Like many other caper comedies of the 1960's, this has many great ideas and a lot of great location footage and fashions, but goes all over the place in trying to establish a story, make interesting characters and keep the audience interested. James Coburn has a lot of screen charisma and is fascinating to watch as a parolee who goes on the lamb and begins a series of robberies, but it's basically a list like plotline of "He went there, robbed this person, got on a plane, went there and robbed that person, yada yada yada." All of a sudden, there's a subplot involving Russian visitors to the United States, and it gets more convoluted and unnecessary.
Rose Marie, wearing her hair dyed to look like either Arlene Dahl or Rhonda Fleming, has a pointless cameo, but at least it's a better film for her in 1966 than the disastrous "Don't Worry. We'll think of a Title". Coburn is fun to watch, and his intelligence and wit are undeniable, but. Golden Globe winner Camilla Sparv (best newcomer) isn't as exciting as that newcomer award would indicate. Director Bernard Girard was obviously great for TV, but his film credits aren't impressive, and this is evidence as to why. Vic Tayback of "Alice" is quickly recognizable at least through his voice, but you'll have to be a pretty sharp viewer to pick out Harrison Ford in a bit. Robert Webber and Aldo Ray get differing reactions from me for obvious reasons. Nice shots of Boston during the winter is a plus, but like Boston in the winter, they're still left me feeling very cold.
Rose Marie, wearing her hair dyed to look like either Arlene Dahl or Rhonda Fleming, has a pointless cameo, but at least it's a better film for her in 1966 than the disastrous "Don't Worry. We'll think of a Title". Coburn is fun to watch, and his intelligence and wit are undeniable, but. Golden Globe winner Camilla Sparv (best newcomer) isn't as exciting as that newcomer award would indicate. Director Bernard Girard was obviously great for TV, but his film credits aren't impressive, and this is evidence as to why. Vic Tayback of "Alice" is quickly recognizable at least through his voice, but you'll have to be a pretty sharp viewer to pick out Harrison Ford in a bit. Robert Webber and Aldo Ray get differing reactions from me for obvious reasons. Nice shots of Boston during the winter is a plus, but like Boston in the winter, they're still left me feeling very cold.