The Internecine Project *** (1974, James Coburn, Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Michael Jayston, Christiane Krüger, Keenan Wynn) – Classic Movie Review 9031

Director Ken Hughes’s 1974 The Internecine Project is a clever but heartless British-made thriller, with James Coburn enjoying himself as Professor Robert Elliot, an ambitious business tycoon who tries to erase evidence of his criminal activities by setting off a chain of murders among four industrial spies (Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Michael Jayston and Christiane Krüger).

Hughes brings a dash of wit and style to the direction, and there is a fine collection of Brit actors. But it is perhaps mainly of interest now as an early work of Barry Levinson, who co-produced it and also co-wrote with Jonathan Lynn from the novel by Mort W Elkind.

Stay with it for the surprise ending.

Also in the cast are Lee Grant, Keenan Wynn, Terence Alexander, David Swift, Julian Glover, John Savident, Richard Marner, Geoffrey Burridge, Ray Callaghan, Philip Anthony, Mary Larkin and Ewan Roberts.

The Internecine Project is directed by Ken Hughes, runs 89 minutes, is made by MacLean and Company, Lion International and Hemisphere Pictures, is released by Allied Artists, is written by Barry Levinson and Jonathan Lynn, based on the novel by Mort W Elkind, is shot in Eastmancolor by Geoffrey Unsworth, is produced by Barry Levinson and Andrew Donally, and is scored by Roy Budd.

The publicity explains the title: ‘Internecine, a fancy word for multiple murder’.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9031

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