User reviews

"The Tamarind Seed" is sometimes classified as a spy thriller, however it doesn't really belong to that category. This is essentially a romance, make no mistake about that.

Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif are very good in this film and make a highly believable screen couple. The pacing is slow and deliberate, but the plot should be intricate enough to keep you interested. I kept waiting for Andrews to burst out singing, but that never happened.

Anthony Quayle and Sylvia Syms are excellent in supporting roles.

Overall, "The Tamarind Seed" is a good movie for a Sunday afternoon.

This is one of the rare movies that tapped into Julie Andrews' understated sex appeal; she is radiant throughout, with a ripe beauty. Omar Sharif, as a philosophical Russian, also has his moments, but the cast that surrounds them is not as interesting; the story goes every which way and goes on too long, with some excitement only in the last 10 minutes. Don't miss the James Bond - like opening title sequence - designed by Maurice Binder and scored by John Barry! **1/2 out of 4.

I liked this one very much. Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif bring a very sober and realistic screenplay to life about real human beings involved/kept apart by the Cold War. I very much liked the Julie Andrews character who doesn't fear speaking about morality to a Communist likely to scoff, nor fear falling for that Communist with ehr eyes wide open, despite all the difficulties that would bring. Julie Andrews is just wonderful in this role - rather lonely, quite real, with warring feelings between head and heart about caring for someone who is dangerous to know - and in his work, dangerous to the Free World.

Omar Sharif is excellent - charming, quick-witted, falling for Andrews (and who wouldn't - she looks fantastic) despite himself, and finally making the life-changing decision to defect.

I can understand why some find the movie plodding - it certainly is by most spy movie standards. But it's trying to do something different - and admirably succeeding - one just feels the existence of the Iron Curtain here, and one feels the Andrews character making her point that at the heart of the Cold War are questions about the value to be given an individual human being by the state, the value of truth as capturing measurable facts, the value of allowing people to live by their own goals and values rather than those determined by the state.

And the over-arching question is an interesting one of emotional involvement despite world tensions.

You'll like its gradual unfolding - just don't look for James Bond.

Omar Sharif is the best part of this movie, he has the most charming and interesting lines, he is great as Fyodor.

If you ever get lost during the film, his character will put you at ease.

The film reminded me of Rosebud, a film Peter O'Toole did about embassies, spies, and strange liaisons.

If you're wondering about the title, the tamarind seed is of importance to the Julie Andrew character when she and Omar are vacationing on the same island. The seed is very rare and it is a symbol of possibilities in my opinion. There's a lot of talk about ideologies, political games, conscience, and which side you're on.

It's worth watching this movie to learn some interesting things, most of the intrigue and pleasure comes from Omar's performance.

I'm a huge Julie Andrews fan, which was why I saw this movie. I now understand spy storylines much better than I did when I watched it, so if I saw it again, I may be able to actually follow the plot. It does drag, which is always a pet pieve of mine, but the romance between Julie and Omar Sharrif is the heart of the film and lets you see that the Cold War was between governments, not necessarily people. The ending makes up for almost everything else, as most good endings tend to do, and it was just what the characters and audience wanted. If you want a lot of action, this may not be the right movie, but if you want a romance masquerading as a spy thriller, this is your film.

For some reason, Julie Andrews was typecast and not allowed to appear sexy in her films. Alright, we know the reason: audiences couldn't handle Mary Poppins in a bikini. No one could hide her exquisite face, but costumes tried very hard to cover up her figure. In The Tamarind Seed, however, Christian Dior (hopefully) had a blast and showed the world that Julie was an absolute babe. And yes, she wore a bikini.

Besides the bikini, my favorite was a classy ensemble of khaki wide-legged slacks and a white cuffed crop blouse, tied and bunched in a knot above her navel. Every outfit she wore was full of class and designer quality fabrics that felt as good as they looked. Maybe Blake Edwards was anxious to show audiences what a lucky man he was; Julie even had a bedroom scene with her leading man!

But in case you don't care about Julie Andrews's figure, I'll tell you about the plot of The Tamarind Seed. It's a slow-burning romantic thriller, starting when two strangers meet on vacation. Omar Sharif and Julie are attracted to one another, but she's unwilling to enter into a physical affair. She's recently broken it off with a married man, and she needs time to heal her heart. Omar is very confident that she'll change her mind, and in his persistence, they also start seeing each other after the vacation ends. But Julie gets called into a meeting with Anthony Quayle, a British agent, who warns her against the romance. He believes that Omar is a Communist agent trying to convert Julie and extract government secrets. When she meets Omar for lunch to break things off, he surprises her by saying he has been sent to recruit her - but they should buy time by pretending it's working so they can keep seeing each other romantically.

