Reviews (7)

Man from uncle are great
The first one is a little more wild than i like but the second on is the best I have seen.They are great guys I like it that the good guys always win at the end.

George Sanders steals Vol 2 in great dichotomous style
Why 5 stars you may ask? This volume really shows us the dichotomy that existed between the First and Second Seasons of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." television series. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was a great extension of the James Bond cinematic phenomena created in the 60s. "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and the follow-up "The Yukon Affair" couldn't be more different in tone. But that's what made this series so dynamic. George Sanders steals both episodes.

An UNCLE classic
The first show on this video is the sparkling Gazebo in the Maze affair, featuring the talented George Sanders as Squire G. Emory Partridge. This one is a classic example of how good this show was to begin with. The dialogue is crisp, and not to be missed are Jeanette Nolan's wacky Edith Partridge and Leo G. Carroll in biking attire! Written by Dean Hargrove, who should've done more episodes, this one has the kind of dialogue in it that made the show so popular. Illya is kidnapped by the Squire, who has a grudge against UNCLE, and it's Napoleon to the rescue (well, sort of, since he promptly gets captured as well). The classic line from this one is when they are escaping through the maze, while being chased by a gamekeeper and a very large, nasty looking wolf. When the gamekeeper accidentally is attacked by the wolf, Illya murmurs, "bon appetit!" Definitely a keeper!

The second title brings back the squire, minus his wife, for a less clever episode. It's okay, but it definitely lacks the sparkle of the first. However, Illya manages to kiss the cute little Eskimo, and both agents wind up in the hospital. Not as clever or as imaginative as the Gazebo affair, but not as silly as some of the third season episodes, either.

Gazebo in the Maze and Yukon Affair
Though "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and "The Yukon Affair" are something like a two part episode, "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" appeared in UNCLE's first season while "The Yukon Affair" appeared in UNCLE's second season. If you read on you'll find out why I'm only giving this volume only 3 stars.

Episode 27 "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair": A long time ago, Napoleon and Illya stopped the plan of Squire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) to control a small country in South America. Now he wants revenge. He kidnaps Illya and lures Napoleon to his manor in Eastsnout. He captures Napoleon and wants to have Napoleon and Illya convince Mr. Waverly come to Eastsnout to try to bring UNCLE down. They refuse though and Partridge, together with his wife Edith (Jeanette Nolan), torture Napoleon and Illya. Peggy Durance (Bonnie Franklin) helps them escape fortunately. The only thing is, the dungeon is right in the center of a maze in which it is filled with all sorts of deadly traps.* Great episode with a great plot. In the second season of UNCLE, they made it so Partridge returned again, in The Yukon Affair. I definitely prefer this first one with Partridge though. The part when Napoleon, Illya, and Peggy are trying to get out of the maze is really exciting, especially with Partridge, his henchman, and a wolf looking for them.

Episode 43 "The Yukon Affair": Sqire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) has returned and has acquired in Alaska a large quantity of Quadrillenium X, a very heavy metal with high magnetic powers which THRUSH wants. Napoleon and Illya are sent there to try to stop him but are immediately captured by Eskimos, but are saved by the chief's daughter Murphy (Tianne Gabrielle). Partridge and his niece Victoria (Marion Thompson) again capture them though. Will Napoleon and Illya be able to escape and find the cache of Quadrillenium X? * Weak and stupid plot, not very high up in my list of favorite UNCLE episodes. The scene in the beginning where Illya and Napoleon are in UNCLE headquarters is the best part of the whole episode, the rest is just too silly.

George Sanders returns twice as G. Emory Partridge
Volume 2 in the "Man from U.N.C.L.E." video collection features George Sanders as that most urbane bad guy, G. Emory Partridge in a pair of episodes from 1965. First up is "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" (Episode #27: April 5, 1965), where it turns out that Partridge has not really been dead these seven years since last the boys saw him. Partridge kidnaps Kuryakin as a trap for Solo, with the aid of his strange but deadly wife, marvelously played by Jeanette Nolan. Dean Hargrove and Antony Ellis wrote the script for this above average episode, based on a story by Ellis, while Alf Kjellin was the director. Partridge returns in "The Yukon Affair" (Episode 43: December 24, 1965), although I am sad to report Mrs. Partridge does not make an appearance this time around. Like most sequels it is somewhat disappointing, especially since Sanders and Nolan were such an interesting tag team. Anyhow, Partridge tries to kill Solo with a big rock and then Waverly sends the boys off to the Yukon to track him down. While this certainly gives a whole new meaning to the idea of the Cold War, this is an okay episode that is just not as good as "Gazebo." In both of them the cheif charm is the way Sanders proceeds to do his evil deeds with such charm and grace. Marc Siegel wrote the "Yukon" episode, which was also directed by Kjellin. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not too hot
"The Gurnius Affair" guest-starred future "Laugh-In"
Sock It to Me gal Judy Carne, but it lacks the lustre which
boosted the popularity of this fad series. "The Master's Voice
Affair" is a typical third-year turkey which forecasted the way
for this show's eventual demise.

