Sunday, July 21, 2019

Movie review - "Our Man in Marrakesh" (1966) ***

Bright, cheerful espionage tale, one of the best films from Harry Alan Towers (not that I've seen even a fraction of his output!), sharply written by Aussie Peter Yeldham and nicely directed by fellow expat Don Sharp.

I never quite got used to Tony Randall in the lead. Randall feels inherently comic but I think we're meant to be taking him seriously but it's too hard. Randall is not Cary Grant. I kept wondering who would have been better and affordable - off the top of my head I can think maybe George Segal, Michael Callan, James Caan, George Maharis... ah, what's the point...?

Randall tries his best, isn't bad, is in good shape - he just felt miscast. But the support cast is superb - Santa Berger is great as the female lead (smart, brave, sexy), with Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Wilfred Hyde White, John Lemesuirier. It's also got fantastic location filming in Marrakesh, looks great and has a decent amount of action and twists.

A really nice surprise.

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