| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Walter Matthau | ... | ||
| Glenda Jackson | ... | ||
| Sam Waterston | ... | ||
| Ned Beatty | ... | ||
| Herbert Lom | ... | ||
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David Matthau | ... |
Ross
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| George Baker | ... |
Westlake
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Ivor Roberts | ... |
Ludlum
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Lucy Saroyan | ... | |
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Severn Darden | ... |
Maddox
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George Pravda | ... |
Saint Breheret
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Jacquelyn Hyde | ... |
Realtor
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Mike Gwilym | ... |
Alfie
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Terry Beaver | ... |
Tobin
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Ray Charleson | ... |
Clausen
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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. Written by P. Wong <pwong@nt.net>
The most impressive thing about this movie is the way the director manages the tone of this film. The balance between comedy and drama is handled with great aplomb. This is best in encapsulated in the Myerson character. His ineptness is clearly the comic relief yet he also is trying to hunt down Kendig. I had seen other films where Matthau was in a supporting role like Mirage and Charade but here he is the star and he carries the film perfectly. The new Criterion Collection DVD has a very interesting interviews that add immensely to the appreciation of the film. 8/10.