Charlie (Keaton) is an American actress living and working in London. She has strong political feelings and takes part in demonstrations for various causes. One night, in the middle of a speech by a Palestinian militant who is hooded to protect his identity, Charlie speaks up to voice her pro-Palestinian views. She shouts that the Palestinians are being targeted unfairly, thereby putting herself on their side against the state of Israel.
Later Charlie sees this same man in the audience while she is on stage. She knows it is “Michel,” as he calls himself, by the same red blazer and rings he wore when he was giving his speech. This excites her.
Recruited for the Cause
Later, while on what she thinks is a location shoot for a series of wine commercials, she notices this same man. Soon they are talking and having dinners. She feels he is there to recruit her to the cause, but little does she know which cause it is.
The man, whom she nicknames Joseph, is part of an elite Israeli squad. When she meets the rest of the group she tells them they have the wrong woman. She is pro-Palestinian. After hearing them out, she joins them in an effort to find Michel’s brother Khalil, the head man of a terrorist group that has been planting bombs around Europe and killing innocent people. This is, as they tell her, her chance to do something good and make an actual difference, rather than simply marching in demonstrations. She has the opportunity to stop some violence. This is at the same time frightening yet exciting to her. And the fact that she has fallen in love with “Joseph” adds to her determination to go through with her “assignment” and stop the unnecessary violence.
Charlie is then deeply entrenched in the story that the group invents for her. It is a love story between her and Michel. She has to be believable to the terrorists. They must think that she and Michel were lovers. That she was his woman. That is the only way she will be safe once she gets involved with the terrorists in her effort to flush out Khalil.
Charlie Attends Terrorist Camp
Being an actress, Charlie has no difficulties with this part of the job. What bothers her is when she is taken to Beirut and is trained in a Palestinian training camp. She excels at it all, but when one of the Israeli’s who is keeping an eye on her is captured, she witnesses his execution. There’s no turning back.
After her training is over, Charlie finds herself back in Europe with her first assignment. She is to deliver a bomb.
This is a thrilling drama based on the book by notable novelist John Le Carré. Klaus Kinski stars as Martin, the leader of the Israeli anti-terrorist unit. It is a gripping story of a woman who starts out on one side of an issue and finds herself on the other side.
Diane Keaton turns in a wonderfully powerful performance. This is a memorable story with memorable characters. It’s gripping, engaging, and mesmerizing.
This 1984 film is part of the Warner Bros. Archive Collection.
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Running Time: 130 minutes
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