Yes, the Matt Damon Bourne movies are good, but they are not about the Jason Bourne written about by Robert Ludlum. Very seldom does a movie represent a book well, but the made for TV Bourne Identity does. If you are not a reader, but would like to know the real story of Jason Bourne and Treadstone then watch this. It is truly excellent!

The Bourne Identity is a television movie adaptation of Robert Ludlum's novel of the same title.It stars Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne together with Jaclyn Smith,Anthony Quayle,Donald Moffat and Denholm Elliott. The TV movie was written by Carol Sobieski and directed by Roger Young.The film follows the story of Jason Bourne, who washes up on the beach and is cared for by a doctor. He has no memories, but is intrigued enough to investigate why he has the number of a Swiss bank account on his thigh. As he travels to various European cities following clues about his past, he begins to discover that his actions match those of the feared international terrorist Carlos. The Bourne Identity is a good TV movie adaptation of Ludlum's classic novel.Brilliant performances were turned by Chamberlain and Smith. Also,it was engaging and absorbing from beginning to end as Bourne's story and his search for his identity becomes a great mystery and story to tell.

Made in the era when the mini-series were in relatively high regard and one classic was swiftly followed by another, this very respectable version of "The Bourne Identity" was released and, if memory serves, it was quite popular.Production values here are very good, it's tightly written (for the most part) and the Robert Ludlum story is full of surprises and suspense. Despite the three hour-plus running time it never slows down too much and keeps a solid momentum.Richard Chamberlain is no Robert De Niro but he pulls the role off well enough. He's quite fit and handles himself in the action department admirably. There are some good supporting actors here as well but I've never thought Jaclyn Smith to be a very good actress. She's wonderful eye candy but I didn't find her believable here at all. But then I never do.Also, call me crazy but I actually prefer this to the Superhuman agent Matt Damon portrayed in the big budget trilogy based on the Ludlum novels. Chamberlain looks a bit more human and he actually takes beatings here and gets bruised like a normal human being. He's a good fighter but nothing that borders on supernatural.

I'm from India and as such had never heard of Richard Chamberlain before. But Yesterday I watched the film and was completely hooked by it. It is ten times better that the sham that has Matt Damon in it. Robert Ludlum's Bourne Identity is one of my favourite novels. After seeing Richard Chamberlain movie I think that he's a perfect cast as he follows Ludlums description of the character to the hilt.A very Fine actor paired with an actress of calibre of Jaclyn Smith, have done good justice to Jason Bourne. Also being made in the 80's it faithfully captures the time when the book was written. No comps, no cellphones just gritty streets of Paris. this film should be rated among the most faithful adaptations to the original novel.