Judy Carne and the her master's voice affair
Judy Carne guest stars as professional photographer Terry Cook in the Year 4 offering "The Gurnious Affair" which features a takeover the world theme.Illya really let his hair grow in season 4 and is really trying to be ruthless as a military man impersonator.Judy carne's outfits in the episode really fit her style.
"The Her Master's Voice Affair" is a 3rd season offering in which Estelle Winwood plays Miss Partridge who tries to control her girl students at a private school through Brahms lullaby and it throws into a murderous state of mind.Illya is assigned to tutor and protect an Oriental man's daughter played by Victoria Young who develops a crush on Illya.Victoria Young falls from a rail in the house into Illya's arms kissing his face and he's ready to give her a spanking.Even while they watch a romantic movie she wishes Illya would kiss her like that.Talk about teenage girl crushes on adult men. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

U.N.C.L.E. family fun...
THE MAN from U.N.C.L.E. was one of the '60's most popular shows.
Robert Vaughn and David McCallum essayed the "We Spy" team of Napoleon Solo and Illa Kuryakin. Leo G. Carroll--formerly of TOPPER fame--was UN spy master who sent them off to weekly
adventures parodying 007 films which had captured imaginations of the cinema-watching world. Despite "cool head" humor of both Vaughn and McCallum, and appealing sang froid/savoir faire they brought to their characters, the material now strikes as dated in many instances. Not so VOLUME 1. THE STRIGAS AFFAIR,is U.N.C.L.E. at its witty best. Along with genuinely clever plot twists to ensnare war-mongering Werner Klemperer(Colonel Klink of HOGAN'S HEROES),there is a typical series gimmick of featuring classy guest stars. In this instance, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy of STAR TREK fame.

Episode 2,THE NEVER-NEVER AFFAIR is also serious fun with Barbara Feldon (Agent 99)of GET SMART facing-off against THRUSH, U.N.C.L.E. series' SPECTRE clone led --this time--by Caesar Romero. Some think the best of the BOND spy parodies was OUR MAN FLINT. Some think it was--and remain--Peter Sellers' Jacques Clousea, PINK PANTHER adventures. It's a debate of weight to be sure. Nevertheless: if you were a series fan; thought you were one; or wanted to be part of the U.N.C.L.E. family; Volume I is...in my estimate...a blank-filled, but on target sure-shot.

a great review for a great show!
If you love action, twists, and humor all rolled into one, get this video!! The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Vol. 1 is a great example of how the 60s reinvented cool! In this volume, the episodes are "The Project Strigas Affair" and "The Never Never Affair".

In the "Project Strigas Affair" William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy delight us with their first great performance together.(even though they were only in a couple scenes together)The episode sorta has a "Mission Impossible" feel to it. It's full of twists and schemes. We also see Illya test out some of his disguises! A must see!

"The Never Never Affair" has to be my FAVORITE episode of the whole series! In this episode Barbara Feldon (Agent 99 on "Get Smart") guest stars as the innocent Many Stevenson who longs for the glamour and excitment of espionage. Mandy bugs Napoleon to his breaking point, but instead of a real mission he gives her a fake one with the "Evasion Pattern Eight".(You sorta feel sorry for the girl.)He gives her a humadore(spelling?) and tells her to ask a guy at the tobbaco store to open it. Of course, she misleads a scientest into thinking she is a real courier and is handed a microdot(which she cleverly hides). This episode shows how they used humor in the series. My favorite parts were 1.)When Illya and Napoleon go into the movie theater and shoot it out with THRUSH, a guy gets shot and stands in front of someone. The person goes, "Hey, Down in front!"(the dead guy falls into a seat), "Thanks!" 2.)When Mandy goes throughout the streets thinking she's a REAL spy.3.) When Cesar Romero questions her on what the humadore is: CR:"It looks like a hum. and even smells like a hum., what is it?" MS:"Um, ah..humadore?(laughs)" 4.) The Over- The-Shoulder shot!
To make this simple(too late) get this video! You won't be disappointed!

One Of The Best One
This Is the best that i have seen.
Soom of the others i would just like one on the videos but i love them all

The Project Strigas Affair and The Never Never Affair
"The Project Strigas Affair" and "The Never Never Affair" are what I think are the best episodes in all of UNCLE's episodes. You just have to watch these two episodes if you love "Man from UNCLE".

