The very first scene of "Protocol" is all wrong: Goldie Hawn (again playing a sweet ditz) holds up traffic on a busy Washington, D.C. street when her car breaks down. Not only has her engine blown but she can't get out of the car because the door is also broken. Who wrote this? Buck Henry?!! Hard to believe, but it gets worse. Hawn saves a Middle Eastern leader from being assassinated and becomes the toast of the town--but only until jealous and nefarious White House insiders attempt to make her look foolish. Goldie Hawn only looks foolish when she's required to act too dippy for her age, but I cannot think of any "young" actress who could've gotten away with this role either. Early on there's a bouncy press-conference sequence with many funny lines, but too often the script is loaded down with groaners. An uncontrolled party scene near the finish brings everything to a screeching halt, with characters we don't like acting even more moronic than usual. It nearly makes "Private Benjamin" look like Shakespeare. ** from ****
34 Reviews
Mildly Amusing Film.
Keno274 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I like Goldie Hawn and wanted another one of her films, so when I saw Protocol for $5.50 at Walmart I purchased it. Although mildly amusing, the film never really hits it a stride. Some scenes such as a party scene in a bar just goes on for too long and really has no purpose.
Then, of course, there is the preachy scene at the end of the film which gives the whole film a bad taste as far as I'm concerned. I don't think this scene added to the movie at all. I don't like stupid comedies trying to teach me a lesson, written by some '60's burn out especially!
In the end, although I'm glad to possess another Hawn movie, I'm not sure it was really worth the money I paid for it!
Then, of course, there is the preachy scene at the end of the film which gives the whole film a bad taste as far as I'm concerned. I don't think this scene added to the movie at all. I don't like stupid comedies trying to teach me a lesson, written by some '60's burn out especially!
In the end, although I'm glad to possess another Hawn movie, I'm not sure it was really worth the money I paid for it!
Predictable Star Vehicle
Theo Robertson24 October 2005
What does the " Executive producer " do in a movie . If I remember correctly it's the person who raised the financial backing to make the movie . You might notice in a great number of movies starring Sean Connery that he is also the executive producer which meant Connery himself raised the money since he is a major player . Unfortunately it should also be pointed out that a great number of movies " starring Sean Connery were solely made because he managed to raise the money since he's a major Hollywood player , it's usually an indication that when the credits read that the executive producer and the star of the movie are one and the same the movie itself is nothing more than a star vehicle with the story/screenplay not being up to scratch
PROTOCOL follows the saga of one Sunny Davis a kooky bimboesque cocktail waitress who saves a visiting dignitary and as a reward gets made a top diplomat . Likely ? As things progress Ms Davis ( Who has problems being able to string two sentences together ) finds herself in more outlandish and less likely situations . When I say that PROTOCOL stars Goldie Hawn who is also the film's executive producer do you understand what I'm saying about the story/screenplay not being up to scratch ? Exactly
PROTOCOL follows the saga of one Sunny Davis a kooky bimboesque cocktail waitress who saves a visiting dignitary and as a reward gets made a top diplomat . Likely ? As things progress Ms Davis ( Who has problems being able to string two sentences together ) finds herself in more outlandish and less likely situations . When I say that PROTOCOL stars Goldie Hawn who is also the film's executive producer do you understand what I'm saying about the story/screenplay not being up to scratch ? Exactly
Goldie Hawn barely manages to carry this movie on her slight shoulders...
Howlin Wolf19 November 2002
Outlandish premise that rates low on plausibility and unfortunately also struggles feebly to raise laughs or interest. Only Hawn's well-known charm allows it to skate by on very thin ice. Goldie's gotta be a contender for an actress who's done so much in her career with very little quality material at her disposal...
Solid Goldie!
inkblot1130 May 2006
Sunny, a cocktail waitress in the D.C. area, is a bit dim, to put in mildly. She drives an old clunker and rents a tiny room from a gay male couple. However, she saves the life of a prominent Arab, by taking a bullet in the behind that was meant for the official. She charms the national press with her zany remarks and her sweet looks. Sniffing an opportunity, Presidential aides get her installed in the protocol department for the U.S. government. Even then, she messes things up at times, but she tries hard and learns a lot. She even grabs the romantic attention of a State department official. But, is there another sinister plot in the making, involving an Arab man who wishes to take another wife? A blonde one? LOL, LOL, LOL. This movie features Goldie as pretty as a picture and as dumb "as a fox", as they say. Sunny learns her way around the jungle of the U.S. government very, very well. She even has important things to say about honesty and the lack of it in her protocol surroundings. Perhaps, the Arab community would be less than thrilled with this work, but for those who like to laugh, rent this today.
