Customer Reviews

Catch Me A Spy

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CATCH ME A SPY is the American name of the British/French-made espionage comedy, TO CATCH A SPY (1971). Film synopsis provided on Westlake Ent. Group's product page is adequate, so this time around I'll concentrate on peripherals.

Kirk Douglas looks much younger here than his 55 years, except for a single puffy-faced moment when he's lying on one side. The best part of the story has him running over hilly Scottish country, plus being engaged in extensive action aboard a motorized dinghy. Kirk is clearly well-conditioned for these.

Douglas's co-star, Marlène Jobert may be best-known to U.S. audiences for René Clément's crime drama, RIDER ON THE RAIN (1970). In it, she's top-billed over Charles Bronson. Of the more than 40 movies this pixieish red-haired gal appeared in, "Catch Me a Spy" is the only one listed at imdb under an English title. She has a very thick accent here but makes herself understood. A charming actress with a great figure.

Striking cinematography is a highlight of this not-too-funny comedy. Shot on location in Bucharest, London and Scotland, the Technicolor stock used adds a brilliance to outdoor scenery and glows warmly during interior shots. Tom Courtenay, as a bumbling shadow man tries for some mirth but fails, as a does a butler (Bernard Blier, perhaps?) who could be a twin to Wilfrid Brambell, Paul McCartney's "very clean" grandfather in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (1964). Trevor Howard is here too, but he's under-used.

Background music is distracting, an overloud at times, too-upbeat Continental strings and accordion score that sounds like bad outtakes from a cancelled sitcom. Generally though, CATCH ME A SPY is easy on the eyes and while no classic, it's a pleasant way to spend an hour-and-a-half. A must-see for Kirk fans, a curio for obscurity seekers, but for the rest of viewers, of mild interest at best.

I love kirk but this has to be one of the bad ones in his library of movies poorly made and not interesting at all .

This movie was quite lame. Sorry to be so vague but the plot was poor...the producer must have been working a double-shift at the nearby seven-eleven and then working on the film at night. Not gripping at all.