The Intelligence Men ** (1965, Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise, William Franklyn, Richard Vernon, David Lodge, Warren Mitchell, Francis Matthews, Tutte Lemkow) – Classic Movie Review 6572

Director Robert Asher’s 1965 spy caper comedy is the first of only three films from beloved British comic duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.

Though made at the peak of their popularity, it lets them down in almost every department – the wobbly, obvious script (by their regular TV writers Sid [Sidney] C Green and Dick [Richard] M Hills), eagerly amateurish supporting acting and hesitant direction.

But Morecambe and Wise rise splendidly above it all, even in desperately contrived borrowed personae as dithering spies embroiled, thanks to Colonel Grant (William Franklyn) of MI6, in espionage against the Soviets, and especially seedy Russian agent (Tutte Lemkow).

At the height of the Sixties spy movie boom and Swinging London, you can see why they would want to parody the genre, but it is oh so lame. Where are the wit, the pizzazz and the zing? Still, nevertheless, there are some vintage Morecambe and Wise moments to be found, though.

Also in the cast are April Olrich, Richard Vernon, David Lodge, Warren Mitchell, Francis Matthews, Gloria Paul, Terence Alexander, Jacqueline Jones, Brian Oulton, Michael Peake, Peter Bull, Graham Smith, Dilys Rosser, Johnny Briggs, Elizabeth Counsell, Joe Melia, Marianne Stone, Jill Curzon, Alexis Chesnakov, Gerald Hely, Laurence Herder, René Sartoris, George Pastell, George Roderick and Larry Taylor.

It is shot by Jack Asher, produced by Hugh Stewart, scored by Phillip Green and designed by Carmen Dillon. Sid and Dick’s script is based on a story by Peter Blackmore.

That Riviera Touch (1966) and The Magnificent Two (1967) followed.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6572

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