Episode 9 "The Project Strigas Affair": Though usually UNCLE doesn't get involved in politics, Mr. Waverly asks Napoleon and Illya to make some 'diabolical scheme' to bring down a certain Balkan intelligence chief Kurasov (Werner Klemperer), who is trying to enflame America and U.S.S.R. tensions. Kurasov's assistant is (Leonard Nimoy). Napoleon and Illya (him disguised as a KGB spy), with the help of bankrupt couple, (William Shatner and Peggy Ann Garner), make up a fictional gas to catch Kurasov's attention: the gas named Strigas. * This has one of the best plots of all the UNCLE episodes. There are plenty of twists and turns, humor when needed, yet serious at some places. This is another episode of many which shows Illya as the master of disguises. This is the first time for the secondary villain, Woodrow Parfey, to play in the Man from UNCLE show. He would be playing in many more episodes in the time to come. This is also the first time for Star Trek William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy to act together. One of my favorite parts in the show is when says, "But that's absolutely diabolical," to which Napoleon replies, smiling, "We try."

Episode 25 "The Never Never Affair": Mandy Stevenson (Barbara Feldon) is an UNCLE Portuguese translator who wants excitement. Napoleon Solo feels sorry for her so he send her out on a fake mission to get Waverly's tobacco and Mandy mistakenly takes an important microfilm that THRUSH is after. Napoleon and Illya search the streets looking for her before THRUSH gets to her. Eventually, Mandy and Napoleon are caught by THRUSH leader Victor Gervais (Cesar Romero). The only thing is, the microfilm is on a microdot and Mandy has hidden it so well that THRUSH can't find it!* I love, love, love this episode! Everyone's great in here; Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, and especially Barbara Feldon as Mandy Stevenson. She's great! The plot is good, everyone's acting is good, and it's so funny, yet serious where it's supposed to be. Here are a couple of my favorite parts. 1) When Mandy tries to convince Napoleon to give her a mission and Napoleon gives the fake mission and 'evasion pattern number 8', which is a fictional route. 2) When Napoleon tries to explain to Mr. Waverly and Illya about sending Mandy on a fake mission. Especially when Mr. Waverly asks what route she's going by and Napoleon says, "Evasion Pattern 6". The look on Mr. Waverly and Illya's faces are so funny! 3) In the beginning when Illya's trying to get away from THRUSH. 4) When Victor Gervais is trying to convince Mandy to tell him where the microdot is. She tells him, "Let me warn you. I don't crack under pressure." He says, "Not at all?" Mandy replies, "Not... noticeably, no." And basically the rest of the show is great.

Napoleon Solo uses Captain Kirk & 99 to help save the world!
Whoever put together Volume 1 in the "Man From U.N.C.L.E." Collection apparently decided the classic spy spoof series of the Sixties could not be marketed on its own merits and offers a pair of episodes featuring future television icons William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy from "Star Trek" and Barbara Feldon from "Get Smart." However, that does not take away from the surprising discovery that these are two of the best episodes from the show's first season. "The Project Strigas Affair" (Episode #9: November 24, 1964), finds Shatner and Peggy Ann Garner as a couple who are recruited for Napoleon Solo's scheme to stop a diplomat, played by Werner Kemperer of "Hogan's Heroes" fame, who is trying to heat up the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Technically Shatner and Nimoy are in some scenes "together," but they do not really act together. Still, this is there first appearance on screen together. This episode was written by Henry Misrock and directed by Joseph Sargent.

In "The Never-Never Affair" (Episode #25: March 22, 1965), Feldon plays Mandy Stevenson, a translator at U.N.C.L.E. who wants excitement and gets more than she bargained for. Solo sends her out to get more pipe tobacco for Mr. Waverly, but tells her it is a secret mission. Of course she ends up with a microdot containing key information about THRUSH., which means bad guy Victor Gervais (Cesar Romero, the Joker on "Batman") is after poor Mandy. "The Never-Never Affair" is one of the best lighthearted episodes from the series, although Illya Kuryakin again gets little to do. Also directed by Sargent, this was writer Dean Hargrove's first "U.N.C.L.E." episode. Here we have one of the few times Volume 1 of a video collection of a television series actually has nothing but great episodes on it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Great Movie
When is this movie going to DVD? This one is the best of all the Racquel Welch Westerns--It has plenty of action and great storyline--The best part with Racquel is when she is taking a shower from a railroad water tank to confuse the Mexican soldiers that are on a passing train--who cannot help but look? She is dressed but the clothes are tight!!! What a scene!!! Plenty of action in this movie-especially the love scene with Jim Brown--this along with Bandeloro are the best--get them both---DVD PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WONDERFUL
I wasnt even born yet when this film came out but it was great. Great in the sense of good actors(Jim Brown, Burt Reynolds and Fernando Lamas), good performance, good sountrack once more and action-western, what could be better?......Not until last year 2003 did I know that Victor Newman(Young and the Restless) was the Fernando Lamas's right hand man in the film!!!! What a shock!!!