Predictable so-called comedy
Wizard-820 August 2015
Unlike many 1980s Hollywood comedies, "Protocol" has all but been forgotten today. It doesn't take very long upon watching it to figure out why. The main problem is simple: the script. It's hard to believe at first that Buck Henry, who earlier wrote humorous movies such as "The Graduate" and "What's Up Doc?", wrote this movie. But it doesn't seem to have been his fault, since he was working with a story outline written by THREE writers. Those three writers came up with a story that has been done many times before and since, concerning a ditz who is pushed into a position of power but proves in the end to be smarter than everyone thought. Oh, it could have been made to be funny, but it isn't, partly due to the predicable nature of the movie, but that it's been directed with a woeful lack of energy and snap. There's also a curious fragmented narrative at times, as if some key linking scenes were never filmed or cut out in the editing room. The only good thing about the movie is Goldie Hawn, who gives her character a good amount of spunk and sympathy, but it isn't enough to save things.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm grew up and went to work as a Bunny Girl.
JamesHitchcock30 April 2009
When an attempt is made to assassinate the Emir of Ohtar, an Arab potentate visiting Washington, D.C., his life is saved by a cocktail waitress named Sunny Davis. Sunny becomes a national heroine and media celebrity and as a reward is offered a job working for the Protocol Section of the United States Department of State. Unknown to her however, the State Department officials who offer her the job have a hidden agenda.
A map we see shows Ohtar lying on the borders of Saudi Arabia and South Yemen, in an area of barren desert known as the Rub al-Khali, or Empty Quarter. In real life a state in this location would have a population of virtually zero, and virtually zero strategic value, but for the purposes of the film we have to accept that Ohtar is of immense strategic importance in the Cold War and that the American government, who are keen to build a military base there, need to do all that they can in order to keep on the good side of its ruler. It transpires that the Emir has taken a fancy to the attractive young woman who saved him and he has reached a deal with the State Department; they can have their base provided that he can have Sunny as the latest addition to his harem. Sunny's new job is just a ruse to ensure that the Emir has further opportunities to meet her.
A plot like this could have been the occasion for some hilarious satire, but in fact the film's satirical content is rather toned down. Possibly in 1984 the American public were not in the mood for trenchant satire on their country's foreign policy; this was, after all, the year in which Ronald Reagan carried forty-nine out of fifty states in the Presidential election and his hard line with the Soviet Union was clearly going down well with the voters. (If the film had been made a couple of years later, in the wake of the Iran/Contra affair, its tone might have been different).
The film is not so much a satire as a vehicle for Goldie Hawn to show off her brand of cuteness and charm. Sunny is a typical Goldie character- pretty, sweet-natured, naive and not too bright. There is, however, a limit to how far you can go with cuteness and charm alone, and you cannot automatically make a bad film a good one just by making the leading character a dumb blonde. (Actually, that sounds more like a recipe for making a good film a bad one). Goldie tries her best to save this one, but never succeeds. Part of the reason is the inconsistent way in which her character is portrayed. On the one hand Sunny is a sweet, innocent country girl from Oregon. On the other hand she is a 35-year-old woman who works in a sleazy bar and wears a revealing costume. The effect is rather like imagining Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm grown up and working as a Bunny Girl.
The more important reason why Goldie is unable to rescue this film is even the best comedian or comedienne is no better than his/her material, and "Protocol" is simply unfunny. Whatever humour exists is tired and strained, relying on offensive stereotypes about Arab men who, apparently, all lust after Western women, particularly if they are blonde and blue-eyed. There was a lot of this sort of thing about in the mid-eighties, as this was the period which also saw the awful Ben Kingsley/ Nastassia Kinski film "Harem", about a lascivious Middle Eastern ruler who kidnaps a young American woman, and the mini-series of the same name which told a virtually identical story with a period setting. The film-makers seem to have realised that their film would not work as a pure comedy, because towards the end it turns into a sort of latter-day "Mr Smith Goes to Washington". Sunny turns from a blonde bimbo into a fount of political wisdom and starts uttering all sorts of platitudes about Democracy and the Constitution and the Citizen's Duty to Vote and We The People and how the Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance blah blah blah , but in truth the film is no more successful as a political parable than it is as a comedy.
Goldie Hawn has made a number of good comedies, such as "Cactus Flower", "Overboard" and ""Housesitter", but "Protocol" is not one of them. I have not seen all of her films, but of those I have seen this dire comedy is by far the worst. 3/10
A map we see shows Ohtar lying on the borders of Saudi Arabia and South Yemen, in an area of barren desert known as the Rub al-Khali, or Empty Quarter. In real life a state in this location would have a population of virtually zero, and virtually zero strategic value, but for the purposes of the film we have to accept that Ohtar is of immense strategic importance in the Cold War and that the American government, who are keen to build a military base there, need to do all that they can in order to keep on the good side of its ruler. It transpires that the Emir has taken a fancy to the attractive young woman who saved him and he has reached a deal with the State Department; they can have their base provided that he can have Sunny as the latest addition to his harem. Sunny's new job is just a ruse to ensure that the Emir has further opportunities to meet her.
A plot like this could have been the occasion for some hilarious satire, but in fact the film's satirical content is rather toned down. Possibly in 1984 the American public were not in the mood for trenchant satire on their country's foreign policy; this was, after all, the year in which Ronald Reagan carried forty-nine out of fifty states in the Presidential election and his hard line with the Soviet Union was clearly going down well with the voters. (If the film had been made a couple of years later, in the wake of the Iran/Contra affair, its tone might have been different).
