Official Secrets
Showtime: Wednesday, October 9th
Time: 112 Minutes
Genre: Drama, biography, thriller
Rating: R
In 2003, just before the US/UK invasion of Iraq, Katherine Gunn (Keira Knightley), a 28-year-old translator in British Special Intelligence, decided to leak to the press, an American National Security Agency memo directed to the British Secret Service. The British were to conduct spy activities to gather incriminating information that the US could use to blackmail 5 member countries in the Security Council in order to force them to support invading Iraq.
Gunn was arrested and faced trial under the British Official Secrets Act and her Moslem husband who was awaiting permanent status in Britain was threatened with deportation.
Director Gavin Hood’s deft handling of this true story of British civil servant, Katharine Gunn is enhanced by his star-studded cast: Ralph Fiennes who plays her skilled attorney and Matthew Goode and Matt Smith who play the talented reporters who are instrumental in disseminating the information. Hood’s film is a tribute to Gunn’s whistleblowing, even if her action couldn’t prevent the invasion of Iraq. Ironically by leaking an important official secret, Gunn was able to expose an equally significant unofficial secret: institutional corruption at the highest levels.