Great Action Western South of the Border
This is a somewhat underrated action film set during the Mexican Revolution with James Brown as a deputy who crosses the border to bring back Burt Reynolds for the stolen 100 rifles. Eventually Brown and Reynolds get involved in the Revolution through Raquel Welch . Brown and Reynolds play well off each other as they go up against Fernando Lamas and his Federal army. Director Tom Gries put together some great action sequences. That combined with Jerry Goldsmith's score makes for a film that really delivers. Hans Gudegast (Eric Braeden) brilliantly underplays his part as a German military advisor to Lamas. This film helped launch Burt Reynolds into stardom. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Doesn't have the greatest of plots, but still fun to watch!
Volume 5 has episodes "The Off-Broadway Affair" and "The Take Me To Your Leader Affair", both which appeared on Man from UNCLE's third season. The Man from UNCLE series is one of my favorite TV series ever to watch! But I must confess, these episodes do not have great plot (thus the 3 stars) but still I love the episodes! Lots of funny parts! The main characters are Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn, "Bullit" and "The Magnificent Seven") and favorite the enigmatic and quiet Russian, Illya Kuryakin played to perfection by actor David McCallum (another great movie with him is "The Great Escape").

Episode 69 "The Off-Broadway Affair": When an off-broadway actress is killed after trying to contact UNCLE, Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) are sent to investigate. They feel that the murdered actress had information about how THRUSH has recently been getting information through UNCLE's main computers. With the help of understudy, Janet Jarrod (Shari Lewis), they go up against THRUSH agents Machina (Leon Askin) and Linda (Joan Huntington) before anymore of UNCLE's valuable information is stolen. * A so-so episode with fun Shari Lewis, who I'm sure everyone knows her from her TV show, "Lamb Chops". We get to see her sing "All God's Children Have Rhythm" and watch her perform the song "Stand Up and March". And what a surprise, we get to see David McCallum perform his own show "A Man is a Horn" while he is working undercover! Lots of funny lines throughout the whole show, my favorite is in the beginning where Illya says, "I seems a trifle unfair Napoleon. You get to dally around with a lush, young actress while I go prowling around in a dirty basement." But the reason this episode is so-so is because of some parts in the plot which were pretty stupid.

Episode 75 "The Take Me to Your Leader Affair": Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin are sent to scientist Adrian Cool's (Woodrow Parfrey) whose instruments are pointing out that a UFO is approaching the earth! When his daughter, Coco (Nancy Sinatra, the great Frank Sinatra's daughter), is kidnapped along with Illya by power-mad millionaire Simon Sparrow (Paul Lambert), it's up to Napoleon Solo to learn why. With the help of Corinne (Whitney Blake), Napoleon learns that Sparrow is going had faked the approaching UFO to secure power for himself. * Another episode which lacks plot, I still love it for some really great parts. UNCLE regular Woodrow Parfey this time gets to play the good guy. I really like all the parts with Illya and Coco. Coco flirts a lot and gets to kiss him! And for David McCallum fans, I'm sure you'll be interested to find that he gets to play the guitar, plus perform a duet with Sinatra the song which he wrote himself! And, of course, not only does Illya get the girl, Napoleon gets his own girl, the very pretty Whitney Blake.

Horrific stuff!
Both episodes were horrible, pure examples why the show went down the drain. Forget the guest stars. They don't save the episodes' silly quality. Save your cash.

The Off-Broadway and Take Me To Your Leader Affairs
In "The Off-Broadway Affair", UNCLE's arch-enemy, THRUSH, has found a way to infiltrate their top secret computer files and wreak havoc with the information they have discovered. Can a musical performance by Illya and help from an aspiring actress (Shari Lewis) save the day or is UNCLE doomed?

In "The Take Me To Your Leader Affair", a unappreciated astronomer discovers an asteroid hurling towards the earth. Napoleon and Illya are deployed to deal with the situation, but Illya is captured while trying to save the scientist's kidnapped daughter (Nancy Sinatra). Features a great singing duet. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Terrific first season episodes!
Volume 17 has episodes "The Quadripartite Affair" and "The Giuoco Piano Affair", both which appeared on Man from UNCLE's first season and are one of the first episodes. The Man from UNCLE series is one of my favorite TV series ever to watch! The main characters are Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn, "Bullit" and "The Magnificent Seven") and my favorite the enigmatic and quiet Russian, Illya Kuryakin played to perfection by actor David McCallum (another great movie with him is "The Great Escape").