The film is not so much a satire as a vehicle for Goldie Hawn to show off her brand of cuteness and charm. Sunny is a typical Goldie character- pretty, sweet-natured, naive and not too bright. There is, however, a limit to how far you can go with cuteness and charm alone, and you cannot automatically make a bad film a good one just by making the leading character a dumb blonde. (Actually, that sounds more like a recipe for making a good film a bad one). Goldie tries her best to save this one, but never succeeds. Part of the reason is the inconsistent way in which her character is portrayed. On the one hand Sunny is a sweet, innocent country girl from Oregon. On the other hand she is a 35-year-old woman who works in a sleazy bar and wears a revealing costume. The effect is rather like imagining Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm grown up and working as a Bunny Girl.
The more important reason why Goldie is unable to rescue this film is even the best comedian or comedienne is no better than his/her material, and "Protocol" is simply unfunny. Whatever humour exists is tired and strained, relying on offensive stereotypes about Arab men who, apparently, all lust after Western women, particularly if they are blonde and blue-eyed. There was a lot of this sort of thing about in the mid-eighties, as this was the period which also saw the awful Ben Kingsley/ Nastassia Kinski film "Harem", about a lascivious Middle Eastern ruler who kidnaps a young American woman, and the mini-series of the same name which told a virtually identical story with a period setting. The film-makers seem to have realised that their film would not work as a pure comedy, because towards the end it turns into a sort of latter-day "Mr Smith Goes to Washington". Sunny turns from a blonde bimbo into a fount of political wisdom and starts uttering all sorts of platitudes about Democracy and the Constitution and the Citizen's Duty to Vote and We The People and how the Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance blah blah blah , but in truth the film is no more successful as a political parable than it is as a comedy.
Goldie Hawn has made a number of good comedies, such as "Cactus Flower", "Overboard" and ""Housesitter", but "Protocol" is not one of them. I have not seen all of her films, but of those I have seen this dire comedy is by far the worst. 3/10
Brave Goldie
cdthornton18 January 2009
A pretty average movie but a brave one from Ms Hawn to promote this vehicle as Exec Producer & as a starring vehicle. Although she ends up vindicated, she is willing to portray herself as the dizzy bimbo. How many other A listed actresses have subjected themselves to butt injury pratfalls since this movie? Not many. Does this mean the female butt cannot be funny? Goldie surpasses other actresses as she has maintained a screen persona & ventures in projects other won't. Sandra Bullock occasionally goes there,for example, Miss Congeniality but Nicole Kidman would never cop the pratfall. A wonderful performer. Great to see some of my favorite actors, Chris Sarandon & Cliff DeYoung notably.
Only for Goldie Hawn fans
artroraback2 November 2002
Protocol is an implausible movie whose only saving grace is that it stars Goldie Hawn along with a good cast of supporting actors. The story revolves around a ditzy cocktail waitress who becomes famous after inadvertently saving the life of an Arab dignitary. The story goes downhill halfway through the movie and Goldie's charm just doesn't save this movie. Unless you are a Goldie Hawn fan don't go out of your way to see this film.
Fun comedy
jhaggardjr4 January 2001
"Protocol" is a hit-and-miss picture starring Goldie Hawn as a bubbly cocktail waitress who one night saves the life of a visiting Arab from an assassination attempt. The woman immediately becomes a celebrity, and gets a new job working for the U.S. Government. Will the corridors of power in our nation's capital ever be the same? Hawn is excellent as usual even though "Protocol" isn't as funny as her best film "Private Benjamin". But it's still a good movie, and I did laugh alot.
*** (out of four)
*** (out of four)
not much comedy
SnoopyStyle26 October 2018
Sunny Davis (Goldie Hawn) is an apolitical cocktail waitress in Washington, D.C. She's passing a hotel when she inadvertently stops an assassination attempt against the important visiting Emir of Ohtar. The American government wants to build a military base in the Emir's country. Michael Ransome (Chris Sarandon) is from the State Department. She excels in her TV news conference and becomes a media darling. She gets a job in Protocol. In reality, the Emir wants her to be one of his wives.
There isn't much funny in this comedy. Its only saving grace is Goldie Hawn in her charming best. She almost sells this but not really. It's not close. There is a little creepiness but mostly it's flat. The movie should go to the middle east much quicker and the story should be her escape from the kingdom with Ransome's help. It should end as soon as she gets out. The political hearing drags and the movie does not survive its problematic premise.
There isn't much funny in this comedy. Its only saving grace is Goldie Hawn in her charming best. She almost sells this but not really. It's not close. There is a little creepiness but mostly it's flat. The movie should go to the middle east much quicker and the story should be her escape from the kingdom with Ransome's help. It should end as soon as she gets out. The political hearing drags and the movie does not survive its problematic premise.
Aw, Heck. This is a fun movie and nothing else!
Enrique-Sanchez-562 February 2006
This is a feel-good movie and nothing more. And for that, it is great fun to watch. Sure it skims over political issues. But so what? I am sure she wasn't trying to make 'Good Night and Good Luck' here. Let's not try to make it anything else but what it is...light fare.
