Power Play

When I first saw this movie about ten years ago, I was blown away by it. On subsequent viewings, its flaws have become more apparent -- most of the characters are flatly written, a few of the minor roles are poorly played. However, the film still remains a worthy effort. Whereas most political films only pay lip service to ideological concerns, Power Play actually attempts to examine both what it means to live in a totalitarian regime and how easily the best intentions can be subverted. The film has a fine lead performance from David Hemmings. While he at first seems to be flamboyantly overacting, Peter O'Toole eventually reveals the chilling truth behind his character's manner. Lastly, Donald Pleasence plays the head of the Secret Police but, as opposed to later performances, doesn't descend into camp and is a frightfully Himmleresque figure. The scenes where he tortures a young woman are disturbing and, thankfully, played for outrage than for exploitation. Powerplay features a downbeat ending but in the end, its the only honest way the film could end. Check it out if you get a chance.

An unnamed country is suffering at the hands of a corrupt government so a group of idealistic army officers and intellectuals attempt to stage a coup with the idea of reforming their nation. But who can they trust, is there a Judas in their midst?

A great idea, a great cast and great detail into how to stage a coup d'etat and yet the film just lacks that little bit to make it truly memorable. The production looks a little flat, the pace lags and it's narrative is a little fractured. It comes across as a vaguely interesting tv movie not helped by the fact that it should have been set in either Africa, South America or Eastern Europe because the locations just scream "Canada!" at you and why would they be staging a coup? Still, enjoy Peter O'Toole, David Hemmings, Donald Pleasance and Barry Morse together.

Familiar faces in this film (Hemmings, Pleasance, O'Toole) help to get a Western audience to empathise with what it's like to live under a totalitarian regime. Our sympathies are with the heroes as they move towards a coup d'etat (an odd one in which the military intends to replace a more repressive regime with one less so). However not every conspirator's motives are the purest...

"For a coup to be successful you need tanks. My tanks" declares tank commander Peter O'Toole to idealistic young army officer David Hemmings in this engrossing military drama reminiscent of Bunuel's 'La Fievre Monte a El Pao' and Jancso's 'The Red and the White' with a wonderful punch line as he demonstrates to Hemmings that power comes down the barrel of a gun and you never know who's next for the firing squad.

Inside story of a military coup in a fictional South American country. A well written screenplay plus good performances from David Hemmings, Peter O'Toole and Donald Pleasance make this film believable. In a strange way the English language spoken by the characters and northern temperate scenery made the film more real to me because it felt closer to home.

This film should be mandatory viewing for would be dictators, because it provides a virtual recipe for the process - and pitfalls - of staging a military coup. Fans of action and pretty cinematography will be disappointed.