Our Man in Marrakesh ** (1966, Tony Randall, Senta Berger, Terry-Thomas, Herbert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde White, Klaus Kinski, Grégoire Aslan, and John le Mesurier) – Classic Movie Review 12,948

The amiable 1966 British comedy spy film Our Man in Marrakesh stars Tony Randall, Senta Berger, Terry-Thomas, Herbert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde White, and Klaus Kinski.

Director Don Sharp’s amiable 1966 British comedy spy film Our Man in Marrakesh [Bang, Bang, You’re Dead!] stars Tony Randall, Senta Berger, Terry-Thomas, Herbert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde White, Klaus Kinski, Grégoire Aslan, and John le Mesurier. It is produced by Harry Alan Towers, who also wrote the original story, and shot by cinematographer Michael Reed in Morocco.

Which one of the six Moroccan tourists on the coach from Casablanca to Marrakesh has $2 million to be squeezed out of them? Clue: the person with the cash is going to pay it to powerful local operative Mr Casimir (Herbert Lom) to fix a vote at the UN.

A bevy of good 1960s comedy players, headed by the ever amiable Tony Randall as Andrew Jessel, try to make you care about the plot and enjoy the film. But it’s only a modest secret agent crime-caper send-up, with a thin script, bland direction and exotic locales shot in Technicolor.

The cast are Tony Randall as Andrew Jessel, Senta Berger as Kyra Stanovy, Terry-Thomas as El Caid, Herbert Lom as Mr Casimir, Wilfrid Hyde White as Arthur Fairbrother, Grégoire Aslan as Achmed, John le Mesurier as George Lillywhite, Klaus Kinski as Jonquil, Margaret Lee as Samia Voss, Emile Stemmler as hotel clerk, Helen Sanguinetti as Madame Bouseny, Francisco Sánchez as Martinez William Sanguinetti as police chief, Hassan Essakali as Motorcycle policeman, Keith Peacock as Philippe, and Burt Kwouk as import manager.

Music by Malcolm Lockyer.

Production company Marrakesh Film.

Distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated (UK) and American International Pictures (US).

Release date 5 May 1966 (UK).

Our Man in Marrakesh is directed by Don Sharp, is written by Peter Yeldham, and runs 92 minutes.

Sharp recalled that at the last minute Towers had to scramble to raise additional financing, which involved Towers in arranging for suitcases of cash to be smuggled into Morocco.

Spy spoofs were in vogue. It has a similar story to A Man Could Get Killed, and both films opened in London on the same day.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,948

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