And very enjoyable at that!
Do we remember what 1984 was like? We've become very sophisticated according to the media as far as what we watch or not. I tend to differ on this point. Goldie knew this was fun-fluff and she went ahead and did it.
Like her lightest fare: Protocol, Overboard, Housesitter, Wildcats, Private Benjamin, Seems Like Old Times, Foul Play, Death Becomes Her, First Wives Club and the remake of Out-of-Towners, GOLDIE knows what she is doing...she plays every role for the camp that you can get out of it! Goldie just knows herself really well, and she knows what she can do really well.
She has always made me laugh cheerfully and innocently. I loved her in Laugh-In and every thing she's ever been in. She has never tried to be anything else but who she is...and that's that bubbling, giggly, girl next door who happens to be very pretty and has a smile and a laugh that will always endear me and remind me that life is pretty short and you've just got to lighten up because before you know it...you are old, wrinkled and suffering from one of life's inevitable ailments. If it even comes that late.
I appreciate Goldie for what she is: a lovable, comic actress.
And very enjoyable at that!
Do we remember what 1984 was like? We've become very sophisticated according to the media as far as what we watch or not. I tend to differ on this point. Goldie knew this was fun-fluff and she went ahead and did it.
Like her lightest fare: Protocol, Overboard, Housesitter, Wildcats, Private Benjamin, Seems Like Old Times, Foul Play, Death Becomes Her, First Wives Club and the remake of Out-of-Towners, GOLDIE knows what she is doing...she plays every role for the camp that you can get out of it! Goldie just knows herself really well, and she knows what she can do really well.
She has always made me laugh cheerfully and innocently. I loved her in Laugh-In and every thing she's ever been in. She has never tried to be anything else but who she is...and that's that bubbling, giggly, girl next door who happens to be very pretty and has a smile and a laugh that will always endear me and remind me that life is pretty short and you've just got to lighten up because before you know it...you are old, wrinkled and suffering from one of life's inevitable ailments. If it even comes that late.
I appreciate Goldie for what she is: a lovable, comic actress.
Emirs don't date!
dwr24622 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I originally wanted to see this movie because of the clip of Goldie Hawn pulling a camel through the dessert saying, "I got a camel! I got a camel!" Apparently that scene was cut from the movie, which is too bad, but really doesn't cut down on the movie's enjoyability.
Protocol focuses on Sunny Davis (Goldie Hawn), a young woman who is barely scraping by working as a cocktail waitress in Washington, DC. She drives an old clunker of a car that breaks down more than it runs, and rents a small room from a gay couple (Joel Brooks and Jerry Haines). One day fate intervenes when Sunny is part of a crowd watching the arrival of the Emir of Otar (Richard Romanus). Sunny notices a man pulling out a gun to shoot the Emir, and she immediately acts to stop him, ending up with a bullet in her rear end. Of course, she immediately makes the news, and comes to the notice of the US government, who immediately installs the now national heroine in a job at the state department. While there, she meets Michael Ransome (Chris Sarandon) a man who is impressed by her honesty and charmed by her naiveté, and sparks fly. Sunny also comes to the notice of the Emir himself, who decides he wants her to be part of his harem. The ambassador to Otar (Gail Strickland), who is also Sunny's boss, arranges for Sunny to go on a "diplomatic mission" to Otar (a fictitious country whose name is a combination Oman and Qatar, two very real countries on the Arabian Peninsula). While there, Sunny discovers what her intended fate is, which doesn't exactly thrill her, however, she has more pressing concerns when the Emir is overthrown in a coup. Upon returning to the states, Sunny is called upon to testify before congress about her role in the newly revealed scandal. She is advised on what to say to protect both herself and the state department, but Sunny has a few ideas of her own, and with Sunny, it's always best to expect the unexpected.
It's a rather cute movie, and pretty believably put together. Sunny certainly lives up to her name, and her bubbly personality hides a pretty impressive brain - she actually memorizes the code of conduct for State Department Employees, and recites the paragraph that tells her what she should do when the Emir tries to give her a car. And Sunny's annoyance at being treated like a pawn (or worse a prostitute) in relations with the Emir is quite believable. But of course, the most fun in the film is all the mayhem Sunny gets herself and those around her into due to her lack of understanding how diplomatic protocol works. In the end, her naiveté is a refreshing change for almost all who deal with her.
The acting was also quite good. Hawn easily carries the film, and is believable both as the bubbly airhead, and as the woman who finally grows up and learns to take accountability for her part in the scandal. Sarandon makes a nice romantic lead, and his chemistry with Hawn is excellent. Strickland also does a nice job as the cynical Washington operative who is continually foiled by a young woman who continually exceeds her expectations.
It's definitely a product of its time, especially in its attitudes towards the Arab world, but in terms of giving us a story where a downtrodden person finally reaches their potential, it's a fun movie, and one well worth watching.
