Geheimauftrag K

When I looked up information about this film on IMDB, I realized that writer/director Val Guest was also one of the ones responsible for the god-awful "Casino Royale" (1967), a disjointed and unfunny from start to finish. And, as this ALSO is a spy film I assumed it would be terrible. However, the film ended up being the total opposite of his later fiasco...as the spy in this one was much more realistic (for good as well as bad).

The Irish actor, Stephen Boyd, stars in this as a British spy. You really don't know much about who he works for and if he's even one of the good guys for much of the story. Instead, the first portion focuses mostly on his vacation in the Alps and the time he spends with a pretty Swedish woman. Only later does the spy aspect of the film occur...and some rival group wants to get information out of him...or kill him.

The film has a lot of mediocre reviews and I can understand this. The story is NOT packed with action and excitement and seems to emphasize realism instead. And, I can only assume real spies are a bit dull most of the time! But I appreciated this realism and thought the film worth seeing.

The main problem with this slow-moving spy film is that it can't make up its mind whether to aim for the world of James Bond or Michael Caine's Harry Palmer movies. Stephen Boyd's spy, a relaxed genial man-about-town figure in the style of Roger Moore and his immediate associate, a rather shabby civil servant operating from an empty office, played by Michael Redgrave, seem to belong in two separate films. And 'Q' would certainly look down his nose at the home-made bomb his counterpart, played by Geoffrey Bayldon, comes up with here.

The usually reliable Val Guest has to take most of the blame, both for the uneven direction and contribution to a script that has pretensions to being taken seriously at times, but is nowhere strong enough to be. As he had just been worked into the ground shaping, with some success, the chaos that was CASINO ROYALE, he was probably a little jaded with the genre. He also wastes excellent character actors Jeremy Kemp and Leo McKern, though the latter does make an impression against the odds. The revelations at the finale lack any impact. In fact a much bleaker ending had been filmed, with Camilla Sparv's Toni being thrown into the river and drowned, her stunt-double being none other than the future star of saucy seventies' comedies, Sue Longhurst.

I quite enjoyed the 1960's ambiance, including the relationship between Boyd and the alluring Sparv, set against the glamorous background of Kitzbuhel ski resort. Much of it is quite engaging, but ultimately neither exciting nor memorable.

Stephen Boyd made several films during the mid-to late 60's, which all seem to have "slick" plots in which he portrays a wealthy, sophisticated, cosmopolitan character sporting perfectly coiffed hair. Neither the hairstyle nor the roles seemed to suit him well, and I'll bet he was vastly relieved to switch to westerns like Shalako and The Man Called Noon in the '70's. Assignment K, however, is probably the best of the "smooth hair" movies. He's a international spy in this one and a lot of the action takes place in a ski resort so the scenery is beautiful and wintry. He and Camilla Sparv play well together and, best of all for Stephen Boyd fans like me, he is on-screen throughout the entire film, no cameos here - a major plus for this movie. Leo McKern, another wonderful character actor, turns up once again as the bad guy. (Remember him as the irascible, but lovable Captain Brandt in Lisa?) Assignment K is fairly fast-paced and somewhat exciting, especially if you enjoy a little romance with your espionage. And the ending will surprise you!

Long time since I saw this but remember liking it.

I don't think it is out on dvd.

Certainly it is never on tv anymore.

I try not to be nostalgic but in the 1970s and 1980s broadcast tv in the UK showed lots of films and I sat and watched them.

There is a British cable channel that shows old films,and I love it but it hows mostly British films,where are the old Hollywood films?

Anyway I am a spy/war/crime film fan so dvd companies get this one out there.

An almost decent production after the James Bond model. Stephen Boyd has not the strength and the charm of Sean Connery or Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan, he is in the category of George Lazenby, a slightly better than the latter. The story is in the Bond spirit, but much simpler and more predictable. The other actors are somewhat OK. Robert Hoffmann and Jeremy Kemp have small roles. Leo McKern and Michael Redgrave stand out. And the Scandinavian "beauty" named Camilla Sparv is better at marrying very rich and influential men in the world of film than in acting.