American Professor David Pollock (Gregory Peck) is teaching at Oxford when he is approached to translate a hieroglyph for Nejim Beshraavi. He declines and continues on with his day. Shortly thereafter, he is kidnapped! Prime Minister Hassan Jena, a famous Middle Easterner, proves to be the kidnapper. Pollock is positively predisposed to Jena and listens to his spiel. Jena wants Pollock to accept the commission to translate and forward the results to him. Pollock meets with Beshraavi (Alan Badel), a man who speaks with a polite pomposity but also an unmistakable undertone of threat. Pollock has hardly begun to translate the hieroglyph than Yasmin Azir (Sophia Loren) intrudes. She attempts to snatch the hieroglyph, but Pollock is quicker. Soon, Pollock finds himself as a pawn in a game of international espionage. He is unsure of whether he can trust Yasmin, but she's near irresistible.
The story is so-so and the villains mostly unimpressive. One is seldom worried for Pollock's safety. The villains' competence and intelligence rise or fall with the needs of the story. Of course, everyone double-crosses everyone. There are few loyalties, Yasmin being the least loyal of all, it would appear. The climax doesn't make much sense. Why kidnap Jena? Why fly the helicopter under the bridge? In retrospect, the plot doesn't work, but it was still fun to watch it unfold.
Gregory Peck does not quite get the role. This was written for Cary Grant, and Peck doesn't fill those shoes. The comedy doesn't come easily for Peck. His drug-induced highway dance was more cringy than funny, his hangover was unconvincing, and his Eureka moment was out of character. On the other hand, Sophia Loren is perfect for her part. She can play the coquette, the conniver, and the femme fatale. She also has no trouble with the comedy. Her deadpan comment while in the shower was hilarious.
The cinematography is creative. There are lots of shots where characters are seen in mirrors or reflected in windows, providing a split-screen effect. There are some peculiar angles. The oddest shot was when the characters were descending a spiral staircase but were largely obscured by an interposing crystal chandelier. Donen was unhappy with the script but time constraints on the availability of Peck and Loren meant he had to start shooting. As such, he tried to hide the script behind action and daring cinematography.
Good popcorn fun.
