Where the Spies Are (1966)

A local doctor is recruited as a cold war spy to fulfill a very important secret mission in the Middle East, only to experience that his mission is complicated by a sexy female double agent.

Director:

Val Guest

Writers:

Wolf Mankowitz (screenplay), Val Guest (screenplay)

Stars:

David Niven, Françoise Dorléac, John Le Mesurier

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Niven	...	Dr. Jason Love
Françoise Dorléac	...	Vikki (as Francoise Dorleac)
John Le Mesurier	...	MacGillivray
Cyril Cusack	...	Rosser
Eric Pohlmann	...	Farouk
Richard Marner	...	Josef
Paul Stassino	...	Simmias
George Pravda	...	1st Agent
Noel Harrison	...	Jackson
Ronald Radd	...	Stanilaus
Alan Gifford	...	Security
Bill Nagy	...	Aeradio
George Mikell	...	Assassin
Nigel Davenport	...	Parkington
Reginald Beckwith	...	Mr. Kahn

Storyline

A local doctor is recruited as a cold war spy to fulfill a very important secret mission in the Middle East, only to experience that his mission is complicated by a sexy female double agent.

---

Plot Keywords:

beirut | homosexual subtext | male male relationship | manipulative female | classic car enthusiast | 

---

Taglines:

That's secret agent Jason Love who takes you where the spies are!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 January 1966 (France)

Also Known As:

A caccia di spie

Filming Locations:

Beirut, Lebanon

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie had a few influences from the James Bond films. The picture starred David Niven, who would go on to play Sir James Bond in the following year's spy spoof Casino Royale (1967), and had been an actor considered to play James Bond in the official series; the spy boss in the movie was called MacGillivray, a name which starts with the letter "M"; actor Eric Pohlmann, who plays Farouk, had provided the voice of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the earlier James Bond films Thunderball (1965) and From Russia with Love (1963); whilst that latter Bond film influenced a tagline for Where the Spies Are (1966) by saying, "From Russia, Beirut, London, Rome and Byblos with LOVE!".

---

Goofs

After Niven thwarts the assassin, he runs around helter-skelter with the assassin's rifle, making him the target of the mob's fury. Can anyone explain why the director would have him running around with that damn rifle? It looked utterly absurd.

---

Quotes

Major Harding: Alright, out you come, Bill, Tom. Come on, fellas, at the double... We got to evacuate all the Eskimos.

User Reviews

Unsuccesful and above all unsatisfying genre attempt.

Director Val Guest got his fame for directing horror/science-fiction movies in the '50's. His movies never have really been the greatest but they were decent enough genre pieces, that are also quite well known, all over the world. With comedies he just never received much fame or praise and for a good reason, also especially when you look at this film. Though the right intentions are definitely there, this just isn't a good enough genre movie.

The movie is obviously trying to be a light entertaining espionage movie, perhaps even a genre spoof- and cold war spoof at times. The movie as a whole just isn't light enough in its settings and events to consider this really an entertaining movie, that doesn't successfully parodies or even entertains enough. The movie works in parts as a comedy and entertainment, especially in the beginning but its many more weaker moments really downgrade the movie and in parts even makes it a totally unwatchable and bad one.

The movie has a main plot line but it almost seemed as if they simply shot the movie as it was on the call-sheets, without paying much attention to development. Because of that the movie also becomes mostly uninteresting to watch and the events in the movie almost impossible to follow or care for.

The movie its main problem is really how poorly developed it is. Also with its seemingly important characters in the movie, that come and go and never get properly introduced or developed.

The movie has further more a great cast, filled with mostly some of the best British actors from its period. It are the sort of actors you perhaps not know by name but definitely by face. Of course David Niven is well known and he carries the movie well with his role and he also proofs how well he can handle the comedy genre but no matter how great he is, he feels out of place nevertheless, mostly due to his age. He just doesn't seem believable enough as a spy who gets the girls and charms his way through things.

The movie is shot at some nice far off locations but still the movie feels very low-budget. This is also due to some incredibly lame and fake looking miniature effects. Pay especially attention toward the ending when a character is jumping from a riding plane.

Not a complete train-wreck but not exactly a movie worth searching out either.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/