There's an interesting idea in this romantic drama which would have been more effective if someone like Alfred Hitchcock could have got to work on it. Omar Sharif turns on the famous charm to some effect as the Russian diplomat who falls in love with cool Julie Andrews, playing a girl who can somehow afford a Dior wardrobe on a Home Office salary. She provides an additional motive for him to defect when his liberal views make him a target for KGB suspicions. All very promising, though the dialogue makes the stars labour mightily to make anything of the situations. Anthony Quayle, Daniel O'Herlihy, Oscar Homolka and Bryan Marshall are among the reliable players giving them stalwart support. There are one or two moments of high suspense, especially towards the end, but not enough to keep tedium at bay throughout. The 15 certificate is baffling.

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