Andrej (Kirk Douglas), a smuggler of microfilmed Russian manuscripts, uses the luggage of unsuspecting travellers to transport the contraband out of the country.Andrej (Kirk Douglas), a smuggler of microfilmed Russian manuscripts, uses the luggage of unsuspecting travellers to transport the contraband out of the country.Andrej (Kirk Douglas), a smuggler of microfilmed Russian manuscripts, uses the luggage of unsuspecting travellers to transport the contraband out of the country.
Featured reviews
: Kirk Douglas is wandering around the diplomatic parties looking for something. As spies are arrested -- including Marlène Jobert's husband, Patrick Mower -- Douglas approaches the lady and asks her how much she wants for 'the goods'. Soon, they are captured by Soviet agents and fleeing.
This is a comedy starring Kirk Douglas. Director Dick Clement said
Kirk Douglas requested a meeting before filming started. "Being an American, Douglas got straight to the point. He said I can't play comedy. And do you know what - he couldn't.".
I confirm that. Douglas was a fine dramatic actor, but his few attempts at comedy are astonishingly dull. As is this movie, which steals heavily. In one sequence clearly lifted from The 39 Steps, Douglas and MlleJobert are fleeing from the bad guys and hole up at an abandoned hotel in Scotland, where they fall in love. Douglas is not in the least entertaining.
As is the rest of this movie. Trevor Howard, who could play comedy, has a rant about homosexuals. It all ends in a chase which is frantic, rather than funny.
There is some lovely location shooting by DP Christopher Challis. But if you're looking for a comedy, look elsewhere.
This is a comedy starring Kirk Douglas. Director Dick Clement said
Kirk Douglas requested a meeting before filming started. "Being an American, Douglas got straight to the point. He said I can't play comedy. And do you know what - he couldn't.".
I confirm that. Douglas was a fine dramatic actor, but his few attempts at comedy are astonishingly dull. As is this movie, which steals heavily. In one sequence clearly lifted from The 39 Steps, Douglas and MlleJobert are fleeing from the bad guys and hole up at an abandoned hotel in Scotland, where they fall in love. Douglas is not in the least entertaining.
As is the rest of this movie. Trevor Howard, who could play comedy, has a rant about homosexuals. It all ends in a chase which is frantic, rather than funny.
There is some lovely location shooting by DP Christopher Challis. But if you're looking for a comedy, look elsewhere.
In tubi, it's to catch a spy.. in imdb, catch me a spy. The 1971 film, with kirk douglas, trevor howard, tom courtenay. Andrej smuggles things in other people's luggage to sneak in his contraband. But he keeps getting interrupted. And the people he involves get arrested...for things. And their lives are now goofed up. It's very tongue in cheek! Very subtle. Lots of stereotyped, minority, and jokes about homosexuals. One-liners where no-one reacts. Some chases around the albert hall in england. Cold war shenanigans, lots of brit actors and locations. Then a final big scene a simmering spy ... parody? The music tells us it's a comedy, and there are some funny bits. It's okay. Directed by richard clement. Won a bafta for commitments.
A light and completely inoffensive spy spoof, To Catch A Spy is not the kind of film that demands high calibre acting talent. Yet for reasons best known to themselves, established stars like Kirk Douglas, Trevor Howard, Marlene Jobert and Tom Courtenay lend their skills to this 1971 potboiler, making it seem a bigger and better picture than it really is. The first three quarters of the movie are virtually a total loss, with dispirited plotting and pacing, but it perks up into something resembling life during the final quarter as the action shifts to a secluded, deserted Scottish hotel. By this time, most viewers will have given up the ghost - but for the handful still watching these climactic scenes are actually quite amusing.
Married couple Fabienne (Marlene Jobert) and John (Patrick Mower) are honeymooning in Bucharest when the latter is arrested by the secret police. The anxious Fabienne is forced to return to Britain without him. Meanwhile, it is revealed to the viewers that John is actually a spy working for the Russians, and that his arrest was just an elaborate deception created so that they could contact him. Fabienne is duped into believing that John is now a hostage, his only hope of release being that the British secret service might release one of their Russian prisoners in exchange for him. Still unaware of the double-cross, Fabienne works tirelessly with her uncle Sir Trevor (Trevor Howard) - a foreign office diplomat - to get the British government to trade a Russian spy for her husband. Just when it seems that a deal has been struck, the spy they choose to bargain with is accidentally killed. Fabienne instead sets her sights on Romanian spy Andrej (Kirk Douglas), but as she tries desperately to trap him in order to use him in the exchange, she discovers herself to be falling in love with him. All is resolved in a last-minute revelation at an exchange-rendezvous-point near the Iron Curtain.
