Our Man in Havana (1959)

Jim Wormold, who is a vacuum cleaner salesman, participates as an Agent in the British Secret Service. But he soon realizes that his plans by lying are going to get him into trouble.

Director:

Carol Reed

Writer:

Graham Greene (novel)

Stars:

Alec Guinness, Maureen O'Hara, Burl Ives

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alec Guinness	...	Jim Wormold
Burl Ives	...	Dr. Hasselbacher
Maureen O'Hara	...	Beatrice Severn
Ernie Kovacs	...	Capt. Segura
Noël Coward	...	Hawthorne
Ralph Richardson	...	'C'
Jo Morrow	...	Milly Wormold
Grégoire Aslan	...	Cifuentes (as Gregoire Aslan)
Paul Rogers	...	Hubert Carter
Raymond Huntley	...	General
Ferdy Mayne	...	Prof. Sanchez
Maurice Denham	...	Admiral
Joseph G. Prieto	...	Lopez (as Jose Prieto)
Duncan Macrae	...	MacDougal
Gerik Schjelderup	...	Svenson

Storyline

Jim Wormold is an expatriate Englishman living in pre-revolutionary Havana with his teenage daughter Milly. He owns a vacuum cleaner shop but isn't very successful so he accepts an offer from Hawthorne of the British Secret Service to recruit a network of agents in Cuba. Wormold hasn't got a clue where to start but when his friend Dr. Hasselbacher suggests that the best secrets are known to no one, he decides to manufacture a list of agents and provides fictional tales for the benefit of his masters in London. He is soon seen as the best agent in the Western Hemisphere but it all begins to unravel when the local police decode his cables and start rounding up his "network" and he learns that he is the target of a group out to kill him.

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Plot Keywords:

british secret service | cuba | vacuum cleaner salesman | vacuum cleaner | drunkenness | 

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Taglines:

A murderously funny story, magnificently cast....marvelously made !

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening prologue states: "This film is set in Cuba before the recent revolution."

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Goofs

Millie puts the saddle on the horse backwards. Also, the saddle has no stirrups or girth. The saddle had stirrups on it in the previous scene.

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Quotes

Jim Wormold: Forgive me, I couldn't help overhearing what you said. Perhaps we could have a word privately.
Ambassador: Haven't I met you somewhere before? The Embassy?
Jim Wormold: Good heavens, no. I never go there.
Ambassador: I afraid you'll have to if you want to see me in private. I happen to be the Ambassador.

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Connections

Featured in The Lady with the Torch (1999)

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Soundtracks

LA BELLA CUBANA
(uncredited)
(traditional Cuban melody)
Composed by José Silvestre White Lafitte (1853)
used as love theme in the opening credits

User Reviews

A warm-hearted Cold War comedy of life

This afternoon I chanced upon this terrific film on Channel 4.I had seen it years ago as a child,and couldn't understand why my father kept referring to the brilliant " Our Man in Havana" Now I know what he meant.Alec Guinness hit the perfect note in the part,as he invariably did.Havana is rendered almost tangible by director Carol Reed, a difficult feat to achieve.The rest of the cast shine too.Ernie Kovacs makes a human being out of his police-thug character.The script seems almost improvised,so fresh , pointed and witty.Compare this movie to the bulk of today's garbage,and prepare to feel very let-down by what you can see at your local Multiplex.This strange and sharp movie has re-affirmed my intention to spend some time in Havana.Buena Vista Social Club first whetted my curiosity.This movie is timeless and a great 2 hrs of entertainment/art.Enjoy! And look at Maureen O ' Hara, is she not quite splendid? !

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel

Country:

UK

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

19 February 1960 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Our Man in Havana

Filming Locations:

Havana, Cuba

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kingsmead Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1