A Dandy in Aspic

I loved Laurence Harvey in THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. This is also a good performance. The spy stuff and his relationship with the character played by Tom Courtenay are interesting. Also interesting is the young Peter Cook in a "straight" role ( well sort of). Harvey brought such an air of sadness and despair to this kind of role ( much like his doomed brainwashed pawn in MC). I recall a scene where he is asked about his mother's death ( I believe) and he cannot remember how he felt. The life and emotion were drained out of him to create the perfect double agent. This kind of film was popular in the 60's as an antidote to James Bond and his clones. Others include THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD and THE DEADLY AFFAIR. The great Anthony Mann started this film and was replaced by Harvey when Mann died.

Other than knowing that Anthony Mann died while on location in Berlin I still don't know precisely the exact sequence in which this film was shot; so I remain unaware exactly which scenes were the work of Mann and those by Lawrence Harvey, who replaced him.

That aside, it's a worthy swansong with a remarkable cast ranging from Per Oscarsson to Peter Cook - who sounds as if he's writing his own dialogue - and benefits from an uncharacteristic score by Quincey Jones; while enjoying several memorable moments, of which I particularly liked Harvey delivering what he intended to be a withering putdown to Tom Courtney; whereupon Courtney completely takes the wind out of Harvey's sails by replying "I must remember that! Allow me to write it down!"

It is an amazing spy thriller film from the sixties, an era, a period where such topics were galore, besides the James Bond like features, more eccentric one than the other, and from all countries; not only American but also British, German, Italian.... The short series starring Michael Caine in Harry Palmer's role is among the best, or those inspired by John Le Carré. This Anthony Mann's film is absolutely complex, as many other movies of this kind, but riveting, tense, gloomy, and a Lawrence Harvey at his peak; he who finished the film after Anthony Mann's death. What a film, and so different from other Mann's masterpieces: westerns - among the best of Hollywood, besides John Ford's and Delmer Daves' ones - as well as his peplums made just before EL CID, FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, awesome films too. DANDY IN ASPIC is one of the best spy films of the decade, far from 007 also exciting stories.

While the story is admittedly somewhat confusing, this is definitely not the disaster that Maltin et al. would have you believe it is. It's got some plot issues, and is in fact a bit baffling by the end, but these weaknesses are far outweighed by the sleek mid-60's visuals, the cool location shots of Berlin, and the whole spy-in-an-atmosphere-of-paranoia-and-dread vibe (ie., like the Prisoner). Definitely worth a rent if you're into spy movies and/or paranoia.

p.s. the ever so mod and swinging soundtrack music is by Quincy Jones!

I am not sure why this film gets a bad rap -- I thoroughly enjoyed it. Wonderful locations of an impossibly glamorous late-60s London, Lawrence Harvey suitably mysterious, a seeping sense of doom which won't give you nightmares but will make you appreciate the story arc even more.

Yes there are plot holes but nothing major. The character of Mia Farrow remains a cipher, but maybe it's intentional.

Watch out for two then future telly stars in minor roles: Richard O'Sullivan (of Man about the house) and Mike Pratt (of Randall and Hopkirk).

Recommended.