Television Review: Agent (Povratak otpisanih, S1X04, 1978)

Agent (S01E04)

Airdate: 22 January 1978

Written by: Dragan Marković
Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

Running Time: 57 minutes

Povratak otpisanih, the sequel series to the beloved Otpisani, represented a significant departure from its predecessor in multiple respects. The production values were noticeably enhanced, with colour cinematography replacing the stark black-and-white aesthetic of the original series, whilst the budget had clearly been increased to accommodate more ambitious set pieces and location work. Perhaps more subtly but no less importantly, the series adopted a somewhat less reverent attitude towards its historical setting, occasionally allowing itself moments of self-awareness that would have been unthinkable in the more earnest original. Nowhere is this contrast more strikingly illustrated than in Agent, the fourth episode of Povratak otpisanih, which contains a sequence that functions both as a dramatic set-piece and as a sort of meta-commentary on—or perhaps even a partial remake of—Garaža, the second episode of Otpisani.

At the very beginning of Garaža, viewers witnessed the execution of Boban, one of the young resistance activists, by firing squad at the Banjica camp—a scene of unflinching brutality that established the stakes for the entire series. Agent opens in that very same location, with what appears to be an almost identical scenario: the execution of captured resistance activists. This is presented as a spectacle to which Gestapo Major Krieger and his superior Colonel Müller have invited Dr. Grote (Milan Puzić), a top Abwehr operative who has flown from Berlin to assist the German authorities in their efforts to hunt down the resistance. Two men are led out to face the firing squad: Jovan (Miloš Žutić), and Ivan Garić (Dušan Janićijević). The latter, in his final moments, speaks tenderly of his girlfriend Dana (Vesna Pećanac), whom he will never see again. The scene carries an undeniable emotional weight, and the viewer is led to believe they are witnessing another tragic sacrifice in the mould of Boban's death.

The execution proceeds as expected, with both men falling after shouting the traditional Partisan slogan "Smrt fašizmu" ("Death to fascism"). Then, in a moment of genuinely shocking black comedy, Jovan rises from the ground, finishes the slogan with "Sloboda narodu" ("Freedom to the people"), and breaks into an enormous grin. Unlike the unfortunate Ivan, Jovan has been deliberately missed by the firing squad. Dr. Grote calmly explains that this "clown" is in fact a top agent tasked with infiltrating the Partisans, and that he has spent two months as a prisoner in order to deceive the resistance into accepting him as one of their own. The sequence is audacious in its subversion of audience expectations, transforming what appeared to be a straightforward dramatic scene into something far more morally ambiguous and tonally complex.

Dr. Grote arranges for Hans—the agent's true identity—to escape from a truck near Dana's apartment. Acting on intelligence gleaned from Ivan's stories during their shared imprisonment, Hans takes refuge with Dana and her family. They contact Tihi and Mrki, who transport him to Marija's apartment. Hans spins a convincing tale of being a Partisan captured after his unit was ambushed by German and Bulgarian forces in April. Tihi and Mrki, taken in by his performance, establish a link that would extricate "Jovan" to Partisan-controlled territory. The infiltration is proceeding exactly as Dr. Grote has planned.

Meanwhile, Dr. Grote informs Müller and the Gestapo leadership that he has successfully arranged for agents to infiltrate the Partisan headquarters, and that the intelligence gathered will assist them in defending Belgrade from both the Partisans and the advancing Red Army. Müller and Krieger, however, harbour deep suspicions about Grote and the Abwehr more broadly, viewing them as traitors who have turned against Hitler and his regime. These suspicions are not without foundation. Grote is indeed operating behind the Gestapo's back: he visits Simić (Miodrag Lazarević), a clockmaker, who serves as his contact with a courier (Nenad Ciganović) arriving via train from Istanbul to establish links with American intelligence services. Krieger has Grote followed, but after the clockmaker and courier both die resisting arrest, he lacks concrete evidence of Grote's treachery.

Marija, meanwhile, has been complaining about the lack of intelligence from her superiors and colelagues within the Special Police. Tihi suggests that she might attempt to win the favour of the obviously amorous Major Krieger, thereby obtaining intelligence from the Gestapo instead. She agrees to this dangerous game, and Krieger takes her to a nightclub where she also attracts the attention of Dr. Grote, who invites both Krieger and Marija to his villa. Krieger subsequently reveals his true intentions: he wants Marija to assist him in an operation against Dr. Grote. She is to open a window in his study, allowing Krieger's men to discreetly obtain potentially compromising documents. Marija agrees and carries out the task, but not before examining some of the documents herself and learning that "Jovan" is in reality Hans. Lipke (Miodrag Krstović), Dr. Grote's associate, catches Marija in the act and attempts to strangle her. She survives only because Krieger's men stab Lipke to death. Marija leaves the villa, with Krieger deciding she is too useful to be silenced. When Krieger goes to confront Grote with proof of his treason, he finds him dead from cyanide poisoning. Marija informs Mrki and Tihi about "Jovan," and Joca is ordered to radio Partisan headquarters to arrange a "warm welcome" for the German agent.

Agent is a particularly interesting episode because it situates its plot within the broader historical context of the Second World War, specifically the internal divisions within the Third Reich and its intelligence apparatus during 1944. By this stage, it had become increasingly obvious that Germany would lose the war, and some elements within the German establishment—most notably the Abwehr and its head, Admiral Canaris—were seeking separate peace negotiations with the Western Allies, in contrast to the more fanatical Gestapo and SS. This historical nuance adds a layer of sophistication to the episode's narrative, elevating it above simpler portrayals of monolithic German villainy.

Nevertheless, the episode remains most memorable for its opening. The shooting scene, which is staged in a manner strikingly similar to Boban's execution in the previous series, transforms into something approaching macabre comedy, with Hans—excellently played by Miloš Žutić—emerging as a diabolical, almost Joker-like villain. Žutić's performance is a tour de force, capturing both the character's theatrical malevolence and the unsettling charisma that allows him to deceive the resistance.

The rest of the cast also delivers strong performances. Milan Puzić, who had previously played the station master in Poštar, an episode of Otpisani, here portrays Dr. Grote with confidence and subtle menace as the Abwehr's top operative. Vesna Pećanac, who played the unfortunate maid in Pečurke, another episode of Otpisani, briefly appears in the much smaller role of a grief-devastated girlfriend.

"Agent" also features a noteworthy musical interlude, in which Mirjana Peić performs her own rendition of "Es geht alles vorüber, es geht alles vorbei," a 1942 song originally performed by Lale Andersen that was immensely popular among the German military during the Second World War. This period detail provides an extra layer of authenticity to a series that occasionally struggled with historical accuracy in other regards.

However, the finest scene in the episode is undoubtedly Marija's espionage mission in Dr. Grote's villa. This sequence represents one of the most accomplished examples of sustained suspense in the entire series, and it succeeds despite the complicated plotting required to set it up, with characters forming unexpected alliances and shifting loyalties in ways that might seem contrived in lesser hands.

The episode concludes with a semi-humorous but not particularly well-thought-out confrontation between Prle and Joca in Marija's apartment. This ending feels somewhat perfunctory, as if the writers were uncertain how to follow the dramatic intensity of the villa sequence. Nevertheless, this minor misstep does little to diminish what is otherwise a compelling and historically sophisticated episode that showcases Povratak otpisanih at its ambitious best.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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