The entire movie has a will-they-or-won't-they, is-he-or-isn't-he suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat in every scene. The seemingly simple plot keeps getting more and more complicated as the film progresses, so if you can get past the odd opening credits, you'll be in for a real treat. I found this movie much more enjoyable than Torn Curtain, so if you prefer your "Hitchcock" movies to be a little more exciting, check out Blake Edwards's take on it.

It's been years since I saw this film so have forgotten many of the plot details, but this beautiful romance has lingered in my mind for three decades. It's a movie with everything...intriguing suspense thriller plot, beautiful exotic Caribbean setting, and especially of course the compelling love story of two sympathetic characters from opposite sides of the Cold War.

The tale begins with a British Home Office assistant, Judith Farrow, who has gone to Barbados to recover from a failed love affair. During her tropical holiday, she meets Feodore Sverdlov, a handsome Soviet air attaché in Paris. They visit the colorful island sights together and fall in love. This paradise romance is, however, complicated by their respective positions with governments on opposite sides of the Cold War. Thus, these two individuals of integrity are forced into deception (alleged spy recruiting) in order to disguise their relationship. Perhaps Sverdlov will even be inspired toward defection? Above all, their ill advised love can only spell danger.

For me, this movie is made memorable by its two stars, Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif. This is my absolute favorite Julie Andrews film. She is at her most radiant here portraying Judith, a beautiful, intelligent, lonely, vulnerable, yet quietly strong woman. She is quite magnificent in her role even without the usual musical aspects. Omar Sharif plays surely Russia's most magnetic, handsome, and compelling diplomat. His dark brown eyes alone would thaw the Cold War! It is absolutely believable that these two principled, intelligent individuals would fall in love. They are perfect on screen together, mature yet captivating.

The film reflects its era, with the dominance of Cold War issues the subject for most plots involving international intrigue. Here, however, the Russian star is refreshingly not the enemy or the villain of the piece, but rather instead its romantic, noble, and conflicted hero. The pair reveal their own moral views, sometimes contrary to their country's official positions. Julie Andrews appeared earlier in Torn Curtain, the 1966 Hitchcock Cold War thriller which also starred Paul Newman, but I much preferred this movie since it focuses more on character portrayal and romance.

No, not a James Bond action adventure or a spy thriller really, more rather an exotic and dangerous romance with some intricate, suspenseful plot details. A high recommendation for this wonderful old fashioned movie...a perfectly cast, touching & intelligent jewel, and a film which unfortunately appears to be little known these days.

This movie is not highlighted in any discussion of the careers of either Julie Andrews or Omar Sharif, but it's a jewel. It has romance (the subtleness of which is very effective without constant bedroom scenes), intrigue, espionage, exotic locations, a multi-layered plot and plenty of suspense. You do have to pay close attention to keep up with the rather complicated story, but it pays off. The '70's clothing and hair styles are amusing, and the Russians are no longer the "bad guys," but those facts don't detract from the great storyline. Andrews and Sharif make a very attractive couple, and play their parts perfectly. In fact, everyone turns in a fine performance in this, one of my favorite movies.

When a British civil servant strikes up a relationship with a member of the Russian intelligence she meets on holiday, the authorities on both sides grow increasingly alarmed. From the James Bond style opening credits to John Barry's gorgeous score, this is wonderful 70s spy territory. Who can be trusted? Is everyone who they seem or claim to be? Flitting between Paris and London, Granadas and Mercedes aplenty, Sharif is deliciously charming, relaxed and believable as Feodor Sverdlov. Each time we think we know what he's up to, he does or says something to make us doubt again. As a bitter and scheming diplomatic wife caught up in the subterfuge, Sylvia Syms steals every scene she's in, and well deserved the BAFTA nomination that year. Only Andrews looks uneasy, and whilst we believe Sharif's romantic intentions, she is so subdued throughout that we wonder whether it's meant or just wooden acting. Still, it's a great yarn, and worth a look.

