“SPIES WITH SCRUPLES”

By Raymond Benson

In comparing Masquerade (1965) with a recent review of Arabesque (1966) here at Cinema Retro, this time we have yet another mid-1960s “comedy-spy thriller,” a genre that was crowding the cinemas in those days because of the success of Double-O-You-Know-Who.

In contrast to Arabesque, this one is a British production, directed by the prolific and often brilliant Basil Dearden, and it utilizes London locations as well as spots in Spain. And yet, despite the thoroughly British DNA running through 95% of the movie, it stars American Cliff Robertson as the hero, David Fraser, a sort of CIA type who seems to approach all the danger around him with misplaced naivete and amused detachment.

The script marks the first appearance of the great William Goldman in a screen credit (co-writing with Michael Relph). It’s based on Vincent Canning’s novel, Castle Minerva. Apparently, it was Robertson who had enlisted Goldman’s services, as the dialogue needed some “Americanizing.” That said, the script is serviceable and certainly makes more sense than what we saw in Arabesque.

Britain wants oil drilling rights in a fictional Middle Eastern country, but the country isn’t playing ball. Colonel Drexel (Jack Hawkins) is engaged by Sir Robert (John Le Mesurier) to fix the problem. Drexel hires an old war buddy, Frazer, to kidnap the teenage son of the country’s prince. This is supposed to force the resumption of talks and ultimate agreement between the two countries. Why this is considered sound diplomacy is anyone’s guess, but that’s the mission. Frazer goes along with the plan out of loyalty to his friend; however, at one point he rejects performing an order because he has “scruples” (but kidnapping a prince isn’t one of them). Frazer eventually finds that he has competition in the form of a small gang of Europeans who also want the boy. As the tag line for the movie in its posters and theatrical trailer shouts, “Who is Doing What to Who?” Indeed… the audience will be wondering that, too. (Shouldn’t that be “to Whom?”) In other words, the movie is filled with double-crosses, switcheroos, and things that are not as they seem.

The picture is lively and loaded with action sequences. The supporting cast, especially the Europeans (namely Marisa Mell and a young Michel Piccoli), are a hoot. The British side sports familiar character actors besides Hawkins (such as Charles Gray and Bill Fraser).

Unfortunately, Masquerade doesn’t quite succeed as intended mainly due to the casting of Robertson. Like Arabesque, this needed someone with the comic delivery of a Cary Grant, and the American Robertson is also oddly out of place in this British-European milieu. Robertson does his best, though, and he gets the job done—even if the whole thing is more than just implausible. (The poor guy gets clobbered on the head several times in the movie; one would think a concussion might have debilitated him after, say, the third time.)

Kino Lorber’s new Blu-ray displays that distinctive 1960s film stock look, and it’s a good enough transfer. It comes with an audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger and Chris Poggiali. The theatrical trailer, along with other Kino Lorber trailers, are the only supplements.

Masquerade is a middle-of-the-road example of the 1960s cinematic “spy boom, and the Bond-Wanabe aspects of the picture plants it firmly within the context of its era.

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