Tom Clancy's Op Center (film)
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''Tom Clancy's Op Center'' (stylized as OP Center) is a 114-minute
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
- political thriller film which was edited-down from a 170-minute, 4-hour television
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
of the same name that aired in two parts on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
on February 26–27, 1995. Directed by Lewis Teague and produced by Richard L. O'Connor, with story by
Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...
, Steve Pieczenik and
Steve Sohmer Steve Sohmer (born June 26, 1941 in Savannah, Georgia) is an American author, former network television and motion picture studio executive, television writer and producer, and Shakespearean scholar. In 1966, his first novel, ''The Way It Was'' ...
, it features an ensemble cast including
Harry Hamlin Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...
,
Lindsay Frost Lindsay Frost (born June 4, 1962) is an American former actress. Early life Frost was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up elsewhere in Minnesota. She is the daughter of actor Warren Frost. Career On television, Frost played the role ...
,
Wilford Brimley Anthony Wilford Brimley (September 27, 1934 – August 1, 2020) was an American actor. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and working odd jobs in the 1950s, Brimley started working as an extra and stuntman in Western films in the ...
,
Deidre Hall Deidre Hall (born October 31, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives'', whom she has played for over 45 year ...
,
Ken Howard Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in ''1776'' (1972) and as high school basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the televisi ...
,
Bo Hopkins William Mauldin "Bo" Hopkins (February 2, 1938 – May 28, 2022) was an American actor. He was known for playing supporting roles in several major studio films from 1969 to 1979, especially for his breakout role in the ensemble cast of ''Americ ...
,
Carl Weathers Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948 – February 1, 2024) was an American actor, director and gridiron football player. His prominent roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four ''Rocky'' films (1976–1985), Colonel Al Dillon in ''Predat ...
,
Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British, Canadian, and American actress. She is known for her portrayal of Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominati ...
, John Savage and
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger ( ; April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Ranked as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars", he is closely associ ...
. The miniseries was directed by Lewis Teague.


Plot

In post-
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
, an inexperienced political appointee, Paul Hood (Hamlin), is named head of the supposedly obsolete National Crisis Management Center (NCMC) with an eye to downsizing it. No sooner is he introduced around by the NCMC’s deputy director, Brigadier General Mike Rodgers (
Carl Weathers Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948 – February 1, 2024) was an American actor, director and gridiron football player. His prominent roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four ''Rocky'' films (1976–1985), Colonel Al Dillon in ''Predat ...
), than he's in the middle of a crisis: a rogue
KGB The Committee for State Security (, ), abbreviated as KGB (, ; ) was the main security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991. It was the direct successor of preceding Soviet secret police agencies including the Cheka, Joint State Polit ...
unit hijacks three Ukrainian-based nuclear warheads for sale to the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
. National Security Advisor
Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
Troy Davis (Brimley) orders Hood and the Op Center to locate the warheads, verify their location and prepare a viable recovery plan. Hood is initially handicapped by ignorance and naivete; when told about a honeytrap, he asks: "Who are we working for: the United States government or the Mafia?" Nonetheless, he quickly demonstrates the ability to absorb new information and lead intelligently. The warheads are located and electronically confirmed aboard a KGB front-owned freighter sailing down the
Bosphorus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...
with a declared destination of
Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
. But top-secret information is leaking to high-powered Washington reporter Kate Michaels (
Deidre Hall Deidre Hall (born October 31, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives'', whom she has played for over 45 year ...
) and to the Israelis, whose Mossad representative Werkauf ( Luis Avalos) threatens will take unilateral action if the United States does not. Hood is further harassed when his unhappy wife Jane (Cattrall), who doesn't like Washington or understand the seriousness of his job, leaves town. This gives Pamela Bluestone (
Lindsay Frost Lindsay Frost (born June 4, 1962) is an American former actress. Early life Frost was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up elsewhere in Minnesota. She is the daughter of actor Warren Frost. Career On television, Frost played the role ...
), the Center's brilliant psychiatrist nicknamed "mind-reader and Good Witch of the East," the opening to make a play for Hood. Before any action can be taken, the intelligence leak must be pinpointed and plugged. To that end, the Center plants a bogus intelligence report on Admiral Davis for
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
consumption, only to confirm that the leak leads from the President (
Ken Howard Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in ''1776'' (1972) and as high school basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the televisi ...
) to the Israelis via Kate Michaels, the President's mistress. Hood and the Center reveal the deception to Admiral Davis and present the chain of evidence. Davis in turn forces the President to end his liaison with Michaels. Meanwhile, Hood, dispirited by Jane's departure, tries to resign, but Admiral Davis talks him out of it. With their source blown, the Israelis give Hood the buyer's identity and his file: Abdul Fazawi ( Kabir Bedi), former Mossad agent-turned-arms-dealer. Fazawi must be neutralized before the recovery operation begins or he will disappear to set up another such deal. Then wily rogue KGB Colonel Stolipin (
Sherman Howard Sherman Howard (born June 11, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his performance as the zombie Bub in George A. Romero's ''Day of the Dead'' (1985) and Lex Luthor on ''Superboy'' (1990–92). He also voiced Derek Powers / Blight in ...
) alters the ship's course towards
Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
, reducing the timeframe in which the recovery team, codenamed "Linebacker", can act. Hood sends Bluestone and Dan McCaskey (
Bo Hopkins William Mauldin "Bo" Hopkins (February 2, 1938 – May 28, 2022) was an American actor. He was known for playing supporting roles in several major studio films from 1969 to 1979, especially for his breakout role in the ensemble cast of ''Americ ...
), deputy assistant
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
director and the Center's crime/terrorism expert, to New York to arrest Fazawi, who must be in custody before "Linebacker" moves. But Fazawi is late to his rendezvous. When he does show up he is successfully arrested but Werkauf shoots him dead and wounds McCaskey and another FBI agent before being shot dead himself. With hindsight Bob Herbert ( John Savage), the Center's Intelligence Officer, realizes that the Israelis used the Center to flush Fazawi into the open. Meanwhile, "Linebacker" has gone into action. Following a short, hard fight they take control of the ship, the surviving crew and the warheads, and also disarm the scuttling charge. At a press conference the following day, the President announces that contrary to 'irresponsible... unfounded reports', there are no stolen nuclear warheads: the US, Russia and Israel have just concluded a joint exercise ''simulating'' theft and recovery of dummy warheads, and to prove it he introduces the Russian and Israeli ambassadors to answer questions. When asked how she got the Russians and Israelis to cooperate, Liz Gorman ( Mia Korf), the Center's long-suffering and resourceful Press and Congressional Liaison, replies: "I appealed to their sense of national interest... Well you know: blackmail." Davis confirms Hood head of the Center for as long as he wants the job. Hood declines an interview request from the ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' and heads home to his two preteen daughters, alone with the housekeeper while their mother is out of town. But when he opens the door his wife is waiting instead: Admiral Davis had called Jane to explain why Paul has been so busy. As she takes him into her arms, he hesitantly returns the embrace, a wary look on his face.


