Charlie Muffin DVD - (1979) - David Hemmings, Sam Wanamaker, Jennie Linden

Charlie Muffin is a 1979 made-for-TV film based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Brian Freemantle. In the U.S., the picture was later re-released under the title A Deadly Game. A Euston Films production, the movie features David Hemmings, Sir Ralph Richardson, Sam Wanamaker, Pinkas Braun, Ian Richardson, Shane Rimmer and Jennie Linden and was directed by Jack Gold. This Cold War espionage thriller follows the story of British anti-hero spy Charlie Muffin (Hemmings), who has fallen on hard times since the forced retirement of Sir Archibald Willoughby, his previous boss at the U.K. secret service (Sir Ralph Richardson). His new boss, Sir Henry Cuthbertson (Ian Richardson), who epitomises the haughty upper class British imperialist, hardly attempts to conceal his disdain for the under-educated agent who quite obviously does not stem from the "right class". At the start of the film, it is established that Charlie has been deemed expendable and accordingly gets set up to be caught or killed during a joint mission in East Germany—despite having been responsible for the mission's success. Cuthbertson's lap-dog agents Snare and Harrison—both totally lacking in experience and as arrogant as their boss—are shocked and embarrassed to see Muffin returning alive and well.