The Bourne Identity **** (1988, Richard Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith, Anthony Quayle, Donald Moffat, Yorgo Voyagis, Peter Vaughan, Denholm Elliott) – Classic Movie Review 12,537

The 1988 TV thriller The Bourne Identity stars Richard Chamberlain as tough spy Jason Bourne in this compelling miniseries version of Robert Ludlum’s clever novel. Satisfyingly, it follows the storyline of the original novel and includes Carlos the Jackal. 

Before Matt Damon took over the character, Jason Bourne started on TV in 1988 with Richard Chamberlain in the gripping, much-admired three hour and five minute miniseries, The Bourne Identity, written by Carol Sobieski and directed by Roger Young for Warner Bros Television.

Director Roger Young’s 1988 TV thriller The Bourne Identity stars Richard Chamberlain, who plays tough spy Jason Bourne convincingly in this compelling Eighties miniseries version of Robert Ludlum’s clever novel. Satisfyingly, it follows the storyline of the original novel by Ludlum, including the inclusion of the real-life character Carlos the Jackal, though with some differences.

The Hitchcock-style thriller opens with Chamberlain being pulled from the Mediterranean half-dead and suffering from amnesia and taken to an old French doctor who nurses him back to health. A clever clue hidden in his thigh leads Chamberlain to a bank-vault deposit-box in Zurich, where he finds six passports with separate identities and a huge stash of cash.

There is a very good, mainly British cast in support, who include Jaclyn Smith, Anthony Quayle, Donald Moffat, Yorgo Voyagis, Peter Vaughan, Denholm Elliott, Bruce Boa, James Faulkner, James Laurenson, Philip Madoc, Jacqueline Pearce, and Shane Rimmer.

The film was first shown in the US on ABC in two 120-minute instalments (including commercials) over two nights.

 The composer Laurence Rosenthal won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) for part I.

It was remade with Matt Damon in 2002 as The Bourne Identity.

The cast are Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne, Jaclyn Smith as Marie St. Jacques, Anthony Quayle as General François Villiers, Donald Moffat as David Abbott, Shane Rimmer as Alexander Conklin, Yorgo Voyagis as Carlos, Denholm Elliott as Dr Geoffrey Washburn, Peter Vaughan as Fritz Koenig, Michael Habeck as The Fat Man, Wolf Kahler as Gold Glasses, Philip Madoc as D’Armacourt, Bill Wallis as Chernak, Bruce Boa, James Faulkner, James Laurenson, and Jacqueline Pearce.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,537

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