Cast (partial)

NCMC Staff *
Harry Hamlin Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...
as Paul Hood, Director NCMC *
Carl Weathers Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948 – February 1, 2024) was an American actor, director and gridiron football player. His prominent roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four ''Rocky'' films (1976–1985), Colonel Al Dillon in ''Predat ...
as Brigadier General Mike Rodgers, Deputy Director NCMC *
Bo Hopkins William Mauldin "Bo" Hopkins (February 2, 1938 – May 28, 2022) was an American actor. He was known for playing supporting roles in several major studio films from 1969 to 1979, especially for his breakout role in the ensemble cast of ''Americ ...
as Dan McCaskey, FBI & Interpol Officer & Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI *
Lindsay Frost Lindsay Frost (born June 4, 1962) is an American former actress. Early life Frost was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up elsewhere in Minnesota. She is the daughter of actor Warren Frost. Career On television, Frost played the role ...
as Pamela Bluestone, Psychiatrist *
Mariangela Pino Mariangela Pino is an American actress. She is best known for her role as ''Diane Koscinski'' in the 1994 film '' Richie Rich'' and her recurring role as Marie Morton on the sitcom ''Home Improvement''. Early life and education Pino was born i ...
as Martha Macken, Political & Economics Officer * John Savage as Bob Herbert, National Intelligence Officer * Tom Bresnahan as Matt Stoll, Operations Support * Mia Korf as Liz Gorman, Press & Congressional Liaison * David Garrison as Bill Mathis, Sciences and Environmental Officer * Todd Waring as Lowell Coffey, Lawyer & legal Advisor * Elizabeth Alley as Sergeant King, Ops Room Communications Operator * Lou Liberatore as Surveillance Technician Washington *
Ken Howard Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in ''1776'' (1972) and as high school basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the televisi ...
as The President * William Bumiller as Lou Bender, Presidential Aid *
Wilford Brimley Anthony Wilford Brimley (September 27, 1934 – August 1, 2020) was an American actor. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and working odd jobs in the 1950s, Brimley started working as an extra and stuntman in Western films in the ...
as Vice Admiral Troy Davis Other cast members * Kabir Bedi as Abdul Fazawi, Arms Dealer *
Deidre Hall Deidre Hall (born October 31, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives'', whom she has played for over 45 year ...
as Kate Michaels, Reporter *
Sherman Howard Sherman Howard (born June 11, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his performance as the zombie Bub in George A. Romero's ''Day of the Dead'' (1985) and Lex Luthor on ''Superboy'' (1990–92). He also voiced Derek Powers / Blight in ...
as Uri Stalipin * Victor Love as Captain Ted Drake *
France Nuyen France Nuyen (born France Nguyễn Vân Nga on 31 July 1939) is a French-American actress, model, and psychological counselor. She is known to film audiences for playing romantic leads in '' South Pacific'' (1958), '' Satan Never Sleeps'' (1962 ...
as Li Tang, Antique Book Shop Madame * Luis Avalos as Verkauf, Mossad *
Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British, Canadian, and American actress. She is known for her portrayal of Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominati ...
as Jane Hood, Wife *
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger ( ; April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Ranked as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars", he is closely associ ...
as Rudi Kushnerov, Boroda Russian Liaison * George Alvarez as Captain Rodriguez * Robert Broyles as Chief *
Tom Villard Thomas Louis Villard (November 19, 1953 – November 14, 1994) was an American actor. He is known for his leading role in the 1980s series ''We Got It Made'', as well as roles in feature films ''Grease 2'', ''One Crazy Summer'', ''Heartbreak Rid ...
as Press Aide