To Catch A Spy was penned by the expert comedy script duo Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement (the latter also directed), but they seem to be having an off-day. The film looks terribly dated, with a storyline that resurrects all the clichés of the spy movies and caper movies that were popular at the time. Of the main actors, Tom Courtenay registers best, providing some mirth as an inept agent. The others don't disgrace themselves, but they're stuck with nothing roles and can't really get across characterisations worth caring about. The film is occasionally pleasing to the eye, with some interesting locations, but on the whole it is a rather uninspired and unremarkable time killer. Everyone involved has certainly done much better.
Married couple Fabienne (Marlene Jobert) and John (Patrick Mower) are honeymooning in Bucharest when the latter is arrested by the secret police. The anxious Fabienne is forced to return to Britain without him. Meanwhile, it is revealed to the viewers that John is actually a spy working for the Russians, and that his arrest was just an elaborate deception created so that they could contact him. Fabienne is duped into believing that John is now a hostage, his only hope of release being that the British secret service might release one of their Russian prisoners in exchange for him. Still unaware of the double-cross, Fabienne works tirelessly with her uncle Sir Trevor (Trevor Howard) - a foreign office diplomat - to get the British government to trade a Russian spy for her husband. Just when it seems that a deal has been struck, the spy they choose to bargain with is accidentally killed. Fabienne instead sets her sights on Romanian spy Andrej (Kirk Douglas), but as she tries desperately to trap him in order to use him in the exchange, she discovers herself to be falling in love with him. All is resolved in a last-minute revelation at an exchange-rendezvous-point near the Iron Curtain.
To Catch A Spy was penned by the expert comedy script duo Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement (the latter also directed), but they seem to be having an off-day. The film looks terribly dated, with a storyline that resurrects all the clichés of the spy movies and caper movies that were popular at the time. Of the main actors, Tom Courtenay registers best, providing some mirth as an inept agent. The others don't disgrace themselves, but they're stuck with nothing roles and can't really get across characterisations worth caring about. The film is occasionally pleasing to the eye, with some interesting locations, but on the whole it is a rather uninspired and unremarkable time killer. Everyone involved has certainly done much better.
A woman's husband is kidnapped on her honeymoon and accused of spying by Soviet officials. After the first swap for a Soviet agent falls through, the bride goes in search of another spy to swap for her groom.
What do you think of a spy movie starring Kirk Douglas? With other roles filled by the likes of Trevor Howard, Tom Courtenay, Richard Pearson and Jonathan Cecil?
Think again.
"Catch Me a Spy" isn't so much bad as simply slipshod and clumsy. And it looks like it had a budget of five pounds; ten pounds, tops.
Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it's not a pretty sight.
For curiosity seekers only.
What do you think of a spy movie starring Kirk Douglas? With other roles filled by the likes of Trevor Howard, Tom Courtenay, Richard Pearson and Jonathan Cecil?
Think again.
"Catch Me a Spy" isn't so much bad as simply slipshod and clumsy. And it looks like it had a budget of five pounds; ten pounds, tops.
Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it's not a pretty sight.
For curiosity seekers only.
An amusing and adventurous espionage caper from the early-'70s. I like some of the imagery - the scenes filmed at Loch Leven, Perth & Kinross and Oban (?) are evocative and show the bleak beauty of Scotland. The adventure film ''Kidnapped'' was filmed nearby at roughly the same time at Stirling and Loch Fyne faeturing cockney actor Michael Caine. Those years '71-72 had a strangely ''Caledonian-ish'' feel. Auburn-haired, steely-eyed, lantern-jawed US actor, Kirk Douglas as ''Andrej'' a Rumanian spy is very good and is adept at comedy. He had recently been in the compelling adventure film ''The Light at the Edge of the World'' which was produced in Spain in the autumn of 1970. Some of the comedy scenes have a Python-esque sense of slapstick. Patrick Mower (''Emmerdale Farm'') is good. The writers, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais are famous for brilliant '70s tv comedies ''Porridge'' and ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads''. Gaunt, darkhaired Swiss-born White-Russian actor Sascha Pitoeff is very good too.
Did you know
- TriviaDick Clement later said Kirk Douglas requested a meeting before filming started. "Being an American, Douglas got straight to the point. He said I can't play comedy. And do you know what - he couldn't."
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood Comedy Legends (2011)
- How long is Catch Me a Spy?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 1h 34m(94 min)
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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