Summaries

During a Caribbean vacation, a British civil servant finds herself falling in love with a Russian Agent.

Widowed when her husband was killed in a car accident three years ago, Judith Farrow, who works in the Home Office in London as the assistant to Sam Neilson, embarks in an affair with Paris-based married RAF group captain Richard Paterson. Breaking it off with Paterson when she discovers that he is not only not going to leave his wife Rachel as he said he would, but that he is staying with her upon news that Rachel is pregnant, Judith, to nurse her emotional wounds, is granted an early two-week vacation which she takes in Barbados. There, she meets similarly vacationing Feodor Sverdlov, a Soviet military attaché currently assigned to the embassy in Paris. Despite being married himself with his wife still back in the Soviet Union, Sverdlov pursues Judith romantically. This situation is not lost on either the British or Soviets. With Sverdlov long having been on his radar, Jack Loder with the British Secret Service, is concerned they vacationing in Barbados is not coincidental as he knows that Judith would be an asset to the Soviets in Neilson having enough valuable information to the enemies, and she easily getting back into a relationship with Paterson if requested to do so by the Soviets. Loder is already having to deal with some extramarital affairs within the British diplomatic corps which have the potential to upset the apple cart, but arguably more problematic that there is a possible double agent in their midst working for the Soviets, hence the reason why Sverdlov has been on his radar. General Golitsyn, heading the Soviet Embassy in Paris, also believes that Judith would be a good asset for them if Sverdlov is able to recruit her. Judith and Sverdlov are quite aware of how their personal relationship looks to their proverbial professional masters and as such are constantly being surveilled on both sides, but the question remains if they both vacationing in Barbados at the same time was indeed not coincidental.—Huggo

While on vacation in Barbados to recover from the lingering effects of a love affair that ended badly, Judith Farrow (Dame Julie Andrews) meets Feodor Sverdlov (Omar Sharif), a handsome Russian. They find pleasure in each other's company as they visit colorful places on the island, but there are complications to their budding romance after their vacation in the tropical paradise comes to an end. Problems arise due to geopolitical concerns of the Cold War, for Judith is the assistant to an important minister serving in the British Home Office in London, and Feodor is the Soviet air attaché assigned in Paris to Soviet General Golitsyn (Oskar Homolka). British Intelligence Officer Jack Loder (Sir Anthony Quayle) suspects that Sverdlov is attempting to recruit Judith to work as a Soviet spy, and this is in fact what Feodor tells his boss that he is attempting to accomplish. Feodor tells Judith that this is a way for him to be able to see her without bringing about suspicion from his people. Due to somewhat similar thinking on the British side, she is encouraged to see him as well. Loder is attempting to discover the identity of an undercover Soviet Agent that has been sending confidential reports to Moscow. Soon, he also is told to help a Soviet Agent who wishes to defect to the West.—Brian Greenhalgh

Details

Keywords
  • white wine
  • vodka
  • cognac
  • englishwoman
  • russian man
Genres
  • Thriller
  • Drama
  • Romance
Release date Aug 22, 1974
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) PG
Countries of origin United States United Kingdom
Language English Russian French
Filming locations Barbados
Production companies Incorporated Television Company (ITC) Pimlico Films Jewel Productions

Box office

Budget $2400000

Tech specs

Runtime 2h 5m
Color Color
Sound mix Mono
Aspect ratio 2.35 : 1

Synopsis

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