Amidst the international espionage and involvement of criminal gangs, an American businessman finds himself at the centre of the situation and, assisted by an attractive super-spy, must set out to clear his name.

But the dialogue is mostly so clod-hopping, especially when it tries to be funny, and is delivered so portentously, that director Don Sharp’s occasional pretty pictures fail noticeably to lighten the load.

"[1] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Nicely photographed on location and kept moving at a spanking pace, this is a spy spoof that works because it keeps the thread of the plot well in hand, spreads a few plausible red herrings, and on its own absurd level suspends disbelief without sending up the lunatic conventions.

Tony Randall is a pleasantly reluctant hero, the two young women are outstandingly glamorous, Herbert Lom is sinister and suave, and the supporting cast of British stalwarts does its usual stuff with reliability and competence.

Still, veteran professionals such as Herbert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde White and Terry-Thomas do what they can with the material, and Klaus Kinski and John Le Mesurier turn up, too.