Les 'S' pions

Two CIA agents - the straight laced Bruland (Donald Sutherland) and unorthodox Griff (Elliott Gould) - are on the run from the Russians, the Chinese, and their own boss (Joss Ackland) in Paris. They hide out with revolutionary Sybil (Zouzou) while trying to locate some mircodots that will help get them money to get out of the country. Shot under the title Wet Stuff, 20th Century Fox changed the title to the asterisk-laden one in an attempt to draw on their mega-hit M*A*S*H (1970) with Sutherland and Gould. About the only thing the two films have in common is the shared leads. It is pretty obvious they thought they could skirt on the charm of the leading men, but both are off their game in scene chewing roles (Gould is especially bad). According to an article in Variety, Sutherland and Gould tried to convince the producers to let them switch roles right before shooting started and I don't think that could have saved it. According to an interview with Gould on the DVD, they improvised a lot on the set. It didn't help. This is rough, rough stuff as director Irvin Kershner fails to get even a single laugh. How bad is it? The comedy highlight is Sutherland getting zonked by nerve gas. Apparently the filmmakers thought this was comedy gold as they did it twice. There is also an oppressively bad score by Jerry Goldsmith that hits you over the head with "this be funny" comedy cues like tubas and, good lord, a slide whistle. There appear to have been attempts to salvage the comedy aspect with lots of dubbed in lines, but it never works. A*V*O*I*D!

Look, this movie is a fun romp. Nothing more. Made to poke fun at an America stuck fast in the cold war. To judge it harshly is to not understand the decade it was created in. It's buddy film from the 70s. It's got two great stars in it and its filled with wonderful comedic moments and also some great character performances, too. It's a comedy and comedy is always subjective. Gould is at his smooth hipster best, and Southerland complements him well as the nerdier company-man partner. Watch it and enjoy to guys having fun making a movie in Paris during their heyday in 70s films.

If it were made today it would probably star Will Ferrel and Owen Wilson. And it would probably be just as fun.

SPYS is an aggressive laugh out comedy in the tradition of the old "Road" pictures that never really works. It has no real plot so to speak and relies on the chemistry of the lead actors of which there is plenty for its appeal. Wise cracks fly aplenty and barbs of witticism fill the air. This hit movie which was released in 1974 feels like a movie from the 80s. There is a certain fluidity of camera and mis-en-scene that MTV brought to the eighties movies that permeates the aurae of this movie. It feels like a 1985 movie SPYS and the likes that ruled the beat-box era. Laughs ring true after a very strong start but even a plot less seems or needs to deceive the audience into thinking it has a direction. The plot is silly if not confusing and just happens and the french actress Zuzou who was also a popular singer isn't very good. She just complicates matters. In all, not great but the ending is bitter-sweet and sharp on the money. You wish the movie itself had that kind of vive de joie.

The idea of teaming Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould together in a movie must have seemed like a good idea after their success with MASH. Giving them a half decent script would have probably helped a lot though. Instead we have a half-baked spy spoof with our two heroes stumbling along from one situation to another. About the only decent thing going for this mess of a movie is the fact that it was shot mostly in France. Vladek Sheybal as the head Russian spy is also quite good(he just oozes Eastern European charm). Otherwise, some pretty stupid characters, a few decent explosions and a lot of running around. I hope Sutherland and Gould were well paid for this. Note to producers: If you're going to spoof a genre that is no longer in vogue, at least make it funny.

What can I say? Reading the comments here, it seems no one liked S*P*Y*S-- but me. It tickled my funny bone. The improbable zany story and the antics of Sutherland and Gould hit home with me. I laughed my tail off. Truth is, I'm not that weird. I don't like everything that comes down the pike and if you're looking for something in the wake of the Vietnamese war-- and Canadian Sutherland and New Yorker Gould were both active protesters of that ghastly war-- that rebukes the folly of war, this piece works. Now, if you're looking for some higher form of art, you might want to direct your attention somewhere else. As for me, the ridiculous situations these two guys get into amused me greatly and I enjoyed this movie immensely. Check it out for yourself.