- DIRECTOR:
Ken Russell
- ACTORS:
Michael Caine, Karl Malden, Ed Begley, Oskar Homolka, Françoise Dorléac, Guy Doleman, Vladek Sheybal
- PLOT:
Retired spy Harry Palmer (Caine) is dragged back into the business by an old friend (Malden) who is scamming an insanely patriotic Texan supercomputing enthusiast (Ed Begley).
- EVALUATION:
A criminally underappreciated spy film that serves as a welcome complement to the Bond series by presenting a very reluctant secret agent who isn't terribly competent, either.
- WRITING:
Outstanding, particularly for Begley's character, who gives the sort of powerfully incoherent speech that could (and almost does) launch a war, and Malden, who gets a rare heel turn.
- FILMING:
Appropriately flamboyant in scenes depicting Texas and appropriately muted when location filming in wintry Finland, with a terrifying set of water-based stunts near the end.
- BEST PART:
The film has many wonderful sequences (the supercomputer tour, every non-Texan's impression of Texas, soldiers drowning in icy water), but my favorite moment may be on the train when Harry completely misunderstands the Latvian girl (Susan George) who is offering him a newspaper, foreshadowing his complete misunderstanding of everything else in his life.
- TRIVIA:
The voice of the computer was provided by Donald Sutherland (who has a bit part), but that is not as interesting as the fact that this film inspired Karl Malden to promote traveler's checks when everything in his hotel room was burgled except his traveler's checks.
- STINGER:
Begley screaming "Strong! Strong! Strong!"
