Hollywood legend and Academy Award winner James Coburn stars as Prof. Robert Elliot, a former secret agent given the job opportunity of a lifetime: adviser to the President of the United States. However, he has some skeletons in his closet that need eliminating, namely the four people aware of his shady past. Elliot hatches a diabolical plot to get rid of his targets in one night, with no ties leading back to him...but will his plan work, or will an unexpected twist spoil everything? Also starring Academy Award-winning actress Lee Grant (SHAMPOO) and written by Jonathan Lynn (CLUE, MY COUSIN VINNY), THE INTERNECINE PROJECT is a nerve-shattering thriller that will grip you in suspense until the unpredictable surprise ending!.

****

An American professor of economics (Coburn) gets offered a top level advisory job in Washington, on condition that he eliminates four people in London who operate his European industrial espionage network. Once under way, The Internecine Project turns into a straightforward, very enjoyable if somewhat implausible murder story. Rather than despatch his victims himself, Coburn sets them to kill each other by orchestrating their motives and their moves. Despite the plot turning around a succession of calls from conveniently empty public phone boxes (all in working order), and the presence of a stereotype female journalist acting as Coburn's conscience, the film gains in weight thanks to its topical implications. All in all, a neat and unpretentious thriller that offers more food for thought than most such unashamedly commercial movies.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE