Le Serpent (1973)
Directed by Henri Verneuil

Film Review

This slick political thriller from Henri Verneuil evokes the mood of the Cold War of the 1960s and 1970s and was inspired by several high-profile real-life incidents, such as the Burgess, MacLean and Philby affair.  Le Serpent features an international cast of some highly regarded actors  including Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, Dirk Bogarde and Philippe Noiret - something which adds greatly to its appeal and sense of authenticity.  The complexity of the plot is something of a turn off, and sometimes the exposition feels contrived (for instance, the film relies far too much on voiceover to explain what is happening).  Also, the narrative feels uneven and disjointed, with some of the subplots (such as the one featuring Noiret) seems to have been “cut and pasted” from another film.  That said, Verneuil does a good job of maintaining the audience's interest, through some stylish camerawork and a few impressive set-piece action scenes.

Film Synopsis

Colonel Vlassov, an important KGB agent, arrives in Paris and declares his intention to defect to the west.  Naturally, the CIA are delighted by this news and its director Allan Davies listens attentively as Vlassov reels off the names of KGB agents who presently hold important posts within NATO.  Vlassov's defection is swiftly followed by the news that several agents have been found dead in Germany, apparently the victims of a ruthless purge.  At the funeral of one of his colleagues, British secret service agent Philip Boyle bends the ear of his French counterpart, Lucien Berthon, and passes on the names of two suspected double agents - Laine and Burger.  On his return to Paris, Berthon finds himself suspected of treason.  It is only when Laine and Burger make their escape across the Iron Curtain that Berthon sees through Boyle's game.  The CIA is about to uncover one of the most daring operations ever dreamed up by the KGB...