Based on a Helen McInnes novel, none of which made successful films, it sports an interesting, if not great cast: Robert Vaughn, Ed Asner, Boris Karloff, Elke Sommer, and Karl Boehm. The most interesting things about it are Karloff and the shots of Venice, my favorite city. I wish it had been in color.

The beginning makes one think you’re really going to see something. An American diplomat detonates a bomb during a conference on disarmament in Vienna. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for him doing so, and the USA doesn’t want to be blamed. They start looking for reasons.

Vaughn, playing a drunk named Bill Fenner, who is ex-CIA, is sent back into action by the CIA. He has an ex-wife who is a turncoat, and the CIA is sure he can locate her. They think she might have been involved or at least know something. Fenner never got over her, though you wouldn’t know it since he propositions every woman he meets.

It becomes confusing from there — and boring. Slow pace, and Vaughn was not the stuff movie stars are made of. It’s normal when you have a big success like Man from U.N.C.L.E. to try your luck at films, but not everyone succeeds.

Despite what some people state on this board, that people who don’t like this movie were expecting explosions and all sorts of car chases and CGI, etc, I didn’t care about any of that and never have. It’s just not a very intriguing film. All I ask from a spy film is some suspense and a really good story, along with the acting.

During this time, we had the James Bond films with all their gadgets, and U.N.C.L.E., and the producers tried to attract both audiences.