Entering The Company

A three-part movie event delving into the CIA begins on TNT August 5. It starts with the recruitment of two college friends and follows several agents through the years. From the cold war to detente, double agents, triple agents, covert activities, betrayal and the lives and loves of the agents, viewers are treated to a fine dramatic series starring Chris O'Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina.

The first night takes place in the dark streets of a divided Berlin. From there the revolution in Budapest, the Bay of Pigs, the streets of Moscow and Washington are all locales for these men who have dedicated their lives to the security of their country. But someone is a double agent. As they continue with their covert activities many of their actions are known by the Russians, thanks to Sasha, a mole who is leaking information to the Russians. But just who is Sasha? And who is the local Russian contact receiving the information from Sasha? While the audience knows the identity of the Russian agent, the identity of Sasha is not revealed until the end of the final night.

Keaton's character oversees the Counter-Intelligence division and is obsessed with finding the mole, especially when his friend, an MI6 agent, is found to be a spy for the Russians. He now focuses his efforts on finding the illusive Sasha.

This is an intense drama with a wonderful cast. This three night television event spans several decades as world events and the lives of the agents unfold as well as the monumental betrayal by Sasha. It is an interesting look at the CIA and its counterpart, the plotting, the discussions, the controversy, and the actions of the central intelligence agency and those who work there.

"In general, it is a fascinating subject because it's covering so much material in such a large period of time. ...This film allowed me to explore the story and the character in depth over a 40-year time period," says O'Donnell. "[My character] is someone who's very idealistic coming out of Yale and being recruited by the CIA. He is very excited going over to Berlin for his first assignment and probably a little green. ...The events of his life and career helped shape a part of who he is. He is married to his job."

According to O'Donnell, "The film is based on the novel by Robert Litell. We are covering a lot of actual historic events and using some fictionalized characters to tell the story, which is really interesting because it obviously personalizes the story and allows the viewer to look at the bigger picture issues of what happened in history during this time. The film also provides a good look at some of the smaller decisions that were made that affected so many people and what were the different agendas that all the different players had, and who was coming from which angle. This is a great project because it's incredibly entertaining to watch, but it's actually educational, as well."

The Company begins August 15 at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT and continues for the following three weeks. The premier night will be presented with limited commercial interruption and sponsored by Ford and Quiznos.

Dont't forget to also check out: The Company