After a few flop movies and a short lived TV series, Julie Andrews needed a hit, and sadly did not get it with this spy drama, pretty much motionless and humorless. She's paired with the handsome Omar Sharif, playing a Russian litigation out to seduce her on order to recruit her. But for what? To get information from her since she works for an important British political figure, or perhaps to help him defect, or even perhaps he really loves her. In the hands of comedy master Blake Edwards, this turns out to be a convoluted mess.
Sympathy is there for Julie, having tried but failed to save both "Star!" and "Darling Lily" where even with good notices, she couldn't escape critically dismissed weak films. This one came and went so quickly, it's not a notorious flop, just another beautifully filmed on exotic locations, rushed out, giving superstars a great vacation in addition to work. Julie seems out of her element here, too ladylike to be taken in by a dashing but dangerous man. Sharif, indeed, is charming and sexy, believable as a Russian, yet it's difficult to trust his motives especially after his character proclaims a loyalty to communism, a contempt for democracy and dismisses anything spiritual.
There's so much talk about each form of governmental beliefs that little happens in the way of action and the point of view takes over the narrative. Too many minor characters also adds to the convoluted structure, with soap opera plot elements distracting from the main themes. Good supporting performances by Anthony Zerbe and Sylvia Syms help but a boring two hours with only some action at the end makes this quickly dismissable. The ending drags on to a predictable but ridiculous conclusion.
Sympathy is there for Julie, having tried but failed to save both "Star!" and "Darling Lily" where even with good notices, she couldn't escape critically dismissed weak films. This one came and went so quickly, it's not a notorious flop, just another beautifully filmed on exotic locations, rushed out, giving superstars a great vacation in addition to work. Julie seems out of her element here, too ladylike to be taken in by a dashing but dangerous man. Sharif, indeed, is charming and sexy, believable as a Russian, yet it's difficult to trust his motives especially after his character proclaims a loyalty to communism, a contempt for democracy and dismisses anything spiritual.
There's so much talk about each form of governmental beliefs that little happens in the way of action and the point of view takes over the narrative. Too many minor characters also adds to the convoluted structure, with soap opera plot elements distracting from the main themes. Good supporting performances by Anthony Zerbe and Sylvia Syms help but a boring two hours with only some action at the end makes this quickly dismissable. The ending drags on to a predictable but ridiculous conclusion.