It's nice to see Julie Andrews trying a straight dramatic role here--something she hadn't done in awhile--but her character of Judith (wise they didn't try to pass her off as a 'Judy') has the old refined manners and tomboyish hairstyle of yore, and Andrews enacts 'grown-up' as any other actress would interpret frigid. Surprisingly bland, unmemorable drama set in Barbados involves shady Omar Sharif (not the liveliest leading man around, not even in 1974!) hoping to make Andrews a spy while also slowly leading her into the proverbial bedroom. Woeful outing does have some camp value: the James Bond-like credits at the beginning are a cheesy hoot. As for Julie, she's quiet and contemplative, but that doesn't do much for the audience--or for the film. Director Blake Edwards paces the whole drab thing like a funeral. *1/2 from ****

Blake Edwards' "The Tamarind Seed" falls into the "lost" category, more specifically the era spanning 1968-1974, when Edwards released a series of films, ranging from good to great, that died a bloody box-office death. That doesn't mean that any of these films were bad. You can't account for audience taste.

Anyway, "The Tamarind Seed" is a different film for Edwards: an international spy thriller. I think the reason for the film not being well received by the public was that Edwards was stereotyped as a comedy director. Indeed, many of his best films ("10", "S.O.B.", "Victor/Victoria", and "The Pink Panther Strikes Again") are in this genre. But during this period, Edwards made many fine straight films such as "Experiment in Terror", "Darling Lili", "Wild Rovers", "The Carey Treatment" and "Gunn". These films are lost today, thanks to clueless studio executives who didn't know how to market them and the clueless moviegoers who stayed away in droves.

Lucky for us, cable TV still remains the forum to catch some of these lost treasures (except "Gunn" which seems lost forever) and AMC has been playing "The Tamarind Seed" frequently. Early video copies distributed by Magnetic Video and Embassy Home Entertainment still exist in used video stores around the country.

Now, about the film itself. Edwards has crafted a pretty skillful thriller here. Spy movies often die a quick death because most directors think they have to be either T&A fests or relentlessly talky. What makes the Bond films so much fun is that there's a sly sense of humor and Edwards understands that. But Edwards maintains a smooth control over his material here and doesn't play this material for monster laughs (rightly).This is a real good story, which I will not reveal, because the film's success is dependent on Edwards' surprises. The acting is great (with Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif in the lead roles, how could it be bad?), the cinematography (by the great Freddie Young in Panavision)is dazzling as it would be from that great talent, and the script gets involved enough in the story that we can follow it without getting confused.

"The Tamarind Seed" is very much worth the effort to find. Once you see it, it will be hard to forget it.

**** out of 4 stars

The Tamarind Seed has both Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif looking to merge. But merger is going to be impossible because of the Cold War. You see Julie works for someone in the British home office and Omar is a military attaché for the Russians.

If they were from allied countries or even one of them from a neutral there would be no problem. But being in the jobs they're in they're under surveillance, even more so when they start dating. Wildest of all is that both are put on the spot to get the other to defect.

Sharif and Andrews are the weak links of The Tamarind Seed. Both lack chemistry between them, you don't the feeling that they are truly caught up with each other. The ones to watch here are Dan O'Herlihy, a high level traitor to the United Kingdom and his ambitious wife Sylvia Sims. Both of their roles are spiced with former passion turned to hate. Herlihy is a closet gay man and Sims stays married to him for the sake of position. He's in line for a top level ambassadorship and she wants it for the perks of the position.

Those two really make The Tamarind Seed worth watching.

JULIE ANDREWS never looked so good--and neither did London, Paris and Barbados, as the espionage story shifts back and forth between handsome locales and gives Julie and co-star OMAR SHARIF some stunning close-up shots as they gently romance against gorgeous backdrops.

The story takes its time to unwind in the course of slightly over two hours and that's part of the problem. Julie and Omar come from different Cold War backgrounds, each a bit unsure of whether their romance can survive with murky suspicions brewing about their alliances to, respectively, England and Russia.

It's the sort of tale female movie-goers loved and which were becoming increasingly rare in the 1970s when the male action films were doing the biggest box-office and films about sensitive relationships were doomed to appeal to smaller audiences. This one never quite made it to the "popular" status that other Andrews films did, and in this one she never raised her voice in song. It's serious drama and, although she handles it well, it wasn't exactly what her fans expected.

Summing up: Nice backgrounds but rather muddled espionage story bogged down in romance.

Julie Andrews, looking quite attractive, gives an unexpectedly mature, thoughtful performance which leaves no doubt that she is capable of playing serious dramatic roles. Unfortunately, she is possibly the only impressive quality of this BORING spy melodrama, which icludes some good scenes along with many annoying or redundant or irrelevant ones. It definitely needs some trimming. Alfred Hitchcock's similar "Torn Curtain" is considered one of his weakest films, but it's at least five times better than this one.

