Where the Spies Are

Where the Spies Are

Original film poster
Directed by Val Guest
Produced by Val Guest
Steven Pallos
Written by James Leasor
Wolf Mankowitz
Val Guest
Based on novel Passport to Oblivion by James Leasor
Starring David Niven
Françoise Dorléac
John Le Mesurier
Cyril Cusack
Music by Mario Nascimbene
Distributed by MGM
Release dates
 May 1965
Running time
 110 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Box office $1.2 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Where the Spies Are is a 1965 MGM British comedy adventure film directed by Val Guest and featuring David Niven as Dr Jason Love, Françoise Dorléac, John Le Mesurier, Cyril Cusack and Richard Marner. It was based on the James Leasor book Passport to Oblivion which was also the working title of the film. MGM intended to make a Jason Love film series but the idea was shelved.[2]

Plot

Rosser, a British agent is assassinated in Beirut. British intelligence boss MacGillivray recruit Dr Jason Love, who did some intelligence work during World War Two, to attend a medical conference and find out what is going on.

Love stops off in Paris and meets MagGillivray's contact, a model called Vikki. The two get along well, causing Love to miss his flight, which promptly explodes.

Love arrives in Beirut and meets another agent, Parkington. Together they discover a communist plot to assassinate the pro-British Prince of Zahlouf, thereby threatening Britain's Eastern oil treaties.

Parkington is killed and Love meets up with Vikki again, who reveals she is a double agent. Love manages to stop the assassination, but when escaping is captured by the Russians.

They put him on a plane touring the world, the "Dove of Peace", and try to extract information from him. Also on board is Vikki.

A Russie defector reveals Love's location to the British. When the plane flies over Canada, the British arrange a fake emergency so the plane will land. Vikki shoots the Russians enabling Love to escape but she is killed in turn.

Cast

Production

MGM bought the film rights to the novel in 1964, inspired by the success of the James Bond films. David Niven was cast in the lead role. He was also making Lady L for MGM at the same time but the studio arranged the schedule accordingly. Françoise Dorléac was cast off the back of her success in That Man from Rio.[3]

The film was shot on location in Beirut.[4]

David Niven and Val Guest took an option on the next five James Leasor books about Jason Love.[5] Two of them were written - Passport to Peril and Passport to Peking - with three unwritten.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Pictures of 1966", Variety, 4 January 1967 p 8
  2. ↑ p.235 Morley, Sherdian The Other Side of the Moon: The Life of David Niven 1985 Weidenfield & Nicholson
  3. ↑ NEW HORIZONS FOR CUKOR, NIVEN AND HATFIELD By A.H. WEILER. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 01 Nov 1964: X9.
  4. ↑ Story of Taj Mahal Set for $8 Million: Bombay and Beirut Report; Check List of 1964's Best Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Dec 1964: D7.
  5. ↑ MOVIE CALL SHEET: Glenn Ford Set for 'El Mal' Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 20 Aug 1965: d10.
  6. ↑ Kruschen Gets 'Caprice' Role Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 May 1966: d11.
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