The Lucid Nightmare: i SPY EUROSPY: Man on a Spying Trapeze

Thursday, April 12, 2012

i SPY EUROSPY: Man on a Spying Trapeze

Man on a Spying Trapeze
Director: Juan de Orduna
Year 1967

Man on a Spying Trapeze is an enjoyable Eurospy entry that doesn’t blow the lid off the genre, but still manages to be one hell of an accomplished effort of fun-filled espionage. The film travels the globe in a wide array of locations, showcasing many lovely women and a large range of wacky and unconventional gadgets for our super spy to fiddle with. With a care free attitude and tongue and cheek disposition, this film is a blast to watch and you really can’t go wrong with this entertaining Eurospy entry.

The film follows American agent Jerry Land as he is assigned to a case that is primarily focused in Beirut. A fellow spy has recently been killed in the area, and it is up to Jerry to flush out the secret organization that did him in. At the center of these diabolical dealings, is a mysterious roll of microfilm that contains a valuable secret that everyone wants to get their grubby little hands on. Jerry must infiltrate the scene and pose as a man in possession of the microfilm, in order to capture the ones responsible for his friend’s death. Bedding women along the way, Jerry is going to make the bad guys pay, but not without slipping in a few pleasurable moments to keep things interesting. Let the fun begin.

Wayde Preston plays the role of the swinging agent Jerry Land, and he does a rather good job with the dynamic character. With his charismatic style and laid back attitude, Preston makes his performance look effortless. While not as intimidating as other actors that have taken on the role of secret agent, Wayde brings a more whimsical approach to his work in this film, relying on the fun factor that is widely known by the genre. His smart remarks and quick banter with the bad guys, has you grinning right along with him, and he never misses an opportunity to get down and dirty when the time comes to fight. I appreciated his efforts in this film, which sadly was his only attempt in a secret agent role, but I’m glad he took the plunge at least once because his look and demeanor is just perfect for the tone of the genre.

Another memorable character of this film is the role of Jerry’s boss, Nick Collins, played by Reinhard Kolldehoff. What’s most entertaining about his character is the fact that he just keeps popping up everywhere that Jerry goes, often waking him up from a much needed rest in order to update him on the secret organization that they are after. His role comes pretty damn close to being a parent or father figure position, often having him scolding Jerry for always having women on the mind. The pairing is an interesting addition to the film, and the way they play off of each other is highly entertaining and sometimes uncomfortable.

When it comes to Eurospy films, one of the most prevalent aspects of the genre is the amount of globe trotting the main secret agent does and there is no lack of traveling for this one. Jerry Land spends time in New York, Madrid, Rome, and Beirut, often touching down multiple times in order to track down the killers. There are some moments where he travels to these exotic locations just so the story has somewhere interesting to go, but just getting to see these diverse places during the 60’s era is enough excuse for me. With the reasoning for his excessive traveling often getting muddled within the narrative of the film, it still comes off as an entertaining portrait of life as a swinging spy.

The gadgets also abound in their creativity, presenting some of the most silly and head scratching creations to ever grace the screen. For instance, there is a device shown early on in the film that looks like a typical pair of dentures, but inside one of the front teeth is a hidden spy camera that is activated by the users tongue. There is even a nifty looking torture device that Jerry gets to experience first hand, that looks like a deadly pair of spiked earmuffs that deliver a painful vice like pinch to the skull. Another unique toy that Jerry Land has up his sleeve is a can of spray that reveals a trespasser’s footprints if seen through a special kind of sunglasses. As I said before, the gadgets aren’t overwhelming in the flow of the story, but when they do show up, they are quite astonishing. With all of these elements in place, Man on a Spying Trapeze ends up being a nice little entertaining entry in the genre and one that keeps a smile on your face.

Man on a Spying Trapeze is an enjoyable Eurospy ride, filled with some memorable moments that are comprised of Jerry bedding ladies, taking down thugs, and implementing various wild gadgets. The charisma of Wayde Preston is infectious, and it’s too bad that he never went on to star in another Eurospy after this production. He seems tailor made for the role and it looks like he just had a blast with the character of Jerry Land.

It’s also nice to see a film that doesn’t shy away from the globe trotting aspects of the genre, even if they have to shoe horn it in a little half-hazardly because of budget restrains and lack of time. I enjoyed the fun aspects of this story and the twists and turns that crop up as Jerry gets deeper and deeper into the mystery of it all. With the combination of entertaining fights, wacky moments, and comedic driven elements, Man on a Spying Trapeze is one Eurospy film that you won’t soon forget. Check this one out if you get as big of a kick out of the genre as I do. This film is without a doubt, an……