Saw this film only recently, and was surprised by its complexity. Was enthralled. Julie Andrews plays a very upright British type involved in situations that are inevitably comprimising. It is a pleasure to watch this very romantic thriller.

Blake Edwards made many entertaining films; some, like "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Victor Victoria," retain their class and glamour, while others, like "The Tamarind Seed," aimed for those same qualities, but fell short. Opening titles by Maurice Binder and a score by John Barry evoke the feel of a James Bond film and underscore the espionage elements. Unfortunately, the film, which was also scripted by Edwards from a novel by Evelyn Anthony, is saddled with an insipid love story that overwhelms the action and sinks the plot, and the Cold War intrigue is too little and too late to save the movie. While Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif have star power, the pair do not have much chemistry. The prim and proper Andrews is too cool for the smoldering Sharif, who should have been better teamed with an Ava Gardner.

Andrews plays Judith Farrow, an English widow, who works at the British Home Office and has access to sensitive information. After a failed love affair, she travels to Barbados to recover. Sharif is Feodor Sverdlov, a military attache to the Russian Embassy in London, who also goes to Barbados; but is he on holiday or out to recruit Andrews? His motives are ambiguous, and his unconvincing attraction to the chilly Andrews skews viewers to believe the worst. While Sharif pursues Andrews, back in London, Anthony Quayle and Dan O'Herlihy monitor the situation in Barbados for Her Majesty's Goverrnment, while the pursuit of a Russian mole in British intelligence simmers. O'Herlihy is a man of secrets, and Sylvia Syms as his ambitious wife snipes at her husband's gay orientation, while she pursues an affair with a young employee of Quayle. During their romantic trysts, Syms's paramour leaks confidential information to her during the pillow talk. Got all that? The supporting players, who also include Oscar Homolka as a Russian general, are professional, if unexceptional, although Syms is a cut above the others.

Similar comments could be made about the film, professional, if unexceptional. "The Tamarind Seed" is certainly well made, but predictable. Sharif and Andrews go through the motions, know their lines, and hit their marks, but nothing ignites between them. The plot is similarly mundane. Although a James-Bond like song is heard, Andrews never has an opportunity to sing, which may disappoint her fans. The glossy film resembles other Blake Edwards films in its polish, but not in its entertainment value. Perhaps "The Tamarind Seed" is not the worst way to pass two hours, but all involved have done much better work.

I saw this movie while I lived in Spain in 1974. It was subtitled or maybe dubbed, I don't remember but since I speak Spanish, it didn't matter. I loved the movie. At the time, Spain was still under Franco's rule (he died in '75) and foreign (as well as domestic)films were heavily censored. But this movie wasn't (or didn't seem to be) and I never forgot it. I have an extensive video collection and have searched for this movie far and wide and am happy to see that I finally found a private seller through Amazon.com today. I will treasure it and can't wait to see it again after 27 years! Besides, Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif were romantic and wonderful. A great "old" movie.

Soviet diplomat Colonel Feodor Sverdlov (Omar Sharif) is on vacation in Barbados. British intelligence is concerned and a little confused. They wonder if he is really on vacation. He meets British Home Office assistant Judith Farrow (Julie Andrews).

The entrenched bureaucracy of British intelligence is a little dumb and Judith as well. Especially early on, Feodor has to explain too much to Judith. Smart characters make for better spy stories. Feodor is much better. There are interesting turns in the middle and the movie picks up a nice momentum. Ultimately, this is not Blake Edwards' strong suit and this spy thriller is average at best.

The whole story is preposterous. The moment anyone in the British Embassy had an inkling that Andrews was romantically interested in - let alone emotionally involved with - a Russian espionage agent, she would be home on the first flight and FAREWELL FCO!

Direction is incipient, Andrews tries her best but is better at comedy, and Sharif never really found his feet as an actor after debuting in Lawrence of Arabia, even his tearful Dr. Zhivago is difficult to rate as serious acting. Here he is a very dark Russian, in appearance and motivation and apparently never gets to see the light... which defines the pointlessness of the entire film. Photography is much too mediocre to save the film, the John Barry soundtrack is probably the best thing about THE TAMARIND WEED... and it is much too long. I fell asleep after 30 minutes, and had to rewind to watch the rest, only to fall asleep again. It took a third viewing, and that was a mistake, because the schmaltzy ending is - in my humble opinion - the worst part of a pretty poor flick.

A generous 4/10