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The Internecine Project

The Internecine Project

Who will be alive when the hands stop?

197489 minPGMidcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Director
Ken Hughes
Starring
James Coburn, Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry

Offered a job as a presidential adviser, a professor is forced to dispose of those who knew him when he was a spy.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Internecine Project?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Internecine Project streaming on Tubi (free).

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Internecine Project?

The Internecine Project earns 1 badge: Broadly Agreed.

Reception

Is The Internecine Project worth watching?

The Internecine Project's Midcredits score is the 48th percentile of all films, from 2.4K ratings across 4 sources. 44% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

48th percentile

Better received than 48% of films

65th percentile among Action48th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)44th

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

69th percentile among Action50th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

44% liked it

44th percentile of all films

58th percentile among Action45th percentile among 1970s
44% rated it 7–1056% rated it 1–6

53rd percentile

2.4K ratings across platforms

39th percentile among Action55th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.6M

What reviewers say

Common ground

A cold-blooded political thriller built around an intricate, far-fetched murder scheme that relies on strict timing.

Fans praised

  • ingenious plot with a clever domino-effect scheme
  • strong performances, especially Harry Andrews and Ian Hendry
  • Roy Budd's moody, tense score enhances atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • flimsy, implausible premise stretched thin
  • stiff pacing and mechanical execution rob it of tension
  • dated production values and weak dialogue

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive75

Roy Budd's tense, jazzy score is a highlight

Acting70

charismatic Coburn, standout turns by Andrews and Hendry

Plot and storyDivisive65

its intricate domino scheme is clever but implausible

EndingDivisive65

delicious ironic twist satisfying to fans, contrived to detractors

TensionDivisive58

some suspenseful sequences undone by mechanical plotting

Characters55

memorable but sketchily written, especially Grant's journalist

PacingDivisive50

slow build then taut second half for fans, lethargic and mechanical for detractors

Dialogue45

functional but bland, early Levinson script

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Internecine Project like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseDreadCold
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its cold-blooded plot completely straight, with a serious, moody atmosphere and no ironic distance.
The rideThe film sustains a coiled suspense as Elliott's plan unfolds, with the most intense moments during the execution phase.
StructureThe story follows a conventional linear timeline: setup of the plan, execution over one night, and a twist ending.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you contemplating the moral cost of ambition and the clever but disturbing plan.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).TragedyHubris
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% (this title) · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe protagonist's scheme to eliminate his past associates drives a plot of overconfident hubris that leads to his downfall.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsDeception · 9% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines how a man's willingness to kill to secure political power corrupts him beyond redemption.
StanceThe film warns that unchecked ambition and a willingness to destroy others for power ultimately lead to one's own downfall.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Roy Budd
SettingLondon, 1970s espionage underworld
MusicRoy Budd's moody score complements the film's paranoid atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Internecine Project okay for kids?

PG

The Internecine Project is rated PG. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at minimal (11/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (25/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany18
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (20 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Internecine Project have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Internecine Project?

Cast

James Coburn
as Professor Robert Elliot
Lee Grant
as Jean Robertson
Harry Andrews
as Bert Parsons
Ian Hendry
as Alex Hellman
Michael Jayston
as David Baker
Christiane Krüger
as Christina Larsson
Keenan Wynn
as E. J. Farnsworth
Terence Alexander
as Business Tycoon
Julian Glover
as Arnold Pryce-Jones
Philip Anthony
as Eliot's Secretary

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Internecine Project?

Movies like The Internecine Project include The MacKintosh Man (1973), Telefon (1977) and First Signal (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about spies, and half are conspiracy thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: espionage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Internecine Project?

44 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: journalist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.