Krieg der Spione (1966)

Krieg der Spione: Directed by E. Darrell Hallenbeck. With Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Leo G. Carroll, Maurice Evans. U.N.C.L.E. agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin are sent to Europe where a scientist’s age-reversing machine is in danger of being seized by T.H.R.U.S.H. spies.

“Bearing a title which includes the in-word of the time u0026quot;spyu0026quot;, but otherwise no other relation to the plot, to this fan of u0026quot;The Man From U.N.C.L.E.u0026quot; this was rather thin fare and escaped my brain almost the minute it entered it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUnlike others in these spliced-for-European-cinema features, this effort has very few redeeming features. There are few action set-pieces, no race-against-time death-trap from which to escape, no Mr Bigu0026quot; megalomaniac villain to tilt our heroes against and barely even a big-name celebrity cameo to divert the vieweru0026#39;s attention (unless you count Vera Miles, probably the biggest name in the cast here).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDavid McCallum in particular gets almost nothing to do, chasing cats around u0026quot;Londonu0026quot;, Robert Vaughn as ever, gets amongst the ladies but hardly memorably as the chase is on for a youth-regeneration invention. Even Mr Waverleyu0026#39;s stepping out to join Solo in escaping from the bottom of a wine vat (unoriginally used twice for the same purpose) barely registers its novelty value.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSomewhere in the cast youu0026#39;ll catch sight of Yvonne u0026quot;Batgirlu0026quot; Craig, James u0026quot;Scottieu0026quot; from u0026quot;Star Treku0026quot; Doohan, but otherwise this adventure has potboiler written all over it and the awful soundtrack which plays variations from u0026quot;Rule Britanniau0026quot; throughout to attempt to fool us that weu0026#39;re all in Swinging England doesnu0026#39;t help either.”