[3] The soundtrack was composed by Quincy Jones, and the bossa nova theme song, "Who Needs Forever", was performed by Astrud Gilberto.
In 1960s London, Charles Dobbs is a staid MI5 operative investigating Foreign Office official Samuel Fennan, a former Communist who apparently commits suicide.
Dobbs also discovers that his promiscuous wife Ann is leaving him to go to Switzerland to join a former World War II colleague, Dieter Frey.
Dobbs ultimately decides to set a trap to prove that Elsa is a spy and to uncover her control by arranging a rendezvous which takes place in the Aldwych theatre during a performance of "Edward II".
[12] Allmusic's Stephen Cook noted, "Deadly Affair's dreamy mix of bossa nova moods and unobtrusive symphonics still makes for some pleasant, if not always provocative, listening.
[11] The Vinyl Factory said "This soundtrack to the Sidney Lumet thriller starts off with Astrud Gilberto drizzling her best desultory vocal over ‘Who Needs Forever’, which creates a moody atmosphere that is sustained throughout the entire album.