EPISODE 3 "THE QUADRIPARTITE AFFAIR": In Yugoslavia, Marion Raven's (Jill Ireland) father is killed because of his discovery of a plot to overthrow governments with the use of a fear gas. Gervaise Ravel (Anne Francis) and Harold Buffington (John Van Dreelen) are behind the plot and have Marion to be watched. Also working for them is Colonel Adam Pattner, (Richard Anderson, from "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman" series). Solo and Illya are assigned to find out where the fear gas is being made and to destroy it along with the help of Marion and native Yugoslavian Millan Horth (Roger C. Carmel).

Great episode and this is the first Man from UNCLE tape that I bought. Illya Kuryakin fans will most definitely love this episode since he gets to do a lot, plus he gets a love interest. The thing is that Marion, Jill Ireland, is in real life David McCallum's wife (though unfortunately she doesn't seem to act or do very well in this episode). Besides this episode, she will later on play in also "The Tiger Are Coming Affair" and "The Five Daughters Affair". And since this affair was supposed to be a two-parter with "The Giuoco Piano Affair" but was made into two separate episodes, she will return in her role as Marion Raven along with the same villains Ravel and Bufferton. We also get to see May Featherly as the beautiful UNCLE agent Heather McNabb, who occasionally appeared on UNCLE's first season episodes, one example "The Neptune Affair".

EPISODE 7, "THE GIUOCO PIANO AFFAIR": Gervaise Ravel (Anne Francis) and Harold Buffington (John Van Dreelen) are back again and on the run. UNCLE wants to get them once and for all. Napoleon concocts a plan to use Marion Raven (Jill Ireland) as bait for them. At first Marion is dead set against it but with a little persuasion from Illya (she really does like him!), agrees to help. According to plan, Marion is kidnapped by Ravel and Buffington to be used as a bait to get the UNCLE agents. Of course Napoleon and Illya are ready to catch the crooks and save Marion.

In my opinion, I like this episode better then The Quadripartite Affair. The title of this episode comes from the chess move called the Giuoco Piano where the players force the Queen to make her move (but of coures the White Knight, Illya, comes to the rescue!!!).Jill Ireland does a much better job in this episode, acts her parts just right and says her lines to perfection. She plays a little stronger role, especially in the beginning where she argues with Illya. Throughout the whole episode you can tell she's trying very hard to get Illya's attention! The humor is great and some of the best scenes are both the beginning and end party scenes at Marion's apartment. Some of the guests you can tell are Richard Donner (UNCLE director as a drunk), Norman Felton (UNCLE creator as a chess player), Sam Rolfe (UNCLE pilot scriptwriter as a Texan) and associate producer Joseph Calvelli (UNCLE writer as a writer). When asked how it felt to direct himself, Richard Donner said with a tongue-in-cheek answer, "I was the most versatile actor I've ever worked with" (trivia from "The man from UNCLE book" by John Heitland).

I very much highly recommend this Man from UNCLE Volume 17. For other good first season episodes, I also recommend Volume 1 which includes "The Project Strigas Affair" and "The Never Never Affair". Volume 3 has also two very good second season episode's included, "The Deadly Toys Affair" and "The Minus X Affair". But I should say that all of UNCLE's episodes are good!

Illya and Napoleon try to stop Harold and Gervaise
Volume 17 of the "Man from U.N.C.L.E." videotape series contains a pair of first-rate episodes from the first season, both directed by Richard Donner. Actually, it is a two-part story, but the two parts did not come in consecutive episode, which is certainly a nice touch. "The Quadripartite Affair" (#3, October 6, 1964), is the first episode where Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) takes the lead. Four conspirators are trying to seize power in an Eastern European country. Gervaise Ravel (Anne Francis) and Harold Buffington (John Van Dreelen) are the couple running the plan, while McCallum's then wife, Jill Ireland, plays Marion Raven, the innocent young woman caught up in the whole thing. Illya has to over come a fear-inducing gas and while he does derail the plot, the evil couple escapes. The fight continues in "The Giuoco Piano Affair" (#7, November 10, 1964), and is actually the better of the two episodes. Certainly it is the funnier of the pair, especially since Marion gets to have an adventure with Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn), while still being sweet on Illya, as his partner tries to finish off the villainous love birds. Meanwhile, Harold and Gervaise are having their own problems since he thinks she does not love him as much as he loves her, even though he finances all her evil plans. You have to love master criminals with marital problems. This is also my favorite title in the series; it refers to the gambit in chess where you force an opponent to move out their Queen. Of course, it describes the plot perfectly, but it is also just a very neat idea. In these episodes everything just clicks.