Protocol focuses on Sunny Davis (Goldie Hawn), a young woman who is barely scraping by working as a cocktail waitress in Washington, DC. She drives an old clunker of a car that breaks down more than it runs, and rents a small room from a gay couple (Joel Brooks and Jerry Haines). One day fate intervenes when Sunny is part of a crowd watching the arrival of the Emir of Otar (Richard Romanus). Sunny notices a man pulling out a gun to shoot the Emir, and she immediately acts to stop him, ending up with a bullet in her rear end. Of course, she immediately makes the news, and comes to the notice of the US government, who immediately installs the now national heroine in a job at the state department. While there, she meets Michael Ransome (Chris Sarandon) a man who is impressed by her honesty and charmed by her naiveté, and sparks fly. Sunny also comes to the notice of the Emir himself, who decides he wants her to be part of his harem. The ambassador to Otar (Gail Strickland), who is also Sunny's boss, arranges for Sunny to go on a "diplomatic mission" to Otar (a fictitious country whose name is a combination Oman and Qatar, two very real countries on the Arabian Peninsula). While there, Sunny discovers what her intended fate is, which doesn't exactly thrill her, however, she has more pressing concerns when the Emir is overthrown in a coup. Upon returning to the states, Sunny is called upon to testify before congress about her role in the newly revealed scandal. She is advised on what to say to protect both herself and the state department, but Sunny has a few ideas of her own, and with Sunny, it's always best to expect the unexpected.
It's a rather cute movie, and pretty believably put together. Sunny certainly lives up to her name, and her bubbly personality hides a pretty impressive brain - she actually memorizes the code of conduct for State Department Employees, and recites the paragraph that tells her what she should do when the Emir tries to give her a car. And Sunny's annoyance at being treated like a pawn (or worse a prostitute) in relations with the Emir is quite believable. But of course, the most fun in the film is all the mayhem Sunny gets herself and those around her into due to her lack of understanding how diplomatic protocol works. In the end, her naiveté is a refreshing change for almost all who deal with her.
The acting was also quite good. Hawn easily carries the film, and is believable both as the bubbly airhead, and as the woman who finally grows up and learns to take accountability for her part in the scandal. Sarandon makes a nice romantic lead, and his chemistry with Hawn is excellent. Strickland also does a nice job as the cynical Washington operative who is continually foiled by a young woman who continually exceeds her expectations.
It's definitely a product of its time, especially in its attitudes towards the Arab world, but in terms of giving us a story where a downtrodden person finally reaches their potential, it's a fun movie, and one well worth watching.
Goldie becomes a diplomat
Prismark102 July 2016
Protocol is a poor attempt at comedy with Capraesque aspirations. Goldie Hawn plays Sunny, a ditsy cocktail waitress in a sleazy bar who becomes a national heroine after inadvertently saving the life of a visiting Arab Emir and getting shot in the butt for her troubles.
The Emir takes a fancy to Sunny and the US administration wants to establish a military base in his region. The State Department plan to allow the Emir to claim Sunny as his wife. They conspire to offer Sunny a job within the Protocol Department of the Government.
The film is slap dash and Goldie's charm is wearing thin here. She is supposed to be a blonde bimbo but pretty soon she comes across as sharp as a cookie with an inkling that the State Department are up to something. The Arab men are all sleazy stereotypes lusting after blonde white women. Even when they speak Arabic it sounds gibberish.
There is a party scene set in the bar Hawn used to work in and every cliché walks in to the bar, S&M couples, bikers, gay guys, Japanese businessmen, everyone is having a great time and soon descends into farce because the film has just run out of ideas and cojones to take a satirical bite on US foreign policy
When the penny drops and Sunny realises that she is being used it then becomes more akin to Mr Smith goes to Washington but by then it just becomes mawkish as the comedy has run out of gas.
The Emir takes a fancy to Sunny and the US administration wants to establish a military base in his region. The State Department plan to allow the Emir to claim Sunny as his wife. They conspire to offer Sunny a job within the Protocol Department of the Government.
The film is slap dash and Goldie's charm is wearing thin here. She is supposed to be a blonde bimbo but pretty soon she comes across as sharp as a cookie with an inkling that the State Department are up to something. The Arab men are all sleazy stereotypes lusting after blonde white women. Even when they speak Arabic it sounds gibberish.
There is a party scene set in the bar Hawn used to work in and every cliché walks in to the bar, S&M couples, bikers, gay guys, Japanese businessmen, everyone is having a great time and soon descends into farce because the film has just run out of ideas and cojones to take a satirical bite on US foreign policy
When the penny drops and Sunny realises that she is being used it then becomes more akin to Mr Smith goes to Washington but by then it just becomes mawkish as the comedy has run out of gas.
above average comedy
moviesfan1111 August 2003
PROTOCOL(1984) Goldie Hawn, Chris Sarandon, and Richard Romanus.
In this film, Hawn plays Sunny Davis, a ditzy cocktail waitress who becomes famous around america after she saves a man from an assassination attempt. She gets offered a job working at Washington D.C.
This was an above average comedy, but not as good as some of Goldies' other films.(such as Overboard, Housesitter, and Seems like Old Times)But i did laugh a lot. So if you enjoy a cute comedy, I would recommend this movie.
