DAMASCUS COVER
UK, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Olivia Thirlby, Jurgen Prochnow, John Hurt, Igal Naor, Navid Negahban.
Directed by Daniel Zelik Berk.
Damascus Cover is set in 1989. The film opens in Berlin in the coming down of the wall and the consequent joy. However, the central character is an Israeli agent, played very seriously by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, cold, bewildered by emotions. He fails in his attempt to extricate a double agent and returns to Israel.
His control is played by John Hurt in his final film – always creating a special character, making an impression.
The agent is sent to Damascus, undercover of being a carpet buyer and seller, to make contact with the maid in the home of a form now the officer, Jurgen Prochnow. The agent has met an American journalist in Jerusalem, photographing aggressive orthodox men, comes across her in Damascus, staying at the same hotel, and they are attracted. However, audiences may be suspicious about these meetings.
The film shows the various workings of agents undercover, surveillance, chases, shootouts. And, there is a dramatic shootout at the end involving the agent and the American journalist. However, there is also some revelation that behind-the-scenes, officials from both Syria and Israel can be in unofficial contact, working together on some cases.
A brief film, interesting, a rather cold look behind the scenes.
- Middle East espionage story? Israel, Syria? Germany? Agents, double agents?
- 1989, Berlin, the wall coming down? Syria, the Assad regime? Israel, conflict with Syria? Mossad? Agents?
- The Berlin setting is, Tel Aviv, Damascus (and Morocco standing in for Syria)? The musical score?
- Hans Hoffman’s story, his Israeli background, agent, controlled by Miki, his fellow agents in Germany, the double agent, attempt to extricate him, his death? The return to Israel, the discussions with Miki? The role of his partner? Seeing the psychiatrists, his telling them what they need to do here? His return to Damascus? His cover as selling and buying carpets?
- His mission in Damascus, to extricate the nuclear scientist and his family? At the Sheraton hotel, the scenes of selling carpets, the gift of the woven could and his wearing it? The older Germans, making contact, stealing the wallet, returning it, at the meal, the discussions with the Syrians, the presence of the intelligence chief, checking on Hans? His contact with the maid, the her suspicions, his pretending to kiss her, ousted? His later return and the attempted apology?
- The encounter with Kim in Jerusalem, her photographing the orthodox aggressive men? Hans saving her? Phone number? The later encounter in Damascus? Her work as a journalist? The attraction between the two, meetings, discussions, her attempt to photograph him and his hitting the camera, the sexual encounter and the consequences, his following her, her being picked up, the interview with the security chief? Her not suspecting? The broken watch on the gift? The return to the hotel, the room being bugged, setting up the drama to be overheard? Leaving the hotel, the attack by the men, the shootout?
- Hans, followed in the street, the bashing? His making contact with the agent, the family grouping together in the church? Coming with him, her being onside, shooting his assailant? The agent shooting him? Hans being captured?
- The background of the intelligence chief, the agent abducted, the interrogation, soft, harsh, hitting him with the phone? The contact with the general? Together with the plan and listening in on the bugged room?
- The general, Hans in his care, phoning Miki, the arrangement between the two? Hans on his release? The background of agents, double agents, counter agents, and some negotiations between the various officials from Syria and Israel?
