L'Homme d'Istanbul

I caught this last week on the German 3rd / regional channel RBB, unaccountably included on a Spanish hotel cable TV service. Unfortunately for me, with a lot of work to do the following day, I couldn't bear to turn it off, so got to bed rather late. Why? Because as most of the other reviewers have noted, it's really rather good. The action just keeps flowing and the entirely watchable cast imbue the whole thing with a decent slickness.

Spanish director Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi captured the emerging glamour/spy zeitgeist with style, underpinned with a workmanlike eye for detail (I forgive him the wrecked car replacements, I'm sure the budget was not over generous). The occasional asides of the Tony Mecenas hero are fine in the context of the time and probably soften the otherwise implausibly super-human aspects of the character. It's a technique already pioneered in similar genres, e.g. Roger Moore's "The Saint".

Mid-sixties Istanbul comes across as very Euro-Mediterranean and serves as an excellent backdrop for most of the action. The plot was a satisfying mix of set pieces (meaning that one felt at home with the genre) and unexpected twists (meaning that there was no way the viewer could foresee the eventual outcome). Like a number of other reviewers, I also found the relatively low profile of Sylva Koscina for much of the action to be a bit of a shame, having fallen for her somewhat after watching the excellent "Deadlier Than The Male" recently.

P.S. Retro-discovering these decently constructed sixties Euro-thrillers, particularly those made totally outside the Anglo-American sphere, has become a real pleasure in recent years.

I have always been nostalgic about this Euro-Spy film. When very young, I picked up the soundtrack (which is still available if you look for it) and used to listen and dream about exotic locales, adventure, and of course about that special woman that would be a part of it all. I especially like(d) the Ray Anthony song "Love was Right Here all the Time" which plays at the end against a dark screen when the audience is supposed to leave the theater. Just minutes earlier the leading man, Horst Bucholz, had given his heart to the leading lady, then winked at the audience and confided verbally: "It happens to everyone sooner or later." Many in the audience must have smiled and left the matinée filled with no little amount of delight and renewed hope! Also available are lobby cards and a few B&W photos from the movie. If this movie was ever released on VHS in North America, I'm totally unaware of it. In Europe, yes, but apparently many years ago. I finally acquired a copy of this film, dubbed in English, and with Greek subtitles in DVD which had either been taken off Greek television, or a European VHS. My nostalgia was only increased by spending a week in Istanbul myself, as part of the People-to-People Program for "Student Ambassadors," five years after the movie came out. It is Istanbul as I remember it. Twenty-six years later I again journeyed across Turkey and can say that old, freer, almost magical feel that once was Istanbul was largely gone, and the same can be said for all the islands and seacoasts of the Eastern Mediterranean region. So, for me the movie is a fun and romantic snapshot in time.

This is one of the best action spy thrillers I saw, and believe me I've seen a lot.

Even by today's standards, it would be good, provided someone cared to restore it's brightly colour, perfect editing, and natural sound. The alternate soundless shots of a knife fight inside the hotel swimming pool, where he can see each detail of two athletic actors actually going at it, and the merry sounds of tourists on the esplanade above while still unawares of the drama close-by, has NEVER been recreated in any film, possibly because it was too much trouble, or there were no Horst Buccholz and Mario Adorf around.

The dialog was OK, and true grit, real lines, and delivered with realism. In that not only Buccholz was good, but the other actors, too, therefore grabbing the spectator into a quite realistic scenario. The story develops from a predictable ending into something quite different, therefore we miss the presence of Koscina in the later part of the story, but it is all for the best of the film.

The director was defending his name and career, but also his money in more ways than one, as he was one of the producers investing in the project through Isasi (Barcelona, Spain). It is a pity that there was never a VHS around that I know of, and that no DVD is made of such a precious B jewel.

Germany's answer to James Bond is not that much bad :handsome Horst Buchholz has plenty of go and of humor ; his acrobatics (hats off to the stuntman!) are impressive and makes you giddy .

Actually the secret agent is statuesque Sylva Koscina , but ,as the macho hero says to her while he locks her in the cupboard "it's a man job" ,and her role is boiled down to a decorative one ; French Perette Pradier ,herself a spy thriller habituée ("Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117""le judoka agent secret" "house of cards" )provides the obligatory second female "Bond" girl .....

There are several nods to OO7 : Istambul will remind you of "from Russia with love" ;the scrapyard of "Goldfinger" ;and the fight in the pool under water is pure "thunderball" ,though the latter movie was not yet released .

The cinematography is fine, the screenplay knows only one tempo :accelerated,and there's never a dull moment.

Buchholz and Koscina would team up again the following year in Yves Allégret's "Johnny Banco " but this once great director was only the ghost of himself and it was a fiasco.

Kelly (Sylva Koscina) is a gorgeous FBI agent who is investigating the disappearance of Professor Pensdergast (Umberto Raho) , director of a major US government research on nuclear energy . She arrives in Istambul where is the prime suspect , Tony Mecenas (Horst Buchholz) , a con who carries out illegal games supported by his hoodlums (Gustavo Ré , Alvaro De Luna) , being pursued by the stiff Inspector Mallouk (Angel Picazo) . In the course of the investigation , Kelly meets Tony , who , moved by the beauty of Kelly and the reward of one million dollars , will help her find the professor . As several international agents and Chinese spies track him , chase him , unarm or undress him , but Tony goes on his dangerous adventures full of action and amusement .

Fun and romantic snapshot in time and place in which a swindler falls in love with a beautiful agent . Stirring film in which there are nail-biting action scenes , intrigue , blasts , suspenseful set pieces and two big stars : Buchholz-Koscina , if not much continuity . An agreeable all action sixties Euro-nostalgia trip , being fast paced and rightly developed . An action filled European thriller flick in which the suspicious protagonist falls in love for his investigator and there are some thrilling chases along the way before the final takes a slight twist . Successful thriller that follows the exploits and moving adventures of a rogue trickster , the German Buchholz who played in ¨Magnificent Seven¨ and ¨1, 2 , 3..¨ and a wonderful secret agent , the attractive Croatian actress Koscina . Mid-sixties Istambul comes across as very European locations and serve as an excellent backdrop for most of the action . The plot was a satisfying mix of set pieces and unexpected plot twists . Sympathetic acting by Horst Buchholz as a kind of James Bond as well as a young and adventurous seducer , and stunningly accompanied by the really charming Sylva Koscina . Being a Spanish production here appear several notorious secondaries as Ángel Picazo , Álvaro De Luna , Alberto Dalbés , Gustavo Ré , Luis Induni , Antonio Molino Rojo , Victor Israel and Jorge Rigaud as CIA Chief . Evocative cinematography by Juan Gelpi , including the exotic '60s atmosphere , though a perfect remastering is necessary , because the film copy is washed-out . Being shot in Istambul that is widely and marvelously shown . Lively and catching musical score by Georges Garvarentz .

The director was defending his name and career , but also his money in more ways than one , as he was one of the producers investing in the project . Antonio Isasi Isasmendi is a good professional , a craftsman who has directed several films in diverse genres , as adventures and action , especially , such as : The dog 1979 , 1968 Las Vegas, 500 millions , 1963 The mask of Scaramouche and Summertime Killer . "That Man in Istanbul¨ results to be a surprisingly solid little film , including some action scenes very skillfully staged . Decent action/thriller is worth trying . This is a movie that's both entertaining and enlightening . Certainly worth watching if you're in the mood for something other than typical exploitation fare .