so was Pellisier really CIA

I feel like the movie left things open.

My theory is that Pellisier is a conman who pretended to be CIA as a cover. Basically, he, Clare Clovis and Johnny Worricker pulled a scam on Gary and Frank for $200,000,000. The US government wasn't involved except as an excuse.

Curtis Pelissier doesn't exist. No one knows who the real guy is and what his real name is.

The accountant Clovis got $3,000,000 out of it. I wonder what the split between Worricker and Pelissier ended up being. Enough for Worricker to disappear with Margot Tyrrell.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.

If you see the sequel, "Salting the Battlefield", it's confirmed that the money was paid to the CIA. And though we never know Pelissier's real name, Worricker does peg him for a company man, ie CIA agent, at the end of Turks & Caicos.

Though the scenario of having it all be a big scam is interesting.

I think it was made pretty clear in the bar where Curtis and Johnny work out their ‘deal’, that Pellisier was real CIA. First of all, he recognizes Johnny the first time he sees him, despite Johnny’s assurances they haven’t met; then, in the bar, he reveals that he (Curtis) saw Johnny somewhere, but Johnny didn’t see him. Johnny still doesn’t get it until Curtis says “I was behind glass”, and finally Johnny realizes it must have been Langley - I presume that’s where CIA headquarters is. Although I wish I knew what “behind glass” means in this context.

I know others weren’t impressed with Walken in this, but the scenes with Nighy and him were some of my favorites.