Our movie today, released in the movie barren year of 2020, is based on true events, a favorite
genre of mine. A historical spy drama set in the 1960’s, The Courier tells the story of the tense
period before and after the Cuban Missile Crisis between the US and USSR. Veteran Russian Colonel Oleg Penkovsky is so concerned with his country’s threats of using nuclear weapons on its enemies, that he covertly sends a message to the American Embassy in Moscow offering his knowledge to stop the threat.
Flash forward six months and the CIA and MI6 are developing a plan, code name Ironbark.
Penkovsky, has information regarding missile deployment to Cuba and other locations, but how
to get that information? It’s too risky to send CIA or MI6 operatives, if they were caught it
would exasperate an already precarious relationship between the countries. There is still
commerce between all the countries, items are bought and sold between the East and West,
and their plan is born. This is where we meet, Greville Wynne portrayed by Benedict
Cumberbatch and this is where I think “OMG this is a real Hollywood movie, not a direct to DVD
video!!” How many frogs have I kissed and finally a real honest to God movie, I can picture
myself sitting in a real theatre watching this! Wait…I need a deep cleansing breathe and a
moderate sip of South American Red.
Now back to our movie, Wynne initially says “heck no” I’m a salesman not a spy. But with the
description of a Russian nuclear attack destroying London and his family, he agrees to the plan.
Wynne is perfect in the job, a professional salesman, he knows how to schmooze and play the
room. No one doubts he is a capitalist from the East, in the USSR to make money. Penkovsky’s
working and meeting with Wynne is just part of job as an intelligence officer overseeing trade
delegates.
For the next two years we see a relationship develop between Penkovsky and Wynne, which
boils down to two men with families, trying to do something to protect millions of other
families. Over the years Wynne smuggled out thousands of pages of intel regarding the Russian
nuclear program, which ultimately defused the Cuban Missile Crisis. Penkovsky confided to
Wynne that he was frightened by Khrushchev and pleaded that the information he gave be
used wisely, not as a weapon but a tool to bring peace.
Wynne, though a regular traveler to the USSR, is under constant surveillance as is Penkovsky,
and both feel the walls are closing in on them.
The inevitable happens, and both are arrested and imprisoned for espionage and related
charges.
And that’s where I will end it, because you need to watch this MOVIE, not a video but a real
Hollywood made movie. The cinematography is fabulous, as is the acting. Side note, Rachel
Brosnan (The Fabulous Mrs Maisel) as CIA Operative Emily Donovan is nothing special in this,
Cumberbatch and Merab Ninidze as Penkovsky are everything in this movie.
This is very much a character movie, not so much driven about the nuclear missile crisis. I think
that’s why I really enjoyed this movie. You really are given the opportunity, thru very good
writing to meet two characters and see and understand the development of their story.
The Courier, rated B is a must see. As for a beverage, Vodka chilled of course!
