'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Courier, directed by Dominic Cooke and written by Tom O'Connor, tells the story of a spy and espionage set in the time of the Cold War. It features Benedict Cumberbatch as Greville Wynne, a British businessman, who smuggles information from Russia for the US and UK after being recruited by MI6.
The Courier is based on the real-life of a British industrial sales consultant, Greville Wynne, who was enlisted by the MI6 as a spy. Wynne was asked to take on the job by Dickie Franks, an agent with the British Secret Intelligence Service. He worked as a courier for Oleg Penkovsky, a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Union's foreign intelligence agency, GRU, who felt stuck in his job.
Penkovsky was willing to provide high-level Soviet military secrets to the American and British forces. Wynne and Penkovsky's cooperation and information smuggling proved to be influential as the governments tried to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis. The information supplied by Penkovsky through Wynne was crucial in preventing a nuclear exchange between the superpowers. As a result, Wynne's routine existence transformed into one filled with danger and intrigue, marking a significant chapter in Cold War history.
Trending
The movie, released in the US in 2021, tried to stay true to the history and life story of Greville Wynne and his journey as a spy. Viewers are pulled into Wynne's story of espionage and the dangers he faced while working as a spy. The movie is a dramatic account of a hero who wasn't well known but whose actions had huge effects.
True story behind the movie The Courier
Benedict Cumberbatch starrer The Courier is based on the true events that happened in the life of a British businessman Greville Wynne. It shows how after being recruited into the MI6, Greville worked with Oleg Penkovsky, an officer in GRU, the Soviet Union's foreign intelligence agency. During what were called the worst parts of the Cold War, Penkovsky and Wynne managed to give the West important information about the Soviet Union's plans.
Wynne had no prior experience in espionage but he was recruited due to his frequent travels to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. A review in Roger Ebert noted that what made him an ideal courier was the fact that as a British citizen, he was assumed to be "a purely capitalist" person who only cared about money.
However, after just over a year of smuggling secrets out of Russia, Penkovsky was captured by the KGB (the committee for state security in Russia). Soon, Wynne was also arrested while he was in Budapest, Hungary. He and Penkovsky were tried together with the latter allegedly being sentenced to death by a firing squad, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. Meanwhile, Wynne was sentenced to serve eight years in prison.
The Courier shows the tense and dangerous nature of Wynne and Penkovsky's actions. However, it was also what helped the US and the UK understand and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cold War intelligence effort shown in The Courier is often hailed as one of the most successful espionage due to the information the West learned about the Soviet Union's intentions.
Additionally, this information also helped the US and its allies understand the danger of the Cuban Missile Crisis and gave them ways to negotiate with the Soviet Union.
Greville Wynne As An Unlikely Spy
Greville Wynne's transformation from a businessman to a spy is a remarkable story. Until 1960, he was a salesman representing British electrical and steel companies who took regular work trips to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
His salesperson charm and his unassuming background made him the perfect candidate who could smuggle the information for MI6. Wynne was to collaborate with Oleg Penkovsky, a lieutenant in the GRU who wanted to share high-level military intelligence with the West. The British salesman was to receive the material from Penkovsky and safely transport it to the West.
Also Read: 28 Years Later: Cillian Murphy takes exec producer role for franchise that he was once a part of
Although Wynne was reportedly apprehensive about the job in the beginning, he soon learned how to work as a spy. His bravery and commitment, despite not having any formal training were important to the mission's success.
Wynne and Penkovsky's work together gave the West about 10,000 pages of intelligence reports changing the course of the Cold War.
The Courier captures the essence of Wynne’s life, blending historical accuracy with dramatic storytelling. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the role of businessman-turned-spy, Greville Wynne. Meanwhile, Merab Ninidze plays the role of Oleg Penskovsky only adding depth to the narrative of The Courier.
Tom O'Connor, the film's writer, stated that he drew inspiration from reliable historical archives and multiple sources for the screenplay. While there are some dramatizations in the film, the plot and characters are completely based on fact.
The film also successfully conveys the tension of the Cold War with its meticulous recreation of that period's setting. The Courier vividly depicts a fascinating Cold War espionage and highlights the extraordinary efforts of ordinary people who wanted to protect their nation.
The film is available to be streamed on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
