by Glenn Erickson
The Venetian Affair
Brief Synopsis
A reporter investigates an American diplomat's murder in Venice.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Jerry Thorpe
Director
Robert Vaughn
Bill Fenner
Elke Sommer
Sandra Fane
Felicia Farr
Claire Connor
Karl Boehm
Robert Wahl
Boris Karloff
Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud
Film Details
Genre
Suspense/Mystery
Adaptation
Drama
Spy
Thriller
Release Date
Jan
1967
Premiere Information
New York opening: 18 Jan 1967
Production Company
Jerry Thorpe Productions
Distribution Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Venetian Affair by Helen MacInnes (New York, 1963).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Metrocolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1
Synopsis
Reporter Bill Fenner is sent from New York to cover the case when an American diplomat blows up an international peace conference in Venice, killing all the delegates including himself. Fenner, a former CIA man who was fired when he married suspected enemy agent Sandra Fane, has been brought to Venice by the CIA. They want him to find Sandra, who is hiding from Robert Wahl, the enemy agent who hired her to befriend the American diplomat. Second, Fenner is to obtain a report written by political scientist Pierre Vaugiroud on why the explosion occurred. After he finds Sandra, Fenner contacts Wahl and accepts money in exchange for agreeing to turn over Sandra. Instead, Fenner dresses her as a nun, gives her the money, and puts her aboard a train. Before he joins her, Fenner goes to the office of Mike Ballard, his Venice colleague who has stolen the Vaugiroud report. The office is attacked by a gunman, and although Ballard and his secretary, Giulia Almeranti, are murdered, Fenner escapes with the report. Wahl is waiting when Fenner boards Sandra's train. Sandra confesses to Fenner that she betrayed him to save their lives. When it is discovered that Fenner does not have the report, Wahl kills Sandra and takes Fenner to a secret laboratory and injects him with a drug which will turn him into a robot. The drug fails to take effect; Vaugiroud, also drugged, pleads with Fenner to lead them to where the report is hidden. Although Fenner does so, he suddenly realizes that Vaugiroud's mind has been controlled by the drug, as was the mind of the American diplomat. Fenner kills Wahl and races to the conference in time to prevent Vaugiroud from causing a second explosion.
Director
Jerry Thorpe
Director
Cast
Robert Vaughn
Bill Fenner
Elke Sommer
Sandra Fane
Felicia Farr
Claire Connor
Karl Boehm
Robert Wahl
Boris Karloff
Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud
Roger C. Carmel
Mike Ballard
Edward Asner
Frank Rosenfeld
Joe De Santis
Jan Aarvan
Fabrizio Mioni
Russo
Wesley Lau
Neill Carlson
Luciana Paluzzi
Giulia Almeranti
Bill Weiss
Goldsmith
Crew
Henry Berman
Film Editor
Leroy Coleman
Art Director
George W. Davis
Art Director
Keith S., M.d. Ditman
Technical Advisor
Henry Grace
Set Decoration
Sydney Guilaroff
Hairstyles
E. Darrell Hallenbeck
Assistant Director
Hugh Hunt
Set Decoration
Milton Krasner
Director of Photography
Franklin Milton
Recording Supervisor
E. Jack Neuman
Producer
E. Jack Neuman
Screenwriter
Lloyd Richards
Associate Producer
Lalo Schifrin
Music
Lalo Schifrin
Composer
Enzo Serafin
Locations Photographer
Carroll L. Shepphird
Special visual Effects
Marvin Stuart
Unit Production Manager
Jerry Thorpe
Producer
William Tuttle
Makeup
Hal Winn
Composer
Film Details
Genre
Suspense/Mystery
Adaptation
Drama
Spy
Thriller
Release Date
Jan
1967
Premiere Information
New York opening: 18 Jan 1967
Production Company
Jerry Thorpe Productions
Distribution Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Venetian Affair by Helen MacInnes (New York, 1963).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Metrocolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1
Articles
The Venetian Affair
Novelist Helen MacInnes didn't write her espionage stories in a vacuum, as her husband served as an actual agent for England's MI6. Bought by MGM in 1942, MacInnes' spy novel Above Suspicion featured Fred MacMurray and Joan Crawford. Amateur secret agents, they flit across Nazi-held Europe like tourists on a scavenger hunt. A full generation later, MGM filmed MacInnes' The Venetian Affair as part of the swinging '60s superspy trend. Partly filmed in Italy, it carried a breezy advertising tag line: "Enjoy the Fine Arts of Venice... Murder! Spies! Women!" Fresh from his lead role as Napoleon Solo in TV's The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Robert Vaughn was an obvious candidate for big screen spy-dom. He plays a CIA operative fired over a marriage to a suspected Communist agent, who must go back into action when an American diplomat unaccountably carries a suicide bomb into an international peace conference. The German-born beauty Elke Sommer is the potentially duplicitous spouse, while Karlheinz Boehm serves as one of the main villains. In a late career role, Boris Karloff is a French political expert with special information about the blast. The mandatory decorative femmes fatales encountered by Vaughn's suave agent include Felicia Farr (Kiss Me, Stupid), Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball) and Sigrid Valdis (Our Man Flint). As with most '60s spy films, the story relies on a science fiction premise: using a mind-control drug, evil enemies of freedom are programming diplomats as involuntary suicide bombers. MacInnes' book had been a best-seller but the film reviews were mixed at best: The New York Times' critic described Elke Sommer's duplicitous spy as being, 'voluptuously ridiculous.'
by Glenn Erickson
by Glenn Erickson
The Venetian Affair
Novelist Helen MacInnes didn't write her espionage stories in a vacuum, as her husband served as an actual agent for England's MI6. Bought by MGM in 1942, MacInnes' spy novel Above Suspicion featured Fred MacMurray and Joan Crawford. Amateur secret agents, they flit across Nazi-held Europe like tourists on a scavenger hunt. A full generation later, MGM filmed MacInnes' The Venetian Affair as part of the swinging '60s superspy trend. Partly filmed in Italy, it carried a breezy advertising tag line: "Enjoy the Fine Arts of Venice... Murder! Spies! Women!" Fresh from his lead role as Napoleon Solo in TV's The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Robert Vaughn was an obvious candidate for big screen spy-dom. He plays a CIA operative fired over a marriage to a suspected Communist agent, who must go back into action when an American diplomat unaccountably carries a suicide bomb into an international peace conference. The German-born beauty Elke Sommer is the potentially duplicitous spouse, while Karlheinz Boehm serves as one of the main villains. In a late career role, Boris Karloff is a French political expert with special information about the blast. The mandatory decorative femmes fatales encountered by Vaughn's suave agent include Felicia Farr (Kiss Me, Stupid), Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball) and Sigrid Valdis (Our Man Flint). As with most '60s spy films, the story relies on a science fiction premise: using a mind-control drug, evil enemies of freedom are programming diplomats as involuntary suicide bombers. MacInnes' book had been a best-seller but the film reviews were mixed at best: The New York Times' critic described Elke Sommer's duplicitous spy as being, 'voluptuously ridiculous.'
by Glenn Erickson
Quotes
I'm sorry about her. It's a stinkin' business. The job had to get done.- Frank Rosenfeld
Go to hell, Rosie.- Bill Fenner
Hey, what's your hurry?- Bill Fenner
What's yours?- Giulia Almeranti
Wait -- what's your hurry?- Bill Fenner
What's yours?- Guilia Almeranti
Trivia
Notes
Locations filmed in Venice.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1967
Released in United States 1967