The Quadripartite Affair and The Giuco Piano Affair
These two episodes were at first going to be made into a two parter but was changed to two different episodes. The two episodes has lots of Illya and his former wife, Jill Ireland. Their both great, and so is Napoleon. I love the party scenes at Marion Raven's (played by Jill Ireland) house in the Giuco Piano Affair!

These episodes for any Illya fan!
The Quadripartite Affair and the Giuoco Piano Affair is a must see! For those who love Illya will enjoy them. Jill Ireland is very funny in the Giuodo Piano affair. I love the party scenes! You'll laugh at the funny parts!

not the best but better than average
These two episodes were filmed and telecast as separate episodes but fit easily into one two-hour show as they were filmed to be released as a two-hour theatrical film. While they don't represent the best efforts of the first season, which was clearly the show's best, they are nevertheless superior to anything in the second and third seasons and much of the fourth. The best scene is Solo's attempt to track Ann Francis on a yacht during a party. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

7 wonders--terrible directing
The director of the fourth UNCLE season wanted the show to return to a serious vein after the much-too-silly third season. He went too far in the other direction, however, and ruined it completely. There is no banter between the stars whatsoever. The camera angles are absolutely ridiculous. The scenes are agonizingly drawn out to fill the two hours. UNCLE was pure gold in the beginning, and hugely popular. The network should have known that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The Last Episode: "The Seven Wonders Of The World Affair"
In one of history's great letdowns, "The Man From UNCLE" series ended with this two-part depressant. It seemed as though the entire crew and cast of UNCLE simply gave up before this episode was even filmed.

First, the plot is ridiculous: a former UNCLE agent decides to create a cultish sect, headquarter it in the Himalayas, and, together with six other intellectual "wonders of the world", blanket the planet with a docility gas, through which these seven can control the actions of everyone. Why did UNCLE even bother getting involved? Because the villain slips through the plot holes, thereby coming very close to pulling off his dastardly plan.

Horrible acting abounds, especially from the auxiliary cast. There isn't enough material in the story to justify a two-part episode. The teaser to "Part I" is enough to drive one into the bathroom. Through nauseating use of the wide-angle lens, the wife of the wayward UNCLE agent rescues a THRUSH agent hopelessly trapped in the upper level of a mansion. Not only do the wife and THRUSH agent escape, but Solo and Kuryakin's car is destroyed by a remote-controlled, window-mounted missile launcher in the mansion. Please.

Because this is the final UNCLE episode, "Seven Wonders" falls into the fourth season of the series, during which drastic facelifts were applied to the series. In the hands of Season Four producer Anthony Spinner, UNCLE, which had previously enjoyed wacky antics akin to "Get Smart". Spinner wanted no part of this, and threw UNCLE in the cold storage room to harden it up for the fourth and suicidally-final season. Humor was basically excommunicated for the season, and it kicks off right away with "The Summit-Five Affair" (a man's brain is destroyed during the teaser). By the time "Seven Wonders" rolled around, this formula was well-absorbed into the UNCLE schema. Plot and dialogue, therefore, really don't matter in these episodes. The morbid music, combined with desolate scenes of a weary, bombed-out Solo staggering through the Himalayas, only to be apprehended by THRUSH and sentenced to death; and the final scene, during which (here come the spoilers....oops, too late) the coffin of the wayward UNCLE agent is loaded onto a plane, thus ending the episode, and, sadly, the series.

"Seven Wonders" is an important UNCLE episode, if for no other reason than because it is the last one, but it leaves a sour, depressed, disheartened taste in the mouth. Buy at your own risk. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

EXCELLENT!!
This is WOW...Good Job Alan Alda!! I recommend this to anyone wanting to have an understanding of prison...and yes this is realistic!!

Uncompromising, Brutal Film is Powerful and Shocking
Man, after 30 years, this film still retains the power to shock and unsettle viewers. It's amazing to think that this was even televised back in the early 1970's, when most of t.v. was variety shows and comedy. This is a powerful film, telling the story of a college professor (Alan Alda) who is sent to a maximum security prison for accidentally killing a man in self defense. The horrors that await Alda are numbing, from gang attacks, rapes and stabbings, to indifferent guards and physcotic inmates. This is one of the fineset performances Alda has ever given, and the gritty, on-location shots and use of real prisoners gives it an all-too real atmosphere. If you enjoy terrific character studies, coupled with grim reality and a shocking, unpredictable story, this is the film for you.

'Glass House' is also probably one of the best 'prison' movies ever made, and certainly an intelligent indictment on the human condition. I saw this on it's original 1970's airing when I was a kid. Maybe it 'scared me straight' and help me stay on the straight and narrow. If so, I commend it's power. And after all these years, it still entertains and is as good as any contemporary drama.

