- DIRECTOR:
Guy Hamilton
- ACTORS:
Michael Caine, Paul Hubschmid, Oskar Homolka, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman, Hugh Burden
- PLOT:
Harry Palmer (Caine) is assigned to handle the supposed defection of a Russian colonel (Homolka) only to stumble upon Israeli agents hunting down a German war criminal.
- EVALUATION:
A cool, calm, and collected James Bond works only as well as his story, and this one is just okay, although Caine does a great job selling the part.
- WRITING:
Excellent, particularly anytime Colonel Stok and Harry are talking.
- FILMING:
Hamilton does his best work with bombastic action setpieces, which this film intentionally lacks, but his shot composition is good and the low-light stuff near the end is effective.
- BEST PART:
Opening the casket only to discover a surprise.
- TRIVIA:
Renzi was a last-minute replacement and all of her lines were dubbed.
- STINGER:
A leering Michael Caine telling an attractive woman that "England likes you."
