michaelwmillwood Of course, an array of particulars were changed (as should be expected for a multitude of reasons). One should note, however, that this movie did in fact portray an even larger number of historically accurate details and/or information. This applies not only to simple global occurrences or events during the so called 'Cold War', but more so to the mannerisms, behaviors, operational methods and habits (both good AND bad / publicly accepted and not) of those patriots employed with or assigned to "The Company." This particularly applies to their relentless dedication, extreme attention to detail, as well as their impossible acceptance of the painstaking patience required in their work! Also, I felt as though the majority of the actor portrayals were "dead-on"... perhaps not the best choice of words for an espionage movie! ;-). In closing, one final thought... the overall GOOD in this movie (storyline, cinematography, overall accuracy... heck, the actors themselves) FAR out weighed whatever little bad that the few 'critics' would point out. That's why, for me at least, this movie was AWESOME!! Thank you. MWM

Robert J. Maxwell A TV miniseries in six parts about spying on both sides of the Cold War. Kids, the term "Cold War" refers to the rivalry and occasional proxy wars between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, now known as Russia. Between 1945 and 1990, both sides poured enormous amounts of money, effort, blood, and general discomfort into espionage nd counter-espionage. Our agency was the CIA and the USSR had the KGB. We finally won, partly by forcing the USSR to spend itself into oblivion. Both sides played pretty dirty. "We made a lot of mistakes along the way," muses the central CIA figure, Christ O'Donnell. "We won, didn't we?", replies his pragmatic colleague, Alfred Molina.I see no point in going into the forty-five year history of the Cold War, but I have to say that the film reminded me of Herman Wouk's massive works, "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance." Somehow or other, O'Donnell finds himself in the middle of just about every important incident in which the CIA was involved, like the Hungarian uprising of 1956 and the Bay of Pigs in 1961. Nothing about Chile and Allende because that was less of a mistake and more like a CIA-backed assassination.It's a reasonably good show. The production values are high and the historical details seem accurate enough for most purposes. Shooting locations included Ontario, Puerto Rico, and Budapest. The acting for the most part is professional, with standout performances by Michael Keaton, unusually subdued and convincing as a determined bulldog sniffing through mountains of data and hanging on to his conclusions, and by Rory Cochrane, who has the pudgy face of a comic and the deep growl of Russel Crowe. Both do fine work here.As in Wouk's works there are a couple of romances sprinkled through the story but it's far from a soap opera. Most of the time is spent on ferreting out double agents known as "moles" within the CIA, which is known as "the company." The Romanian actress Alexandra Maria Lara is cast as a ballerina who is O'Donnel's contact behind the Iron Curtain and becomes his main squeeze, despite firm instruction against it. She's attractive and an appealing character. Less appealing (as a character) is Natascha McElhone, whose big, bulging eyes and bony nose are beautiful in their own way.Chris O'Donnell as Jack McCauliffe, the sometimes doubtful protagonist, looks and acts more like a male model out of the pages of Gentleman's Quarterly or the New York Times Magazine. He's the weakest link in the story, more handsome and more bland than Kent Smith, and if it weren't for all the tension and mystery, he might easily have torpedoed it.And it IS a good story. The first two hours of exposition are a bit slow as we must be introduced to three Yalies who go their separate ways after graduation. Thereafter, the pace picks up. At times, the action we witness is particularly brutal. People get the crap beat out of them or are shot while begging for their lives. It's a dirty business all around. Yet, with all the intrigue and enigmas, the tale is never really confusing. It takes some concentration but we can follow the characters in their peregrinations.

eltsr-1 Aleksander Grigoryevich Kopatzky, Angleton's Sasha or Igor Orlov was chased into the Soviet Embassy and emerged with a Wash DC retirement in his own downtown picture frame shop. Angleton found his Sasha, but a greater world of lesser men humiliated "Jim" as the movie additionally depicts showing the electro shock therapy being crudely deliver to Frank Weisner after the Bay of Pigs fiasco. The Company is a Rembrandt painting of The Cold War era that accurately communicates the hard reality that bipolar world was trapped in. The movie could not say what I have said so directly and the real participants are melded and divided depending on what its history might betray or reveal. So forget about any truth you might witness and enjoy the experience. For the CIA participants it was all too real. Michael Keaton is as great an actor as Angleton was a man. Take some time to read Angleton's lying testimony to the Warren Commission: "Within the house of (espionage) are many rooms." "What I said to () after the Bay of Pigs was 'What is your fall back position if you fail?'" Reality what a concept! God Bless them all. and God Bless the United States of America.

joerigr I do regret that I have bought this series. I expected more action, more objective picture and more consistency. This is just a pure propaganda series, very dark, without any charm, or romanticism, it is just boredom itself. I find the actors work quite weak as well. O'Donnell might seem charming as Robin (with Batman), but in this picture he lacks any charm. Probably while he becomes older, he is loosing his childish charm but does not gain any charm of a grown up. It comes as no surprise, that it was not shown in a lot of countries and is being sold in the UK for 40% of the recommended price and was not even released in the Netherlands.