THE MAKING OF A SPY THRILLER
Scriptwriter Tom O’Connor was enthralled by the history of Russian-American espionage – and when he learned of the courageous Greville Wynne and Oleg Penkovsky, he wanted to bring their story to life
The intrigue and misinformation that defined the Cold War era served as inspiration
Tom O’Connor, the writer behind some huge Hollywood films, would spend hours reading up on Cold War tales of Russian-American spy antics in his spare time – but one story really struck a chord.
‘I started reading history books and came across
Oleg Penkovsky [played by Merab Ninidze], a legendary source that the Americans had in the Soviet Union. One line of one book said that Penkovsky’s contact was a British civilian called Greville Wynne [Cumberbatch]. At that point, my screenwriter cap popped on.’ Research for the film was hard, as much of Wynne and Penkovsky’s story remains classified. But these gaps in the story only added to the intrigue and sense of misinformation which defined the Cold War era, and served as inspiration for a spy thriller.
Creating a spy film is a tricky business, as it’s been done many times before. But The Courier has something new and timely to say.
Unlike your standard Cold War caper, where inscrutable people have inscrutable motives and lurk about, cloak-and-dagger style,
The Courier is full of emotion on multiple levels – an extra-special touch that makes it all the more gripping.
Wynne’s willingness to put his life on the line, not just for the UK but the world, is moving to say the least; it even risks his relationship with his wife, Sheila (played by Jessie Buckley). Their marriage is on the rocks as he immerses himself in a world of subterfuge for his country. Add to this the special bond he develops with the mole Penkovsky under the circumstances, and audiences will find themselves feeling the same sense of desperation our intelligence services undoubtedly felt, hoping this last-ditch plan would pay off.
As cinemas reopen, do not miss your chance to see this epic retelling of an incredible true story.