Review of Agent 8 3/4

Cracking little Bond spoof that's actually much more of a conventional spy thriller than the opening, in which John Le Mesurier returns the belongings of a newly deceased 007, would lead you to believe. Dirk Bogarde is the everyman by the name of Nicholas Whistler, drafted into British Intelligence as a replacement and sent on a mission to receive information regarding a new type of formula used for the production of lightweight bullet-proof glass. Although, it's only upon his arrival in Prague, across the Iron Curtain, that he discovers he is working for British Intelligence. Sylva Koscina is his comrade driver turned lover who must help him escape Czechoslovakia from the clutches of Leo McKern's Soviet Spy boss (and her father!). For those who aren't fans of the rather gung-ho spoofs like the David Niven Casino Royale or the Austin Powers series, this is refreshingly more lightweight in terms of wit and provides a few genuine chuckles, namely thanks to a brilliant Bograde sending up his own image at RANK. Robert Morley once again crops up as the head of MI6. Very enjoyable.