Disturbing and depressing!
This movie is by far the one of the most disturbing movies that I have ever seen. The protagonist, Jonathan Paige (masterfully played by Alan Alda) suffers both mental and physical pain to save the least. He is innocent and yet he pays dearly for his bad timing and luck. Vic Morrow also does an excellent job as the evil Hugo Slucum. The rape and suicide scenes are among the most realistic and disturbing ever filmed. I would give this movie 5 stars for its sheer realism, but that would assume then that I would recommend it, which I don't. It is too disturbing. I did not help that I first saw it when I was 11.

no captions!
If you like or need or want subtitles or closed captions, do NOT get this DVD! No subtitles. No closed captions for the deaf. Too bad the producers of the DVD did not see fit to add the captions.

One of Alan Alda's best!
A must for any Alan Alda fan! This all-star cast depicts prison life as it is, unglamorous and violent. Great acting by Alan Alda who plays his ever-present role as a nice, softspoken, chronic do-gooder who is much too fragile for the tough, testosterone rich environment in which he is wrongly made to live. Alda faces threats to his physical as well as his mental health as he tries to addapt to his new and intimidating surroundings. (Destiny steps in to cast Billy Dee Williams as the inmate/pharmacist he was born to play) I love this movie for it's brutal honesty and it's uncommon unpredictability. It's not the movie you'll walk away from with a warm and fuzzy little feeling in your heart, but it'll definately grab your attention and force you to completely enjoy every minute of it. Alda is unquestionably the greatest actor who has ever lived! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

US only!
The movie-length episodes on this one are great, so much so I had one imported to my house in England (cause you can't get U.N.C.L.E stuff over here). Watch out though, one of the episodes was turned into a TV movie and is often shown on TNT... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Compelling Drama!!
This movie is a compelling drama about migrant farmworkers focusing on one family featuring Sissy Spacek.It's a must see!! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

When the bullet turns red...
... the General will be dead.

I'm starting to get it, I think. The gig with spaghetti westerns, that is. Capitalism stinks, the Establishment is corrupt and everybody over thirty in clean clothes is likely to be shot. The good guys are greasy, sweaty, and rude. They talk when their mouths are stuffed with chicken stolen off the plate of the corrupt property holder. The good guys are a mescal induced nightmare of the progeny of hippies and Hell's Angels - a peculiarly sixties vision of a union of the odious with the sociopath.
The Hippie Creed is announced on the international trailer to A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL: "They gambled their lives for absolute freedom to do as they please." Right on, man.
None of this makes A BULLET an unpleasant viewing experience, but I didn't really much care who was going to be shot next, which was a good thing considering the body count in this one. Gian Maria Volonte plays El Chuncho, the leader of a band of marauders who loves The People. Klaus Kinski plays El Santo, El Chuncho's brother and a man who loves God. Lou Castel plays the gringo Bill Tate, dubbed "Nino" by El Chuncho, a man who loves Money. Castel is on a secret mission (he's carrying a golden bullet in his valise. Hint, hint) and to blend in with the banditos he's dresses up like a bank teller throughout the movie. How did he keep he shirt so clean and his collar so starched?
At one point El Chuncho tries to explain it to the uncomprehending Nino. While bear hugging a peasant he says "He's poor and filthy but he's a human being. Man the same as you. Do you understand?" Right on, man. Where was that little speech when you were murdering the land owner and ravishing his wife?
A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL is alright, but it might be a tough ride if you're like me and want someone to root for.

one of the best spaghetti westerns, a cheesy masterpiece
First off if you do have a brain you will know that any film that isn't directed by Sergio Leone will be nothing like a film directed by Sergio Leone even if its in the same genre. Kind of how Lucio Fulci's movies are nothing like George Romero's yet they share or even steal the same ideas, aight?
This movie is probably my favorite non-Leone spaghetti western there is, and interestingly enough this is one of the few of the genre I've seen that makes no attempt to be like a Leone film unlike the hundreds of others made at the same time. This will be a problem for most people who will expect it and its rough edges which are mostly bad dubbing will turn most people off but I can seriously say I like this movie tons.
To keep it short there's tons of shooting, tons of explosions, 3523352523 double crossings which will make you wonder if you should be mad or cheer when you see who dies in the end, hilariously horrendous dubbing, cheesy "typical" Mexican music, and well, lots of shooting and killing. As simple as this film is I still say its far better than The Great Silence, while it has a great score, cool setting and cool ending, thats about all it has. This movie is way better.

it's NOT Sergio Leone
I ordered this with the hope of re-living the atmospheric and operatic triumpsh of Leone (Eastwood Trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West).