PROTOCOL: 6.4/10
PG; some sexual humor, brief language, and mild violence.
In this film, Hawn plays Sunny Davis, a ditzy cocktail waitress who becomes famous around america after she saves a man from an assassination attempt. She gets offered a job working at Washington D.C.
This was an above average comedy, but not as good as some of Goldies' other films.(such as Overboard, Housesitter, and Seems like Old Times)But i did laugh a lot. So if you enjoy a cute comedy, I would recommend this movie.
PROTOCOL: 6.4/10
PG; some sexual humor, brief language, and mild violence.
horrifying movie
jack74 October 2005
The only good thing about this movie was the shot of Goldie Hawn standing in her little french cut bikini panties and struggling to keep a dozen other depraved women from removing her skimpy little cotton top while she giggled and cooed. Ooooof! Her loins rival those of Nina Hartley. This movie came out when I was fourteen and that shot nearly killed me. I'd forgotten about it all tucked away in the naughty Roladex of my mind until seeing it the other day on TV, where they actually blurred her midsection in that scene, good grief, reminding me what a smokin' hottie of a woman Goldie Hawn was in the '80s. Kurt Russell must have had a fun life.
"It's the new me. I say what I think."
Hey_Sweden11 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Pleasant enough Goldie Hawn vehicle (which the star also executive produced) is seen as a politically-oriented variation on her best known film, "Private Benjamin". Goldie plays Sunny Davis, a cheerful, if not terribly savvy, nightclub waitress who manages to prevent an assassination one night. A grateful U.S. of A. rewards her with a meaningless job, although soon it is revealed that her new employers have an agenda. They aim to use her to mollify a Middle Eastern ruler (Richard Romanus), because they want to build a military base in his country.
So-so material has its moments, but overall it's a rather mild satire. It's never as funny as one might like, and even gets corny by the end when the filmmakers go for a rather Capra-esque resolution. The biggest set piece is a lively party thrown at Sunny's old workplace in order to show Romanus a good time.
Still, Goldie is extremely appealing as always. Her bright personality helps to smooth over any flaws in the plot. She's assisted by an excellent supporting cast, just FULL of familiar faces. The handsome Chris Sarandon of "Fright Night" and "Child's Play" fame is her love interest, a specialist in Middle Eastern affairs. Gail Strickland, Cliff De Young, Keith Szarabajka, and Ed Begley Jr. play various shady Washington types. Andre Gregory is amusing in the role of Romanus' chief adviser. Keep your eyes peeled for Amanda Bearse ('Married...with Children') on a TV monitor; John Ratzenberger ('Cheers') has an uncredited cameo as a security guard being interviewed.
Scripted by writer / actor Buck Henry, based on a story by Charles Shyer, Nancy Meyers, and Harvey Miller. Shyer, Meyers, and Miller had previously written "Private Benjamin", so the studio was probably hoping that lightning would strike twice.
"Protocol" isn't a prime Goldie vehicle, but if you're a fan, you'll still want to see it. Six out of 10.
So-so material has its moments, but overall it's a rather mild satire. It's never as funny as one might like, and even gets corny by the end when the filmmakers go for a rather Capra-esque resolution. The biggest set piece is a lively party thrown at Sunny's old workplace in order to show Romanus a good time.
Still, Goldie is extremely appealing as always. Her bright personality helps to smooth over any flaws in the plot. She's assisted by an excellent supporting cast, just FULL of familiar faces. The handsome Chris Sarandon of "Fright Night" and "Child's Play" fame is her love interest, a specialist in Middle Eastern affairs. Gail Strickland, Cliff De Young, Keith Szarabajka, and Ed Begley Jr. play various shady Washington types. Andre Gregory is amusing in the role of Romanus' chief adviser. Keep your eyes peeled for Amanda Bearse ('Married...with Children') on a TV monitor; John Ratzenberger ('Cheers') has an uncredited cameo as a security guard being interviewed.
Scripted by writer / actor Buck Henry, based on a story by Charles Shyer, Nancy Meyers, and Harvey Miller. Shyer, Meyers, and Miller had previously written "Private Benjamin", so the studio was probably hoping that lightning would strike twice.
"Protocol" isn't a prime Goldie vehicle, but if you're a fan, you'll still want to see it. Six out of 10.
One of the worst movies of all time
peteyob10 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
There are only two movies I would give a 1/10 to, this stinker and "The Man who Fell to Earth." I remember seeing Protocol at a theater in the early 80s when I was in high school. The script is insulting to anyone (including a high school student's) intelligence. It completely lost me with the "hillarious" gag of someone getting shot in the butt. Goldie Hawn is supposed to be charming but comes across as vapid and moronic. Then there are offensive stereotypes about Arabs, followed by Goldie winning over everyone by spouting populist dribble. The acting was terrible, including Goldie Hawn's. I could not stand to see another movie she was in until IMO she redeemed herself in Everyone Says I Love You. This is the kind of movie you make if you want to put no effort into screenplay writing. The worst.
