The truncated anthology of three espionage outings is better than most give it credit for being. Apparently, "The Dirty Game" suffered from savage editing and a fourth segment was eliminated in hopes of improving the film's box office performance. Originally clocking in at two hours, the producers slashed it to barely 90 minutes. Nevertheless, this fast-moving, nimbly edited, black & white effort benefits from sturdy production values and a robust cast. The quirky orchestral soundtrack is catchy. The first two segments about the abduction of a scientist who has created rocket fuel which enables a jet to circle the globe on a cupful of propellant and the routing of double agents in an elaborate ploy to destroy two nuclear U. S. nuclear subs are exciting because they are escapist oriented. The final segment features Henry Fonda as a deep cover secret agent who defects to the West, and this episode epitomizes the grim title as Fonda doesn't survive the ordeal. After making a miraculous escape from East Berlin is eliminated by double agents. Robert Ryan links the three segment as a high-ranking American general who provides narration that links the stories. The Fonda segment reminded me of the Richard Burton classic "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Perhaps the liveliest segment involves a French secret agent who is far from handsome, but who handles his mission with surprising aplomb. Altogether, "The Dirty Game" refers to the compromises that the the West endure to keep the Soviets at bay in an amoral world. Mind you, nothing about this film is remotely pornographic.
Review of The Secret Agents