Crew (partial)

Producer: Richard L. O'Connor :Executive Producers: Tom Clancy, Toni Dailey, Steve Pieczenik, Steve Sohmer, Brandon Tartikoff :Director: Lewis Teague :Music: Patrick Williams :Film Editing:
Tina Hirsch Tina Hirsch (born 1943)—also known as Bettina Kugel Hirsch, Bettina Hirsch, and Bettina Kugel—is an American film editor and an adjunct professor of editing at the University of Southern California.
Cinematography: Alan Otino Caso, Casting: Joel Thurm, Production Design: Donald Light-Harris, Art Direction: Erik Olson, Set Decoration: Ronald R. Reiss, Costume Design: Darryl Levine, Hair Stylist: Mimi Jafari, Makeup Artist: Martha Preciado, Special Effects: Kam Cooney, Stunt coordinator: Chuck Waters.


Production notes

The series was filmed in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., by MT3 Services in association with New World Entertainment. It received the 1995
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in "Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special" for Part I.
Tina Hirsch Tina Hirsch (born 1943)—also known as Bettina Kugel Hirsch, Bettina Hirsch, and Bettina Kugel—is an American film editor and an adjunct professor of editing at the University of Southern California.
was also nominated for a 1996 "Best Edited Episode from a Television Mini-Series'" award by the American Cinema Editors, USA for Part I.


Reception

Note: these reviews reference the original 170-minute mini-series, not the 114-minute edited version. "''Op Center'' Drowns In Numbing Details. The Four-hour Mini-series Is A Talky Piece Dressed As A High-tech Espionage Thriller. It's Not Just The Weapons That Are Deadly" introduced Jonathan Short's 1995 review in ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...
''. While praising Rod Steiger and pitying Hamlin for some of the lines he had to utter, his review objected to what Short felt was over-simplification: too much talking and not enough action. In his words "It's certainly very kind of writer Steve Sohmer to think of the mentally challenged," and went on to compare it to ''
Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...
'' without actually naming that series. John P. McCarthy's review in ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' (February 23, 1995) called it "...a moderately insightful, by-the-numbers lesson in geopolitics" though "the team’s banter tends to be sophomoric." Nonetheless he praised "The strong ensemble (which) occasionally rises above the material." He also pointed out the series' three themes: the cost of serving one's country in terms of broken homes; "deception, which brings in issues like adultery and spousal abuse. Patriotism at this level involves great personal sacrifice, and no one — enemy or lover — can be trusted." Thirdly, "The U.S. is not prepared for international crises..." Steve Johnson, of the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', after decrying the script's lack of subtly, confusing "techno-chatter" and "stick figures," felt that "...it deftly conveys the claustrophobic, paranoiac atmosphere of a place such as Op Center's headquarters. In this environment, everybody is tailing everybody else..." Johnson concluded: "It's ultimately worth the attention required, because a well-plotted, fast-paced story unfolds, one that does a good job of moving the spy thriller genre onto the less certain sands of modern geopolitics."Johnson, Steve (February 24, 1995)
"Mini-series Showdown"
''Chicago Tribune''


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tom Clancy's Op Center (1995) 1995 television films 1995 films 1995 action thriller films American action thriller films American political thriller films American chase films 1990s English-language films Films about security and surveillance Films based on American novels Films based on works by Tom Clancy American spy films Films directed by Lewis Teague Films set in Washington, D.C. Films shot in Washington, D.C. American techno-thriller films Films shot in Los Angeles New World Pictures films 1990s American films English-language action thriller films