The Tailor of Panama | | Cast : | Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush | | Director : | John Boorman | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | March 30, 2001 | | DVD Released Date : | June 03, 2003 | | Language : | Unknown (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 19, 2005 | | Summary | The Tailor of Panama | Content
 | This adaptation of John Le Carre's Novel is amazingly done with Geoffery Rush portraying the bumbling, well meaning tailor to an industrializing Central American clientle. The story centers upon the small country of Panama which is an interest to the first world as it has re-acquired the rights to the famous canal constructed by American engineers. The British secret service send an agent, played by Pierce Brosnon(The Thomas Crown Affair), who is a morally flexible operative on his way out. Rather than portraying the Panama scene as bettering the tailor convinces the British Embassy's new man that the undercurrents of civil unrest continue beneath the surface. A wonderful movie of redemption on the part of the individual choosing the straight and narrow, in contrast with redemption on the part of a community, that is a country, moving away from conections to the international drug trade. A harrowing saga of forgiveness and triumph in the face of past defeat. The movie is a must see soley due to a magnificent connection between seasoned actors. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 12, 2005 | | Summary | Incompetent and dull non-thriller | Content
| Terrible film, made worse by the fact that the author of the book on which this rubbish is based, John le Carre, was not only part of the script writing team, but also credited as an executive producer. One can only assume therefore that he was happy with the film, but it is two hours I'll never have again.
The basic premise is ridiculous. The motivation of the cynical, semi-disgraced British spy Andy Osnard in stealing millions in American funds destined to support a bogus rebellion in Panama is never established, and the wholesale and gullible buy-in by the American intelligence community and military to the fanciful presentation of events by Osnards's middle-management boss is utterly unbelievable, even with the hindsight of the real-life Iraq WMD intelligence debacle. That director John Boorman shot two endings, the unused of which is included in the DVD extras, and both of which are unsatisfactory, betrays the fact that no one had any idea how to end this train-wreck, and the whole lack of coherence and excitement in the piece seems hard to fathom given the talent involved.
Brosnan, as Osnard, and Geoffrey Rush as Harry Pendel, the gullible and tall story-telling tailor press-ganged into serving Her Majesty's government, work well together, and at least breathe some life into the generally insipid dialog. Unfortunately however, Jamie Lee Curtis, despite her fine acting credentials, is hopelessly miscast as Harry's all-American-girl wife. 1 out of 5 for Brosnan and Rush giving it a pretty good shot, but that's about it - otherwise, a complete waste of time.
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| Rating | | | Date | December 12, 2004 | | Summary | "It's a game...Let's have some fun." | Content
| Based on the novel by John LeCarre, this action-packed screenplay by Andrew Davies and LeCarre showcases Panama City in the heady times immediately before the Canal was turned over to Panamanian control. Andrew Osnard (Pierce Brosnan), a free-wheeling British intelligence officer in the doghouse with his superiors, is assigned to Panama to be sure that "the world's biggest trade gate does not fall into the wrong hands." Meeting tailor Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush) in his shop, Osnard observes that Pendel has contact with all the important members of the Panamanian government, the opposition, the press, and the diplomatic corps, and, using blackmail, recruits Pendel as a spy for Britain.
When the tailor does not discover any information and is squeezed for it (because he has debts due), he makes it up stories about a "silent opposition," the machinations of the French and Chinese to acquire the Canal, and the negotiations of a corrupt government for its sale. Soon American and British diplomats are arming and preparing for war to ensure that the Canal stays in "friendly" hands.
The plot is nearly identical to that of Graham Greene's famous novel and 1959 film of Our Man in Havana, and the viewer will find few, if any, surprises as the meddling by Osnard and Pendel unfolds. Lacking a strong plot, Director John Boorman has ensured that interest remains high, however, by filming on location in Panama City with its night life, festivals, and parties and by giving Osnard (Brosnan) a libido that controls his life. Attractive women, such as Francesca (Catherine McCormack) at the British Embassy and even Pendel's wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) fall under his spell, and more than a few "Janet Jackson moments" keep the viewer tantalized.
A glitzy film which offers plenty of exotic atmosphere, violence, sex, and intrigue, the film lacks only the chase scene which would have converted Brosnan from Osnard to James Bond. Rush, as always, gives a sterling performance as the bumbling tailor, frantic to keep his wife from knowing of his debts and his years in prison. Curtis does a fine job of acting, but it feels like acting, and it is almost impossible to imagine her married to someone like Pendel. Enjoyable and fun to watch, as long as one does not look for depth in the plot or characters, this film provides plenty of amusement and light entertainment for those not offended by the strong language and sexual content. Mary Whipple
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| Rating | | | Date | November 12, 2004 | | Summary | A fun movie to watch | Content
| This movie flows real well. The plot is intriguing and everyone did a great job playing their parts. Osnard is sly and very convincing. He is played perfectly by the very talented Pierce Brosnan. But my favorite character here is Marta, who is played by the very sexy Leonor Varela. She should have had a bigger role but the scenes she's in are just those spur of the moment scenes that are perfect. Personally for me Jamie Lee Curtis is so so and I would have given Leonor Varela as big a role as Jamie Lee Curtis if not bigger. But damn Leonor is sexy! Keep being a stunna girl! And Geoffry Rush, who I think is very under-rated, was perfect for the role as Harry Pendel. He shows why he is such a great actor. Pendel is sly and compassionate and Rush played the part perfectly. Despite the off-key performance by Jamie Lee Curits, The Tailor Of Panama is a pretty fun way to spend a couple of hours. Watch it and you won't be disappointed. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 26, 2004 | | Summary | Not the story LeCarre wrote | Content
| This movie presents a different story altogether than the one LeCarre wrote. The plot line of Harry and Marta was not the unspoken love story of the book, and the ending in no way resembled LeCarre's tale. The verbally explosive scene at the tailor shop makes Harry the one who gets upset, rather than Mickey (via Harry's humiliation of him), giving Mickey's suicide a different motivation entirely. The episode where Harry moves Mickey's body and cleans up Mickey's apartment is left out. Louisa is given an alternate personality more suitable to Jamie Lee Curtis. Don't waste your time and money--read the book. Better yet, listen to The John LeCarre Collection audio. Let LeCarre tell the story himself--he does so wonderfully. |
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