robert-temple-1 Any resemblance between this film and reality is purely coincidental. Much of it is shot in the attractive location of Venice, and whereas it is always nice to see canals, it is better still to see a film which is not complete nonsense. So many British films of the sixties were as empty and idiotic as this, and are best forgotten. Robert Vaughn is the star in this meaningless foray into ersatz intrigue. Various people are spies, one does not always know for whom, and they are plotting against each other and killing each other. Elke Sommer and Felicia Farr are the 'dames', with impossible sixties hair-does, false eyelashes longer than a tall tale, and puffy pouty lips (how did they do that before botox?). Sommer keeps telling Vaughn she loves him, quite suitable as she had once been married to him before leaving him without a word two years before, and despite being a Soviet spy, or whatever it is she really is, which is never made clear. Farr loves him. Everybody loves him except those who want to kill him. Why do they want to kill him exactly? He is supposed to work for a 'wire service' but never files a story. Then we are told he has been 'set up'. Then various people are told they can 'never escape from Venice'. Well, I felt I might never escape from that film. Mind control drugs are being used to turn people into 'robots' who will blow themselves up in diplomatic meetings and stop nuclear treaties from being signed. I think the bad guys got to the producer and director and screenwriter first, turned them into mental robots, and ordered them to make this film while in a mindless state. Product warning: May Damage Your Faith in the Cinema.

utgard14 Mind-numbingly dull spy movie starring Robert Vaughn. I only watched this for Boris Karloff, who appears in a small role. He's good but not in this enough to matter much. Still, Karloff completists will want to check it out. Everyone else should just avoid it like the plague. It's such a boring, lifeless movie. I thought spy movies were supposed to be fun and full of action and intrigue? Apparently the people behind this didn't get the memo. Vaughn does fine as the lead but the script and direction give him little to work with. Elke Sommer and Felicia Farr provide the pretty. Ed Asner is decent in a supporting role. I fell asleep while watching this. I'm not kidding -- it literally put me to sleep during the scene where Vaughn finds the suitcase while the flute music is playing. When I woke up, I forced myself to rewind to this point and finish the movie. But man, it was a chore to do so. I can't and won't recommend this to anyone looking for a good '60s spy flick. This is the pits.

kensolar Being in high school at the time my friends and I read all the spy novels we could get our hands on. I had read 'The Spy Who Came in From The Cold'. The book and movie were both first class. Then I read 'The Venitian Affair' and it was also top notch, a first class suspense novel with all the twists and turns, very dark. When they announced that Robert Vaunghn was going to play the lead we were ecstatic. Unfortunately, the movie, while not bad, just didn't live up to the billing. Why, well the book was almost 500 pages and the movie was 89 minutes. The movie skips a lot of details and worse, it tries to rush to fit as much as possible in. James Bond thrillers are non-stop action, but most realist spy movies are slower and paced, as is most real spying. It feels like they tried to do this on a budget and use TV pacing. Hiring Vaughn was probably due in part to his television background, thinking he would be more acceptable to this approach. He wasn't and it shows. Being a real actor with the chops to really shine in a great role, he must have been very disappointed when he got the final script. It lacked much of the character development and brooding pace. As I said, it's not a bad movie, just far short of it's potential. And, there is the classic line from the airport scene when he first lands in Veinna. Read the book after seeing the movie, it's a classic spy novel with tension that crackles.

whpratt1 Robert Vaughn, Elke Sommer, Felicia Farr, Edward Asner and Boris Karloff tried to make this film a success with their great acting abilities. However, it turns into a dreary spy farce about an American diplomat who shocks the world when he blows up the international peace conference in Venice, killing all the delegates, including himself. The pacing of the film is tedious and very boring. Avoid seeing this film. As usual, Boris Karloff gave a great performance at an elderly age.