Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

poetcomic1 Terri Garr's performance is perhaps her very best. It taps into her effervescent goofiness and subverts it into a rich and complex cover for evil. At the end she looks like 'Mother Russia' in her loose prison clothes, hair hanging limp, face ravaged by a life of deceit, lies and betrayal.I find it rather shocking that other reviewers blame the British security officers rather than the deadly dangerous atomic spies they are hunting down for 'deceiving' the middle class family. Ellen Burstyn gives a 100% to the role but when doesn't she? Terri is the real acting surprise. Her character doesn't 'tell' lies' she IS a living lie. Terrifying.Interesting to note that this was based on a true story AND was a fairly successful Broadway play as well.

moonspinner55 Television adaptation of Hugh Whitemore's play about an older British couple in a suburb of London circa 1961 learning from the police that their best friends of three years--a Canadian couple who live across the road--may be involved with a notorious Russian spy. Not-bad "Hallmark Hall of Fame" production is a bare-bones dramatic presentation coasting on the performances of its cast, with the emphasis on Ellen Burstyn as the otherwise-friendless housewife who feels betrayed by chatty, lively neighbor Teri Garr. Garr is working seriously here, but there's too many close-ups of her looking puzzled, asking the same redundant questions; Burstyn fares a bit better, even if her accent comes and goes (which can be overlooked). Still, Ellen's character deteriorates under the pressure of falsehood far too soon (everyone, at some point, becomes a liar in this teleplay--a gimmick that is heightened in the dialogue but, thankfully, not underscored too strenuously). The downbeat conclusion--and the two useless melodramatic tags--is unsatisfying, as is Alan Bates' role (and over-the-top performance) as a British agent. Worth-seeing for the intriguing first-half, but the hysteria which follows feels canned.

dgsweet Hugh Whitemore is listed as the author of the teleplay of PACK OF LIES. It would be more accurate to say he co-wrote it. He wrote the original TV play that was then the basis of the stage play the was a success in London. It was less successful when it played New York and I saw it. He was signed to write the adaptation for HALLMARK. He delivered a draft. For some reason he decided to leave the project and I was brought in to do a rewrite. I made some substantial changes. I gather these annoyed him. He had the right to sign the script. I was told he disliked what I did so much he didn't want to be associated with it, so he signed his pseudonym, Ralph Gallup. I was billed as creative consultant. The show was successful. "Ralph Gallup" was nominated for an Emmy, as were the show and Ellen Burstyn. (I watched the Emmys in my living room with a bowl of popcorn on my lap.) It was also part of the basis for HALLMARK's Peabody Award that year. If the credit were accurate, Whitemore would certainly have first position. I wouldn't make comment except that, of everything I've worked on for television (pilots, episodes, assignments, sitcoms, TV movies, soaps), this was my favorite project, and I remain pleased with my part in it.I am one of Whitemore's fans, by the way.

tedtunes Someone mentioned that the plot of this movie was not very believable - unfortunately, it was based on fact (names changed, etc). The Krogers were an absolute menace and deserved everything they got, along with the rest of their spy ring, and how on earth were they able to flee the US and insinuate themselves into Ruislip?? However, I enjoyed the movie very much, although I missed the first 30 minutes (have now seen the entire thing - excellent movie IMHO). I couldn't understand why Ellen Burstyn's character was so distraught, if I had discovered my 'best ' friend had been lying to me all along I'd have gone right off her! Teri Garr's character despicably blamed her friend for HER deception!!! But then, that's how these fanatical types are, never wiling to assume responsibility for their own actions and always looking to blame the other guy. The setting was very good, very authentic for late fifties/ early sixties suburban London, and the period was captured perfectly.