Enigma

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</TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="592" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="588"><div> <B>Enigma     </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Wingdings 2" ><B>êêê</B></FONT><B> ½  Stars  Rated R</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> Reviewed by Shelley Cameron</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="588" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="588"><div> Code Blue</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="593" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="293"><div> Dougray Scott  as Tom Jerico</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="293"><div> Saffron Burrows as Claire Ro</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="293"><div> Kate Winslet as  Hester </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="293"><div> Jeremy Northam as Wigram</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="293"><div> Director : Michael Apted</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="293"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="293" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> This engaging story of code breaking, espionage, and sex is in the venerable tradition of the great Alfred Hitchcock movies set during World War II.  Reminiscent of <I>The 39 Steps, Foreign Correspondent, </I>and<I> Saboteur</I>, the clever story unfolds into itself several times and makes for a very satisfying experience.  Based on the best-selling novel by Robert Harris and adapted for the screen by Tom Stoppard (<I>Shakespeare in</I><I><U> </U></I><I>Love</I>) and directed by Michael Apted (<I>42 UP</I>, <I>Coal Miner's Daughter</I>).  With such a team, plus some strong casting, one might expect too much.  One is not disappointed.</div> <bR> <div> The enigma of the title refers primarily to an actual decoding device known as the Enigma Machine used during the war by the Germans to encode vital war information.  Tom Jerico (Dougray Scott) is a gifted mathematician who is part of a large group assembled at Bletchley Park outside London who work round the clock at the tedious and difficult task of behind the scenes war support to intercept and decode enemy messages. Following a nervous breakdown involving the lovely Claire (Saffron Burrows), Bletchey co-worker and roommate of Hester (Kate Winslet), Tom returns to assist in an important new decoding emergency.  </div> <div> Claire's reputation as the resident `shady lady' makes him seem the fool for falling so hard.  The insipid boss doesn't want him back but Tom's mathematical mind is legendary.</div> <bR> <div> The crisis at hand is the safe transport of a fleet of merchant ships bringing much needed supplies across the Atlantic, in eminent danger of attack by German U-boats.  The radio communications code has been abruptly changed, and the German enigma machine is brilliantly difficult to crack.  The ships are sitting ducks without the ability to unravel the transmissions detailing the movements of the U-boats.  With only a few days at most to crack the code and give the fleet some protection, Tom goes looking for Claire.  At the cottage she shares with Hester, he finds evidence that she's stolen some coded messages.  He also finds another enigma: she's gone missing.  Tom enlists Hester to help him, which leads both of them on a dangerous path.</div> <bR> <div> Their movements are watched by suave, cunning British secret service officer Wigram (Jeremy Northam) who seems always one step ahead of Tom.  He also knows how to push Tom's buttons.  He reminds him that but for the war, the great equalizer, he wouldn't stand a chance with a woman like Claire or get the star treatment as a mathematician, no matter how smart, being a mere working class nobody. And there appears to be a mole linked to Claire. Among the team of math geniuses are one who lost a brother on the Russian front, a communist sympathizer, and assorted other math prodigy/misfits, several of whom might have agendas of their own. </div> <bR> <div> Meanwhile, far from Bletchley, a mass grave is being dug up in the Ukraine by a German army company.  How this scenario connects to the complex story gives us a view none of the characters has but keeps us in suspense all the while. </div> <div>  </div> <div> There are some minor plot-points that don't quite make sense.  The lone captured enigma machine that was used to crack the code is kept in a rather vulnerable glass museum case.  It seems too easy for Tom and Hester to gain access to off-limits places.  These are indeed minor and such discrepancies certainly never hindered Hitchcock; including the hasty trek up to Scotland to Claire's remote cottage (anyone who's ever made the drive knows it's not a quick jaunt from London).  The real drama is in the interplay between Tom, Hester, Claire, and Wigram.</div> <bR> <div> All are perfectly cast, Dougray Scott, reminding me of a young Terrance Stamp, strikes a skilled balance between a brilliant man and one unhinged by love. Saffron Burrows, while not on screen a great deal, forms Claire into an excellently enigmatic figure.  Kate Winslet proves once again her courage and versatility as the multifaceted Hester.  Northam is delicious as the duplicitous but worthy intelligence agent.  The well-crafted script takes unpredictable turns and delves into interesting sub-texts. Computer development was accelerated by the war needs; the creativity and ingenuity required to leap ahead for one purpose (defeating the Nazis) gave rise to another (modern computers).  The incalculable value of these war heroes who worked far from front lines was largely overlooked. And there's an examination of the extent to which those with power will go to conceal or reveal secrets when they believe they have right on their side.   </div> <bR> <div> This is the first film from a new production company formed jointly by Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) and Mick Jagger.  Director Michael Apted, whose ingenious documentary, <I><B>42 Up,</B></I> followed the lives of a group of children for 35 years, and remains a unique and extraordinary work, brings his varied and accomplished background to put it all together.  </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="592" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="588"><div> Shelley Cameron <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Symbol" >Ó</FONT> 2002</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> <A HREF="mailto:shlcameron@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:shlcameron@aol.com"><U><U>Shelley@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>