Sam (De Niro), a veteran intelligence agent, joins a covert team for a lucrative assignment to seize a suitcase whose mysterious contents are coveted by both the Russian mafia and the IRA. This simple premise develops into countless twists and turns, double- and triple-crosses, along with some car chase sequences worthy of "Bullitt" and "The French Connection."

Late director John Frankenheimer takes a boilerplate idea and milks it for all its worth, creating a tight, pounding thriller. Casting and performances are solid, but this truly is a director's picture, with Frankenheimer's keen sense of pacing and flavorful European locations contributing to an edge-of-your-seat experience. Trivia note: the screenplay was written by J.D. Zeik and Richard Weisz, the latter being David Mamet writing under a pseudonym.