The movie Spy Game is not fiction. It’s based on the true-life story of U.S. army intelligence operative Tom Golden who was a CIA operative for most of his life. He partook in the CIA’s Phoenix Program during the Vietnam War and “Nathan Muir” was his CIA code name while he was in Southeast Asia, and during his intelligence operations in Indochina. Golden also served in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Pentagon, in addition to the CIA. He conducted missions in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Central and South America.
A few movie experts say that the movie is
based on a real-world spy program that went on during World War II. There was a
secret government program known as ‘Station S’, where civilians were recruited
and taken to a remote location and trained to be spies. I wonder if the
location was the CIA’s ‘The Farm’, where it trains its new recruits?
The film is two hours and six minutes long,
was filmed in Morocco between November 5, 2000, to March 19, 2001, and was
dedicated to Elizabeth Jean Scott, the mother of the famous directors Tony Scott and Ridley
Scott. Her name can be seen in the credits listed at the end. It was actually Tony Scott's movie, and his
mother passed away in 2001 during the filming of Spy Game, which is why he decided
to dedicate the movie to her.
I was impressed by the plot. Tension
mounts as, in 1991, the U.S. and China are close to a major trade
agreement, with the President due to visit China to seal the deal. The CIA learns
that its asset Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) was arrested at a People’s Liberation
Army prison in Suzhou and will be executed in 24 hours unless the US
government claims him and bargains for his release. It’s a roller coaster ride
from then on.
Redford plays the role of CIA operative Nathan Muir extremely well. He is on the brink of retirement from the field, when he learns his protégé Tom Bishop has been arrested in China on a charge of espionage. No stranger to the machinations of the CIA's top echelon, Muir hones all his skills and irreverent manner in order to find a way to free Bishop.
Take
a journey of espionage and intrigue with CIA Spymaster Corey Pearson in MISSION
OF VENGEANCE
Got to admit, my eyes teared up as Bishop is rescued at the end of the film nearly 15 minutes prior to his scheduled execution. He realizes Muir (Robert Redford) was behind his rescue since the name of the plan to rescue him, "Operation Dinner Out," was reference to a birthday gift that Bishop gave Muir while they were in Lebanon.
Robert Morton
is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and
enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster
series. Check out his latest spy thriller: MISSION
OF VENGEANCE.
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