The Worst Film Ever

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Delightful spy comedy with plenty of good humour in its cheeky mix of ironical satire, flippant comedy, serious paranoia, the full terror of a dictatorial police state and diplomatic charm. The introductory scene sets the mood: the remnants of a certain agent 007 are turned in and filed in a box labelled 'deceased' while the caretakers remark on the necessity of getting a replacement. Dirk Bogarde is fished out as a suitable candidate and is appropriately recruited without being informed what it is all about. He is sent on a mission to Czechoslovakia on what seems to be some quite innocent business where he is to be contacted by someone about something. That is all. The Prague authorities welcome him and give him a beautiful driver to show him around, which contact develops into a love affair, but she works for the police, and her father (the formidable Leo McKern) is chief of the secret police. The satirical comedy drastically turns into a political thriller half way into the film with ensuing complications and lots of manhunts and crowded confusions.The film is gilded by some very enjoyable performances by especially Robert Morley, Dirk Bogarde himself of course, the aforesaid Leo McKern and his daughter Sylva Koscina. It's really very close to the real Czech comedies by Milos Forman and others later on, it's the same kind of intelligent humour, and the film gets better all the time. Ultimately no one gets hurt, so in spite of the serious political business, as it was in Czechoslovakia before 1968, which it gives a fairly correct and realistic rendering of, it's a spiritual and entertaining comedy of some great excitement but all laughs and no tears.

Dirk Bogarde excels in this spy movie.Although Hot Enough For June also known as Agent 8 3/4 is portrayed as a spoof spy movie in the James Bond mold, the movie is not a comedy although it has it's funnier moments. It is a thrilling and suspenseful drama directed by Earl St John with some lighter moments. The movie takes a serious look at spying in the Cold war era and which was very enjoyable. Whilst the lighter moments are welcome in that it keeps your attention the underlying message highlights the skulduggery that went on at the time.The movie changes from one one location to another thus moving at brisk and exciting pace. Mid movie things get very serious for Dirk, when his life is threatened and holds the attention of the audience. Whilst Dirk is portrayed initially as a bumbling idiot it soon becomes clear than he is smarter than initially portrayed. Eric Morley excels too and it is good to see Leo McKern on the runway tarmac in the closing scene giving a nice twist when Dirk climbs onto the BEA Vickers Vanguard.Definitely worth the watch and getting the DVD if available.

A better-than-average spy thriller, the film is sort of like a combination between James Bond and 'North by Northwest'. It has an awful number of lame jokes in the mix, but in compensation, there are many amusing moments to be had along the way. Set and made during the time of the Cold War, there are almost unavoidably overly silly, mocking portrayals of the Communist characters, however in such a light-hearted film as this one is, silly supporting do not pose much of a problem. Generally, this is just enjoyable stuff, nothing heavy but still entertaining, and at times quite sexed up too, without overdoing it.

I did enjoy this film, but the reason for saying above 'if you don't think too hard' is that after watching it, the thing that stuck in my mind was that Nicholas (Dirk Bogarde) seemed to adapt to the situations he found himself as a spy rather too easily for someone who is supposed to be an unemployed writer. That aside the film is a little difficult to categorise, IMDb call this a comedy, and it starts out in the same vein as the "Doctor" films that Dirk Bogarde made, but it changes to what I would classify as 'Light Drama', and that makes it much more interesting.Overall the acting was good but not outstanding, and I would recommend it for an evenings entertainment, provided your idea of an evenings entertainment is something you don't have to think about too much, and you have had enough of sex, violence and obscenity.