The Intelligence Men
Encyclopedia
The Intelligence Men is a 1965 comedy film
starring the British comic duo Eric Morecambe
and Ernie Wise
.
The film is subtitled "M.I.5
plus 2 equals 0". In the US, the film was retitled as The Spylarks.
The film was successful enough to enable Morecambe and Wise to make two further films - That Riviera Touch
and The Magnificent Two
.
. Ernie Sage (Wise) enters the coffee bar and Eric tries to get him to identify the tune, without much success. Eventually Sage realises that this could be something to do with a forthcoming visit by a Russian trade delegation and an assassination attempt by an organisation known as "Schlecht" to sabotage this mission. He reports this to his superiors in Military Intelligence
(although he is little more than an office-boy), and they reluctantly agree that only Eric, having heard the tune, will be able to lead them to the centre of the plot. Eric is persuaded to pose as a British agent – the recently deceased Major Cavendish – who had managed to infiltrate Schlecht. After a few set-piece comedy interludes, the tune is identified and the plot switches to a performance of Swan Lake
, the projected venue for the assassination. This section provides some of the funniest moments of the film- for example Eric, masquerading as a Russian, adopts a broad Scottish highland accent; during the ballet performance itself, Eric and Ernie, dressed in Egyptian costumes, get mixed up in the "Dance of the Little Swans
". Finally, however, the villain is unmasked and all is well. Eric returns happily to his coffee bar.
awarded the film no stars, describing it as an "inept and rather embarrassing big-screen debut for two excellent television comedians".
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring the British comic duo Eric Morecambe
Eric Morecambe
John Eric Bartholomew OBE , known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the award-winning double act Morecambe and Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death of a heart attack in 1984...
and Ernie Wise
Ernie Wise
Ernest Wiseman OBE , known by his stage name Ernie Wise, was an English comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who became an institution on British television, especially for their Christmas specials.-Career:Ernest Wiseman was the eldest of five children, and changed...
.
The film is subtitled "M.I.5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
plus 2 equals 0". In the US, the film was retitled as The Spylarks.
The film was successful enough to enable Morecambe and Wise to make two further films - That Riviera Touch
That Riviera Touch
That Riviera Touch was the second feature-length film made by the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise.- Plot :After Eric Simpson nearly gives the Queen a parking ticket, he and Ernest Clark decide to take a holiday in the South of France...
and The Magnificent Two
The Magnificent Two
The Magnificent Two is a 1967 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Morecambe and Wise as two British salesman sent to South America to sell their goods...
.
Plot
Eric is happily serving espresso in his London coffee bar when a strange-looking man (Lemkow) tries to persuade him to remember a tune as a clue to some evil plot. Unfortunately, Eric is tone-deafTone deafness
Tone deafness is the lack of relative pitch, or the inability to distinguish between musical notes that is not due to the lack of musical training or education...
. Ernie Sage (Wise) enters the coffee bar and Eric tries to get him to identify the tune, without much success. Eventually Sage realises that this could be something to do with a forthcoming visit by a Russian trade delegation and an assassination attempt by an organisation known as "Schlecht" to sabotage this mission. He reports this to his superiors in Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
(although he is little more than an office-boy), and they reluctantly agree that only Eric, having heard the tune, will be able to lead them to the centre of the plot. Eric is persuaded to pose as a British agent – the recently deceased Major Cavendish – who had managed to infiltrate Schlecht. After a few set-piece comedy interludes, the tune is identified and the plot switches to a performance of Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, the projected venue for the assassination. This section provides some of the funniest moments of the film- for example Eric, masquerading as a Russian, adopts a broad Scottish highland accent; during the ballet performance itself, Eric and Ernie, dressed in Egyptian costumes, get mixed up in the "Dance of the Little Swans
Danse des petits cygnes
Danse des petits cygnes is a famous dance from the ballet Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky, from the ballet’s second act, the fourth movement of the No. 13 piece, but has become synonymous with the choreography by Lev Ivanov...
". Finally, however, the villain is unmasked and all is well. Eric returns happily to his coffee bar.
Reception
Critic Leslie HalliwellLeslie Halliwell
Robert James Leslie Halliwell was a British film encyclopaedist and television impresario who in 1965 compiled The Filmgoer's Companion, the first one-volume encyclopaedia devoted to all aspects of the cinema. He followed it a dozen years later with Halliwell's Film Guide, another monumental work...
awarded the film no stars, describing it as an "inept and rather embarrassing big-screen debut for two excellent television comedians".
Cast
- Eric MorecambeEric MorecambeJohn Eric Bartholomew OBE , known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the award-winning double act Morecambe and Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death of a heart attack in 1984...
- Eric - Ernie WiseErnie WiseErnest Wiseman OBE , known by his stage name Ernie Wise, was an English comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who became an institution on British television, especially for their Christmas specials.-Career:Ernest Wiseman was the eldest of five children, and changed...
- Ernie Sage - William FranklynWilliam FranklynWilliam Leo Franklyn was a British actor, perhaps best known for voicing the "Schhh... You Know Who" adverts for Schweppes from 1965 to 1973...
- Colonel Grant - April Olrich - Madame Petrovna
- Gloria PaulGloria PaulGloria Paul is a retired Anglo Italian film actress.Gloria Paul was considered for the role of Domino Derval 1965 James Bond film Thunderball...
- Gina Carlotti - Richard VernonRichard VernonRichard Vernon was a British actor. He appeared in many feature films and television programmes, often in aristocratic or supercilious roles...
- Sir Edward Seabrook - David LodgeDavid Lodge (actor)David William Frederick Lodge was a British character actor.Before turning to acting he worked as a circus clown...
- Stage Manager - Jacqueline Jones - Karin
- Terence AlexanderTerence AlexanderTerence Joseph Alexander was an English film and television actor, best known for his role as Charlie Hungerford in the British TV drama Bergerac.-Early life and career:...
- Reed - Francis MatthewsFrancis Matthews (actor)-Early life:Matthews attended St Michael's Jesuit College, Leeds and started his acting career with Leeds repertory theatre before service in the Royal Navy.-Career:...
- Thomas - Warren MitchellWarren MitchellWarren Mitchell is an English actor who rose to initial prominence in the role of bigoted cockney Alf Garnett in the BBC television sitcom Till Death Us Do Part , and its sequels Till Death... and In Sickness and in Health , all of which were written by Johnny Speight...
- Prozoroff - Peter BullPeter BullPeter Cecil Bull, DSC was a British character actor.- Biography :He was the fourth and youngest son of Hammersmith MP Sir William James Bull, 1st Bt..Bull was educated at Winchester College...
- Philippe - Tutte LemkowTutte LemkowTutte Lemkow was a Norwegian actor and dancer, who played mostly villainous roles in British television and films. His chief claims to mainstream familiarity were his roles as "the fiddler" in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof and the old man who translates for Indiana Jones in Raiders of...
- Seedy Schlecht Agent - Brian OultonBrian OultonBrian Oulton was an English character actor.Born in Liverpool, he made his acting debut in 1939 as a lead actor...
- Laundry Basket Man