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Once Upon a Spy

  • TV Movie
  • 1980
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
343
YOUR RATING
Christopher Lee, Ted Danson, and Mary Louise Weller in Once Upon a Spy (1980)
SpyActionDramaThriller

Ted Danson plays a computer genius who gets involved in the theft of an important N.A.S.A. computer, then thrust into the world of espionage with Sir Christopher Lee.Ted Danson plays a computer genius who gets involved in the theft of an important N.A.S.A. computer, then thrust into the world of espionage with Sir Christopher Lee.Ted Danson plays a computer genius who gets involved in the theft of an important N.A.S.A. computer, then thrust into the world of espionage with Sir Christopher Lee.

  • Director
    • Ivan Nagy
  • Writers
    • Jimmy Sangster
    • Lemuel Pitkin
  • Stars
    • Ted Danson
    • Mary Louise Weller
    • Christopher Lee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.9/10
    343
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ivan Nagy
    • Writers
      • Jimmy Sangster
      • Lemuel Pitkin
    • Stars
      • Ted Danson
      • Mary Louise Weller
      • Christopher Lee
    • 12User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos47

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    Top cast20

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    Ted Danson
    Ted Danson
    • Jack Chenault
    Mary Louise Weller
    Mary Louise Weller
    • Paige Tannehill
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • Marcus Valorium
    Eleanor Parker
    Eleanor Parker
    • The Lady
    Leonard Stone
    Leonard Stone
    • Dr. Webster
    Terry Lester
    Terry Lester
    • Rudy
    Jo McDonnell
    Jo McDonnell
    • Susan
    Lillian Müller
    Lillian Müller
    • Christine
    • (as Yuliis Ruval)
    Irena Ferris
    • Greta
    Burke Byrnes
    • Burkle
    Gary Dontzig
    • Klaus
    Bobb Hopkins
    Bobb Hopkins
    • Hans
    Vicky Perry
    • The Cashier
    John Hostetter
    John Hostetter
    • Chief
    • (as John R. Hostetter)
    William Wintersole
    William Wintersole
    • Commander
    Denise Hayes
    • Co-Pilot
    George Planco
    • Gate Guard
    Fil Formicola
    • Security Man
    • Director
      • Ivan Nagy
    • Writers
      • Jimmy Sangster
      • Lemuel Pitkin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    4.9343
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    Featured reviews

    heedarmy

    Worth a view

    Neat little TV movie, in the spirit of "The Men From U.N.C.L.E." A pre-Cheers Ted Danson is partnered with an athletic female lead, and Christopher Lee is always good value as the villain. Former Hammer scribe Jimmy Sangster had a hand in the story.
    Poseidon-3

    Once is Enough!

    John Cacavas' idea of a James Bond theme plays over the opening credits of this TV-movie spy flick which even features silhouetted buxom women posing in various contortions the same way the Bond films have done for decades. (The film also features a certain musical motif that is exceedingly close to what is found in all the Bond films.) Danson plays a computer expert who is coerced by the government into rescuing a super-computer from the clutches of evil, wheelchair-bound Lee, who intends to rule the world with it. The agent assigned to brief Danson is curvy, smart-mouthed Weller who reports to the authoritative and no-nonsense Parker. Retrieving the computer is only part of the job. Danson also hopes to rescue his doctor friend (Stone) and the doctor's daughter who are being held against their will, a task Parker is only mildly concerned about accomplishing. There is a lot of pseudo-witty banter and quasi-dangerous espionage as the film plays out with Danson and Weller straining for romantic chemistry while carrying out various aspects of a mission in which no one is ever killed. It's James Bond Lite, almost for kids. The whole enterprise reeks of "unsold pilot" with the credits even playing like a TV show opening and the ending setting the scene for possible future escapades. Danson is fairly solid throughout and manages to balance his character's brains and lack of experience pretty well. Weller is often very annoying, chirping Danson's character's name frequently ("Chenault!") and trotting around in foolish skirts, shoes and hairdos, acting like she's some big deal when really she's rather a lightweight herself. Lee is somewhat interesting at times, but could play this role in his sleep and sometimes seems like he's doing so. Parker (an unjustly forgotten actress who graced the silver screen with many wonderful, powerful performances in the 40's, 50's and beyond) is on her last legs here. She looks okay, but does all her scenes seated behind a large table and rattles out loud orders with very little timing or finesse. It's a sloppily done production with many continuity errors (notably in the costuming) and cheap sets. One notably intriguing sequence involves an elaborate maze in which Weller must fight for her life, but it is undercut by the fact that she is really in the same old section over and over with just angle and lighting changes tossed in occasionally. Lester, who plays a henchman here, would soon begin a memorable nine-year stay on "The Young and the Restless".
    2RodrigAndrisan

    Unless you have something better to do!

    Not great but there are some elements available today in 2021 (the film is made in 1980), they mention terms like "new world structure", "reset", "new order".

    Ted Danson has neither salt nor pepper, the script is predictable and boring, Mary Louise Weller is beautiful and sexy in body-hugging costumes, either black or yellow. And Christopher Lee doesn't have the dominating force as in other movies. But his character fits Bill Gates perfectly.
    3planktonrules

    Incredibly dated.

    "Once Upon a Spy" is a TV movie featuring Ted Danson as a computer genius and Christopher Lee as an evil computer genius, Marcus Velorium, bent on controlling the world...much like a Bond villain. But unlike Bond, there is no super-spy to stop the madman...only nice-guy Jack (Danson).

    Being 1980, the concepts of computers sure isn't what we think of today. So, when a supercomputer that is the size of a city block is stolen, folks take notice. As a result, one of the foremost NICE computer scientists, Jack, is brought to a top secret location to talk to some humorless woman...and she recruits him to help investigate the theft. Naturally, the computer is being used to vaporize things from space...and I hate when that happens.

    As I said above, in many ways this plays like a Bond film....a really bad one featuring a leading man who seems completely out of his element. I think this might have worked had it been more of a parody. Instead, however, it just seemed annoying and childish....and would not appeal to most adult viewers...unless you are curious what Danson was doing before he became famous. Even with the scene-chewing Lee as the baddie, this is pretty limp and dated.
    10edlc1970

    A classic

    I dont get the ratings? This is a great classic. It has all the ingredients to make a great spy movie. Hot ladies, action, humor. Great iconic actors like Christopher Lee and Ted Danson in his early years is making this movie a joy to watch. Its a classic and deserves better ratings.

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    Related interests

    Daniel Craig in Skyfall (2012)
    Spy
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Joan Fontaine was originally cast as the head of the spy agency.
    • Goofs
      Watch for a mysterious costume change near the end of the film. One minute, Paige is wearing a rather sexy skintight yellow catsuit, the next she's wearing a top and stretch pants, with the pants in a slightly different shade of yellow.
    • Quotes

      Jack Chenault: You're leaving?

      Paige Tannehill: Chenault, I fondly hope that I never have to set eyes on you again.

    • Connections
      References You Only Live Twice (1967)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 19, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Agent wider Willen
    • Filming locations
      • Houston, Texas, USA(Location)
    • Production companies
      • David Gerber Productions
      • Columbia Pictures Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 31m(91 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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