Our Man In Havana

This movie isn't nearly as good as the book. Both female characters are dumbed down, especially Millie, who gets an explained-away American accent too. The brightest spot is the rare and wonderful appearance of Ernie Kovacs. This one is ripe for a remake. Read the Graham Greene novel, you'll see what I mean.

One of my all time favorite films. It was one of those rare pieces of film that once you saw it, you had to see it over and over and over. Alec Guiness as Mr. Wormold, a very unlikely "agent", Burl Ives as the doctor, his best friend, Maureen O'Hara as Mr Wormold's "experienced" secretary, Noel Coward, complete with his own theme music as Mr. Wormold's recruiter, and of course Ernie Kovacs as the head of the secret police... Cuba just before the revolution, filmed in Cuba just after... Castro's main complaint was he thought the old regime should have been colored a bit more evil. The theme music is wonderful, reminds me of a soundtrack Orson Welles would have approved of. Overall a great film adaption of a great book by Graham Greene directed by Carol Reed, who also directed another favorite of mine, "The Thid Man". I love this movie... Now if I Tunes would get "Lady From Shanghai" I could head to that desert island...