Tony Randall has been a favorite of mine since his recurring appearances on David Letterman's late-night talk shows. The guy was such a good sport about putting over any gag the writers came up with, deploying equal parts debonnair charm and lack of self-seriousness.
He shows the same sensibility here - his character knows he's in a spot of bother, works hard to work his way out of it in the same charming way Cary Grant does in North by Northwest, mixes in a fair amount of sly humour, yet somehow manages to avoid any campiness or ham. Director Don Sharpe helmed The Avengers TV show with a similar touch.
The whole ''money for votes at the UN" plot is basicaly a McGuffin. It just helps move things along, layers of the onion peeling away in a pleasant fashion.
The location shooting was a pleasant surprise, too, given the reportedly small budget.
This was a fun way to spend time in front of the tube re-visiting the work of an old ''friend."
