Plot

Grounded with a desk job by incompetent superiors, a clever CIA agent retires and writes a tell all memoir that will embarrass his bosses, prompting him to go on the run and elude them.

CIA agent Miles Kendig decides to get out of 'the game' and to ensure he's left alone he threatens to send his memoirs to the world's intelligence agencies. When the CIA doesn't believe him, he calls their bluff and starts writing and sending out chapters one by one. Realizing that their operations would be compromised, the CIA (led by Myerson and Cutter) set out to put an end to Kendig's plan by whatever means necessary. The heart of the movie follows a game of cat and mouse between a fumbling CIA and an artful Kendig.—P. Wong <pwong@nt.net>

After the conclusion of what he considers a successful two year led operation, veteran West Europe based CIA field agent Miles Kendig is nonetheless desked by his new boss, G.P. Myerson - a man all about the perception of power and success but is largely seen by those working with him as incompetent as the type of person who would rather use a nuclear bomb when a firecracker would have been more effective - because Miles failed to neutralize the Western European head of the KGB, Mikhail Yaskov, which was never Miles' intention in this operation. Not wanting to work for Myerson especially from behind a desk, Miles unofficially quits in that he does not hand in his resignation but rather just disappears without a word. After contemplating his options, Miles decides, as unofficial therapy, to write a tell-all memoir, not only exposing what he knows about American intelligence but that of any other major power about which he knows, his primary target to embarrass still being Myerson. From his hidden location, Miles does let Myerson/the CIA, as well as all the other intelligence agencies about who he is writing, know what he is doing by sending them the first chapter, he promising that the last chapter will be the explosive one if they think the first chapter is bad. Miles knows that he is a dead man if he is apprehended by any of these intelligence agencies, even his own. While Myerson wants to be the one to pull the proverbial trigger when it gets to that point, he assigns Miles' successor, Joe Cutter, to locate Miles as the person within the agency who best understands how Miles thinks. The task is despite Joe's admiration for Miles. As Miles progresses with his writing and evasion of those pursuing him, Joe is certain that, in being only human, Miles will eventually make a mistake in his grand and what seems to be well thought out and masterful plan which largely includes hiding right under Myerson/the CIA's noses. The only constant which may end up being Miles' downfall is his girlfriend, Salzburg residing Isobel von Schönenberg, a retired intelligence agent herself who is providing constant support to Miles in carrying out his plan.—Huggo

CIA agent Miles Kendig (Walter Matthau) has seen it all in his service with the agency. His many years as an agent has provided him with all the dirt there is, and now Kendig wants out. But it's not that easy and his incompetent chief (Ned Beatty) wants to ensure that all of those secrets never get out.

Kendig (Matthau) decides that the only way he can every leave the agency is to write a book revealing all of the dirty little secrets that Meyerson (Beatty) is hiding. What ensues is a comedic game of hopscotch as Kendig tries to stay one step ahead of Meyerson's agents. To make matters worse, Meyerson sends Kendig's protege', Joe Cutter (Sam Waterson) after him. All along the way, Kendig churns out one chapter after another with Meyerson, Cutter and an agency of incompetents hot on his trail. Kendig enlists the help of his love interest Isobel (Glenda Jackson) in staying ahead of the game.

With the help of Isobel, Kendig finally gets his novel completed, and arranges a twist to ensure that Meyerson, Cutter and the agency won't ever bother him again.