WHERE THE SPIES ARE

Francoise Dorleac and David Niven

WHERE THE SPIES ARE (1965). Director: Val Guest. 

Dr. Jason Love (David Niven of Please Don't Eat the Daisies) is a quiet British doctor whose chief love is his snazzy automobile, and who is promised an even snazzier car, a LeBaron, if he agrees to undertake a little assignment for the government as embodied by MacGillivray (John Le Mesurier). Although certainly there are agents who could impersonate a doctor, Love is enlisted to go to Beirut, Lebanon, to look into the disappearance of a certain spy. First he stops off in Rome to make contact with another agent, the beautiful Vikki (Francoise Dorleac), who is also a highly-paid model. Love doesn't think there will be much to this assignment, and wants to put it off to make love to Vikki, but the plane he was supposed to take to Beirut explodes right after take-off. While Love doesn't think this has much to do with him, on that he would be wrong. Assisted by another agent named Parkington (Nigel Davenport of No Blade of Grass), Love uncovers a plot to assassinate Prince Zahlouf. 

Niven and Nigel Davenport

Everything in Spies must be taken with a grain of salt. One assumes Love has been drafted for the assignment because he is a real doctor who will be above suspicion, but apparently all of the agents have other professions. Not only that, but the opposition seems clued in to who he is before he even leaves the country, planting a bomb on an airliner he is to take. Love is able to beat up Parkington in their first encounter with relative ease, and although his last espionage assignment was during WW2 proves more capable than the professionals. 

Niven with Paul Stassino

Despite this, Spies is relatively absorbing and moves swiftly enough as Jason Love finds himself getting deeper and deeper into trouble. He is pursued by both Lebanon police and Russian agents, and winds up on a Soviet "Peace" plane where he is threatened with extinction when he is placed in a special chamber during the flight in which the air is slowly sucked out. (Another good scene has Love dangling from a helicopter as one of the rungs of the ladder starts to shred!) One of his allies turns out to be a double-agent, and there are a couple of interesting villains in the persons of Simmias (Paul Stassino) and his portly boss, Stanilaus (Ronald Radd). The humor of the film is a bit at odds with such grim stuff as the destruction of an airliner and all aboard. (A disturbing, tossed-off sequence has the Russian who engineered this disaster requesting asylum from American authorities!) 

Niven and John Le Mesurier

Niven is okay as the not-so-bumbling "amateur" spy, and there is good work from the other named cast members as well as Eric Pohlmann as the amiable Farouk, who runs a garage; and Noel Harrison as Le Musurier's good right hand in the London office. Dorleac, the sister of Catherine Deneuve, died in an automobile accident two years later. This was based on the novel "Passport to Oblivion" by James Leasor, who wrote nine novels starring the character of Jason Love. This is the only one that was ever filmed. Mario Nascimbene's score is all over the lot. 

Verdict: David Niven was no James Bond (even if he played 007 in the spoof Casino Royale. **3/4. 

JUST BEFORE NIGHTFALL

Anna Douking

JUST BEFORE NIGHTFALL (aka Juste avant la nuit/1971). Director: Claude Chabrol. 

At the very opening of Just Before Nightfall we see that rather unemotional Charles Masson (Michel Bouquet) has strangled his lover, Laura (Anna Douking). Immediately afterward he runs into Laura's husband -- and his best friend -- Francois Tellier (Francois Perier), but acts as if nothing has happened. Charles has a wife, Helene (Stephane Audran), and two lovely children. Although Charles initially seems unaffected by his actions -- and there is a question of whether or not the death was deliberate or "accidental" -- it clearly begins to nag at him. Meanwhile Francois decides not to tell the police that his friend was seen at Laura's special apartment because he believes Charles is above suspicion. But Charles can't bear to keep silent about what he's done. But how will Helene react when she learns the truth? And Francois? Charles may be surprised by their attitude.