BEWARE SPOILERS, I THINK. OKAY FILM.
hunkyguys8530 December 2001
Warning: Spoilers
BEWARE SPOILERS. This movie was okay. Goldie Hawn and Chris Sarandon were the best two in it. Okay, so the goofie foreign guy who (SPOILER HERE) trades with the biker for his clothes was funny. This guy's boss was good, too. But the movie really belonged to Sarandon and Hawn. These two should have had a lot more time on screen together. They're chemistry was great. The bathroom scene-WOW! Romantic, sweet, yummy.
Hawn is a goofy cocktail waitress who saves a foreign man and ends up at the whitehouse in the middle of a plot due to the greed of politicians. To talk about Sarandon would be to give a lot away. SPOILERS This is a rather untypical romantic/political comedy, and it satisfies both somewhat-the political side a whole lot more than the romantic. It touches on political issues, and just barely skims on romantic areas.
Hawn is a goofy cocktail waitress who saves a foreign man and ends up at the whitehouse in the middle of a plot due to the greed of politicians. To talk about Sarandon would be to give a lot away. SPOILERS This is a rather untypical romantic/political comedy, and it satisfies both somewhat-the political side a whole lot more than the romantic. It touches on political issues, and just barely skims on romantic areas.
there are a number of comedies that now look serious, including "Protocol"
lee_eisenberg11 May 2016
I have no doubt that "Protocol" is intended as a silly comedy, with Goldie Hawn playing her usual role as the ditzy blonde. However, this is one of those movies intended as a silly comedy that now looks more serious. After Hawn's loopy waitress saves a Middle Eastern emir from an assassination, she becomes the national sweetheart. Her relatable, charismatic demeanor endears her to almost everyone, and she gets a job in the State Department, despite having barely any idea what the job entails. This reflects the tendency to turn any "likable" person into a celebrity, regardless of qualification or intelligence. Elia Kazan's 1957 movie "A Face in the Crowd" (starring Andy Griffith as an "average Joe" who becomes a demagogue) also looked at this. The mess that we've made of the Middle East only adds to the movie's newfound seriousness.
Or maybe that's just my interpretation. On its own, the movie is pretty silly, with lines like "Washington, DC, is the best place to get shot in the ass". Among the more toe-curling aspects of the movie is the casting of pasty white Andre Gregory (of "My Dinner with Andre" fame) as a functionary from the Middle Eastern country.
Other than that, the movie's OK. The party in the restaurant looked fun. The rest of the cast includes Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdinck in "The Princess Bride"), Ed Begley Jr, and Kenneth Mars (the police chief in "Young Frankenstein").
As for Hawn's character's speech to congress, it poses one question: can we the people act as guardians of democracy?
Or maybe that's just my interpretation. On its own, the movie is pretty silly, with lines like "Washington, DC, is the best place to get shot in the ass". Among the more toe-curling aspects of the movie is the casting of pasty white Andre Gregory (of "My Dinner with Andre" fame) as a functionary from the Middle Eastern country.
Other than that, the movie's OK. The party in the restaurant looked fun. The rest of the cast includes Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdinck in "The Princess Bride"), Ed Begley Jr, and Kenneth Mars (the police chief in "Young Frankenstein").
As for Hawn's character's speech to congress, it poses one question: can we the people act as guardians of democracy?
A pawn (Hawn) in our foreign policy
bkoganbing7 March 2017
If the Sultan of Brunei ever saw this film it would be banned in Brunei and who's to say he hasn't seen it. Clearly the Moslem potentate on whom Robert Romanus's character is based is him, a person with large appetites for pleasure. If eating was his number one thing he'd be the late King Farouk of Egypt.
But this is a man who likes to keep his harem filled and while on a visit to the USA he's nearly assassinated but for the intervention of plucky cocktail waitress Goldie Hawn. The girl becomes an instant celebrity with her infectious and sunny personality. In fact that's Goldie's character name, Sunny Ann Davis.
She lives in Washington, DC a place of power and intrigue and with Romanus intrigued with her, some would be power brokers in our State Department decide she is just the person with the right leverage with Romanus to negotiate a treaty for an American base in his country. And what do we give him in return?
All I can say there is Goldie is hardly the type to assume a woman's place in a Moslem country.
Protocol is a one woman show for Goldie Hawn and she delivers in style. Also delivering nice performances are a pair of State Department connivers who dream up this scheme, Ed Begley,Jr., and Gail Strickland. They contrast with Chris Sarandon who resigns the Department rather than be a marriage broker. Hawn and Sarandon are like Judy Holliday and William Holden from Born Yesterday. At least you like to think Billie Dawn might have used her celebrity there the way Hawn uses it in Protocol.
Nicely done Goldie Hawn. You really do speak to the average American here.
But this is a man who likes to keep his harem filled and while on a visit to the USA he's nearly assassinated but for the intervention of plucky cocktail waitress Goldie Hawn. The girl becomes an instant celebrity with her infectious and sunny personality. In fact that's Goldie's character name, Sunny Ann Davis.
