A Dandy in Aspic * (1968, Laurence Harvey, Tom Courtenay, Lionel Stander, Mia Farrow, Harry Andrews, Peter Cook, Per Oscarsson, Barbara Murray) – Classic Movie Review 13,557

The 1968 British spy thriller film A Dandy in Aspic is based on the 1966 novel by Derek Marlowe, and stars Laurence Harvey, Tom Courtenay, Lionel Stander, Mia Farrow, Harry Andrews, Peter Cook, Per Oscarsson, and Barbara Murray.

Directors Anthony Mann and Laurence Harvey’s 1968 British spy thriller film A Dandy in Aspic is based on the 1966 novel by Derek Marlowe, and stars Laurence Harvey, Tom Courtenay, Lionel Stander, Mia Farrow, Harry Andrews, Peter Cook, Per Oscarsson, and Barbara Murray.

Hooray for the vintage cast in this absurdly labyrinthine, yet dull and uninspired spy tale set in Berlin, with double agent known by the code name Eberlin (Laurence Harvey) ordered to assassinate himself.

Krasnevin (Laurence Harvey) is a KGB agent and assassin who has infiltrated London society and British Intelligence as wealthy businessman Alexander Eberlin. Kraznevin kills several British agent and British Intelligence Chief Fraser (Harry Andrews) orders Eberlin to eliminate Krasnevin.

Marlowe’s screenplay from his own novel is full of meaningless double and triple-crosses, leaving a plot that even this strong cast can’t pull through to success.

Director Mann died of a heart attack while filming and Harvey took over the job.

Also in the cast are John Bird as Henderson, Norman Bird as Copperfield, Geoffrey Bayldon as Lake, Calvin Lockhart as Brogue, Michael Trubshawe as Flowers, James Cossins as Heston-Stevas, Geoffrey Lumsden as Ridley, Elspeth March as Lady Hetherington, Richard O’Sullivan as Nevil, Mike Pratt as Greff, George Murcell as Sergeant Harris, and Vernon Dobtcheff as Stein.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,557

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