Stephane Audran and Michel Bouquet

I have always had mixed emotions about Claude Chabrol, whose movies seem hit or miss. I have never seen him as being great enough to be called a "French Hitchcock." Still, now and then he comes out with a memorable picture, and Just Before Nightfall falls into that category. The film is an absorbing, well-acted mood piece, shot through with an air of fatalism. Are Charles and Helene a sophisticated, continental couple above the usual marital conventions? Is Helene a romantic, delusional fool? Or is Charles merely a pig and Helene his dupe? The picture has a very satisfying ending that may answer all those questions. Chabrol's masterpiece remains Les bonnes femmes.

Verdict: One of Chabrol's better movies. ***. 

THE COLUMBUS MOVING PICTURE SHOW

 

If you happen to be in the Columbus, Ohio area in late May, drop in at the Crowne Plaza North for the Columbus Moving Picture Show. 

Lots of interesting screenings!

More details here!

THIS MAN MUST DIE

Jean Yanne and Michel Duchaussoy

THIS MAN MUST DIE (aka Que la bete meure/1969). Director: Claude Chabrol.  

When his little boy is run down in the street and killed by a driver who doesn't stop, Charles Thenier (Michel Duchaussoy), determines to find out who was behind the wheel so that he can kill him. Eventually Charles' trail leads to an actress, Helene Lanson (Caroline Cellier), who was in the car when the tragedy occurred. Charles begins a romance with Helene in order to get closer to the driver, her brother-in-law, Paul (Jean Yanne). Charles is afraid that Paul might turn out to be someone likable, which would make his job more difficult, but Paul turns out to be fairly odious, someone who is vile to both his wife and son, Philippe (Marc di Napoli). Now the question is: can Charles bring himself to commit murder?

Michel Duchaussoy

This Man Must Die is another memorable and well-acted Chabrol film, perhaps more of a character study than a thriller. For a time the second half of the film -- once Charles uncovers the identity of the driver -- is less interesting than the first half, but then some intriguing events bring the picture back into focus. It is interesting that Charles is not entirely virtuous and Paul is not a complete monster. The film has a moving conclusion, and the use of the music of Brahms on the soundtrack is a decided asset. 

Verdict: Notable Chabrol drama. ***.  

THE BRASS BOTTLE

The genie goes flying!

THE BRASS BOTTLE (1964). Director: Harry Keller.

Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall of No Down Payment) is an architect hoping to get some choice assignments from his boss, Mr. Beever (Philip Ober). He is engaged to Sylvia (Barbara Eden of The Yellow Canary), whose father Anthony (Edward Andrews) heartily disapproves of him, thinking he's a complete kook. This opinion is not revised when Harold acquires a large bottle that turns out to hold an ancient genie, Fakrash (Burl Ives), who in gratitude for being freed after thousands of years wants to do anything and everything he can for Harold. Unfortunately, Fakrash' notions are quite a bit dated and even dangerous ... Eventually Harold tries to convince everyone that Frakrash is exactly who he says it is, but it may be more difficult than he imagines. 

Burl Ives with Kamala Devi

The Brass Bottle is an absolutely delightful comedy fantasy with a wonderful performance from Burl Ives as the genie. Perhaps hoping to ground the story a bit more Randell underplays and probably isn't as amusing as he could have been, but this approach works fine. Eden is lovely, as is Kamala Devi, who plays a rather independent female genie named Tezra. Andrews, Ober, and Ann Doran as Eden's mother are all swell, as are Parley Baer as a potential client for Harold, and Richard Erdman and Kathie Browne as a couple who are Harold's unconventional buddies. At one point Fakrash reduces some authorities to tiny stature and has them desperately clinging to a pencil in a pitcher of water! Not much later Eden played a genie herself in I Dream of Jeannie. Harry Keller also directed several melodramas starring George Nader such as The Female Animal. 

Verdict: Charming, with a very satisfying conclusion! ***1/2.