She lives in Washington, DC a place of power and intrigue and with Romanus intrigued with her, some would be power brokers in our State Department decide she is just the person with the right leverage with Romanus to negotiate a treaty for an American base in his country. And what do we give him in return?
All I can say there is Goldie is hardly the type to assume a woman's place in a Moslem country.
Protocol is a one woman show for Goldie Hawn and she delivers in style. Also delivering nice performances are a pair of State Department connivers who dream up this scheme, Ed Begley,Jr., and Gail Strickland. They contrast with Chris Sarandon who resigns the Department rather than be a marriage broker. Hawn and Sarandon are like Judy Holliday and William Holden from Born Yesterday. At least you like to think Billie Dawn might have used her celebrity there the way Hawn uses it in Protocol.
Nicely done Goldie Hawn. You really do speak to the average American here.
Get By Purely On Hawn's Personality And Charisma
slightlymad2227 November 2014
Plot In A Paragraph: Sunny Ann Davis (Goldie Hawn) is a ditzy blonde who works as a cocktail waitress in Washington, D.C. She rents a room in the home of a gay couple, has a lousy love life and drives a rust bucket of a car that she cannot afford to repair. When she prevents the assassination of The President and a visiting Arab emir and winds up a national heroine.
Only Goldie Hawn could have played this role. It would not have worked with a different actress. It's Hawn's charm that totally carries this movie.
John Ratzenberger really made me laugh in his one scene as a security guard, whilst bonus points must go to any fans who spot an uncredited Chevy Chase as a doctor (Not the one who does the operation) who looks at Goldie Hawn ass and says "Beautiful, just beautiful" to which a heavily medicated Hawn just replies "Thanks"
As a "Married With Children" fan it was fun to spot Amanda Bearse (Marcy) as a soap opera actress.
Only Goldie Hawn could have played this role. It would not have worked with a different actress. It's Hawn's charm that totally carries this movie.
John Ratzenberger really made me laugh in his one scene as a security guard, whilst bonus points must go to any fans who spot an uncredited Chevy Chase as a doctor (Not the one who does the operation) who looks at Goldie Hawn ass and says "Beautiful, just beautiful" to which a heavily medicated Hawn just replies "Thanks"
As a "Married With Children" fan it was fun to spot Amanda Bearse (Marcy) as a soap opera actress.
Loved this movie!
JohnHowardReid17 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Make that that 9.5! I loved this movie! My only complaints are that two or three scenes tended to out-stay their welcome and went on just a bit too long and that the sound recording in one or two places was a little low. It shouldn't be necessary to adjust the sound controls once you set them when the movie starts. But these are mere quibbles. There are so many good things about this delightfully expensive and expansive movie that I prefer to concentrate on aspects like the marvelous performance Goldie Hawn delivers, and indeed the astute playing of the whole cast. The script provides a tremendous line-up of socko characters and intriguing situations which are splendidly directed by Herbert Ross of all people. Frankly, I thought that a movie with such a huge cast and so many powerful scenes would be a bit beyond Herbert's capabilities, but he has risen to the challenge magnificently. Even the extras play their two or three seconds roles with remarkable charisma, and yet they don't steal anything from Miss Hawn. True, Buck Henry and others have provided a great script with plenty of laughs and a huge line-up of characters -- plus a few critical ploys and stings that put our politicians in a far less favorable light than the usual cow- towing Hollywood movie. I also thought the music score surely deserved recognition as one of the best of the year. In fact, all the credits were magnificent in this "comedy" that delivers plenty of stings. I'm not surprised that many people don't like it. Why not? Because they realize that they themselves are one of the script's main targets.
Lightweight Comedy Featuring Goldie Hawn
atlasmb3 February 2015
If you like Goldie Hawn, you might like this story about a wide-eyed girl who happens to foil an assassination, then--because of her folksy charm--is hired by the Dept. of Protocol.
"Protocol" is a comedy with a moral. It's nearly impossible to miss the parallels with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and, even more "Born Yesterday", (in which Judy Holliday plays the Washington neophyte who finds that civic duty requires her to educate herself in the basics of politics). Goldie plays the part of Sunny with her usual plucky charm. She is surrounded by a sharp cast, but she carries the film as she does most of her films. The writing, by Buck Henry, takes shots at the media, the government, foreign affairs, and the office of the Vice President. Its style is somewhat reminiscent of Elaine May.
Overall, this film is lightweight, even with its serious call for self-education in government affairs. It is not Ms. Hawn's best, but amusing nonetheless.
"Protocol" is a comedy with a moral. It's nearly impossible to miss the parallels with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and, even more "Born Yesterday", (in which Judy Holliday plays the Washington neophyte who finds that civic duty requires her to educate herself in the basics of politics). Goldie plays the part of Sunny with her usual plucky charm. She is surrounded by a sharp cast, but she carries the film as she does most of her films. The writing, by Buck Henry, takes shots at the media, the government, foreign affairs, and the office of the Vice President. Its style is somewhat reminiscent of Elaine May.
Overall, this film is lightweight, even with its serious call for self-education in government affairs. It is not Ms. Hawn's best, but amusing nonetheless.
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