It Takes a Thief (TV Series) Birds of a Feather (1968) User Reviews

"When the chips are down, send for Alexander The Great!"

[ShadeGrenade · 8/10 · 5 May 2008]

Glen A. Larson was a humble scriptwriter back in 1968, he went on to create or co-create 'Alias Smith & Jones', 'Knight Rider', 'Magnum P.I.', 'The Fall Guy', and the original ( and best ) 'Battlestar Galactica'.

This was one of his early scripts. Willard Knox, an S.I.A. agent, is arrested by the Petrovian Secret Police on charges of espionage. In his possession is microfilm containing The Miloslav Document, which Noah wants. So he asks Mundy to retrieve it.

A heavily disguised Al infiltrates the maximum security prison where Knox is held, only to discover that the spy no longer has the microfilm. He smuggled it out, and refuses to say how unless Mundy helps him escape.

During the break out, Knox is killed, but passes onto Mundy the whereabouts of the microfilm - it is concealed in a valuable ring belonging to Ambassaddor Marku's wife Trish. Far from being over, the mission is just beginning...

A pleasing episode, with a good supporting cast including Mark Lenard ( best remembered as 'Ambassador Sarek' ( Mr.Spock's Dad ) from 'Star Trek', and Taina Elg, who was handcuffed to Kenneth More in the 1959 version of 'The Thirty-Nine Steps'.

We never find out why the Miloslav Document is so important, but it hardly matters.

Favourite moment - the prison break-out.

Really liked the ending

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 29 September 2017]

Before he's killed, an American spy manages to place an important piece microfilm into a ring belonging to the Petrovian ambassador's wife. Mundy's job is, quite naturally, to steal the ring and retrieve the microfilm from the heavily guarded Petrovian embassy.

Up until the final twist at the end, Birds of a Feather is a fairly average, run-of-the-mill episode with nothing much of note. But that final twist (which I will not reveal) is worth the wait. I knew Mundy had gotten the ring, but I couldn't figure out how he got it out of the embassy. He and his possessions were thoroughly searched before he was allowed to leave the embassy. It appeared he'd failed. Then the surprise and it all made sense. Another plus for me was seeing Strother Martin in a small, but important role. He's always been a favorite of mine.

One thing that really bugged me about Birds of a Feather was how easily Mundy's break-in at the embassy was spotted. Seconds into the break-in and the guards were swarming the place. You'd think a master thief could at least get to the building before being spotted.

Finally, I love the made-up name "Petrovia". Say it with a Russian accent and it just rolls of the tongue. Nice!