Episode complete credited cast: | |||
Patrick Macnee | ... | John Steed | |
Honor Blackman | ... | Catherine Gale | |
Fenella Fielding | ... | Kim Lawrence | |
Warren Mitchell | ... | Keller | |
Brian Oulton | ... | Mr. Edgar | |
Vivian Pickles | ... | Betty Smythe | |
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John Barcroft | ... | Martin |
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Malcolm Russell | ... | Horace Cleeves |
Frank Mills | ... | Harrap | |
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John Greenwood | ... | Sam |
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Peter Porteous | ... | Vinkel |
Agent Vinkel is the latest spy from 'the other side' to get polished off and, as ever, Steed is implicated but he persuades the opposition it would be best for the two camps to team up and expose a third party, committing the murders for their own agenda. Mrs. Gale is paired with Russian Martin, who, alas, gets killed at the dentist's. Steed and his partner, Kim Lawrence - actually an actress employed by the other side to test him - follow a trail to a charm school for English gentlemen - in reality an academy for assassins. Written by don @ minifie-1
"The Charmers" was probably the best of the three Cathy Gale episodes that were remade in color with Diana Rigg, this one retitled "The Correct Way to Kill." George Vinkel (Peter Porteous), a friendly "enemy" of Steed's, is killed, and the opposition sends Martin (John Barcroft) over to kill Steed in exchange. Both agents realize that a third party is playing them off against each other, so Keller (Warren Mitchell, better than in his previous appearance in "The Golden Fleece"), agrees to partner one of his agents with Steed, who allows Cathy Gale to tag along with Martin. Unfortunately, Keller decides to double cross The Avengers by hiring a freelance actress, Kim Lawrence (Fenella Fielding), to partner with Steed (convinced he's simply an author of adventurous spy thrillers), knowing his weakness for beautiful women. All three stories had significant changes from the originals, particularly here, as the remake replaces the actress with a genuine female spy played by Anna Quayle, but both conclude at the same charm school. Sexy Fenella Fielding has many of the wittiest lines, perhaps the best dialogue of the Cathy Gale era (Patrick Macnee corrects his own blooper when he calls Mrs. Gale "Mrs. Jowl!"). Veteran actor Brian Oulton later appeared in "Love All," while Warren Mitchell, best remembered as Alf Garnett in the long running "Till Death Us Do Part," returned as a Russian ambassador (Vladimir Jiroslav Brodny) in both "Two's a Crowd" and "The See-Through Man."