse", and she goes "my Brother, my lover, my spouse". Really, are we supposed to take this seriously ? A complete Waste of time and Money. I'll give it one star for Caine crying at the end. So was I.

This movie intrigued me right from the beginning, with unusual twists and turns with a surprise ending.Very well directed and written, and the music carries it well too.Being a big fan of Michael Cain, he did not disappoint and fit the role perfectly. No one could have done it better.The DVD is in my collection, and I watch it often. It's always enjoyable and despicable as well.It's the personification of evil versus good.I would recommend this movie to anyone except children.Enjoy! I always do..

Sot it's not really for the movie its self that you are watching it. It's to see Michael Caine, and in this case Victoria Tennant, and even Anthony Andrews. by now it's almost like a period Drama. The setting in Germany is interesting as is Geneva, and London. The sex parade and a whole neighborhood lends a kind of a kinky interest to the story. Now of course not believable, the story, but that is fine. You still don't know what is going on or who's in charge or who's on first, but eventually you know that will be found out. That is all that is necessary. The dialogue is fairly good and his mother is a good actress and there's always interest in the rise of Nazis in modern times.