Honestly, I'm not a true critic, but I was nevertheless let down with the movie. Knowing Klaus Kinsky and Gian Maria Volonté were starring in the movie made want to buy it. But alas, the Volonte' character of Indio we came to admire for his acting skills and on stage persona, was NOT the same here. Primarily due to the dubbing. In For a Few Dollars more and Fist Full of Dollars, we heard the dubbed voice reflected a resonance and depth that is not represented in this film - a different dubbing voice was given... it almost made me laugh.
Buy this if you want, but I was sadly let down.

Bottom line, not in the best Leone spirit and poor dubbing.

save your money and put it towards "The Great Silence"... it's not Leone but has Morricone for the soundtrack, which is wonderful.

An Allegory of American Imperialism
Franco Solinas' heavily ironic political allegory is perhaps the best screenplay ever written for a spaghetti western. An Oscar-winning writer, Solinas turned briefly to the genre in the late 1960's, drafting the story for four oustanding entries: "La Resa dei conti," "Tepepa... Viva la revolución," "Il Mercenario," and "¿Quien sabe?"--known in the US as "A Bullet for the General." He reportedly also highly influenced two more of Sollimas' films-- "Corri, uomo, corri" and "Faccia a faccia." But Solinas' work is never more topically biting than in "¿Quien sabe?" Lou Castel (in a wonderfully opaque performance) plays a mysterious Gringo who sets up a happenstantial meeting with Gian Maria Volonte's "El Chuncho"--an idealistic but sometimes naive bandit turned revolutionary. Gradually, Chuncho comes to realize that the Gringo is an even "purer" form of the character Eastwood made popular a few years earlier: an American with "not much heart but a lot of money." Indeed, money is ALL the Gringo EVER cares about in this film. The conclusion is both cynical and revolutionary--and perhaps one of the most damning portraits of American imperialism (Solinas claimed that the Gringo is a symbol of CIA involvement in Latin America) ever put to film. Damiano Damiani's direction is at times both inspired and inspiring: the opening of the film is near-brilliant (demonstrating the lengths both the Mexican military and Chuncho will go to achieve their goals) and Volonte delivers his greatest performance next to "Faccia a faccia." Luis Enríquez Bacalov's scoring and Antonio Secchi's exquisite panoramic photography (his one great work) lend the film a style to match its substance. A movie as engaging politically as it is entertaining, it puts to shame the "professional westerns" made by American directors during the same period and is matched aesthetically only by Peckinpah's "Wild Bunch." Perhaps not a masterpiece, but easily worth the highest of general ratings and a must-see for those who enjoy leftist entertainment.

DAMIANI - KINSKI - VOLONTE : THE GOOD, THE BAD AND.. THE BAD
Directed by italian director Damiano Damiani in 1967, A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL is a pure marvel released now in the DVD standard by Anchor Bay. Just two trailers as extra features but imperial sound and images justify a must-buy status for this movie.

Now for the actors. Gian-Maria Volonté is exceptional in the role of El Chuncho, a rather likeable outlaw who considers that the mexican revolution is a good opportunity to make money by selling rifles to the revolutionaries. His brother Klaus Kinski, as blonde as El Chuncho is black, is more disturbing as a priest convinced that social justice must be brought into this world by all possible means, preferably with the help of explosives and machine-guns. El Niño, the character played by the colombian born actor Lou Castel, is even more intriguing with his attitude à la Clint Eastwood. He's the meanest of all but nonetheless develops a strange friendship for his alter ego Volonté.

Four years before Sergio Leone's A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE, A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL is already visiting the mexican revolution but with an engaged point of view that doesn't leave unharm politicians, working-class people, wealthy ranchers, pistoleros, revolutionaries or americans. Great fun with food for the mind, what more can you expect from cinema ?

A DVD zone your library. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Perhaps Heston's finest performance
Even more so than his Oscar-winning turn in BEN-HUR, Charlton Heston's role in the terribly underrated 1968 western WILL PENNY may well be his best ever. Frequently when he's not doing the big-budget historical epics, Heston's performances seem to be much more realistic. WILL PENNY is a case in point....

Aided by a solid script by director Tom Gries, who died too young in 1977, Heston gives a performance of real strength and character, with Hackett (who also died too young) equally fine as the lonely woman having to protect an emotionally fatherless son. WILL PENNY was primarily shot on location in the Owens Valley, at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada, during the winter of 1967; and this results in a very cold but still panoramic movie, superbly shot by veteran cameraman Lucien Ballard. For whatever reason, Paramount originally buried it in release in early 1968, choosing to release it simultaneously with the 20th Century Fox film PLANET OF THE APES, another Heston film that got the box office glory. Now, however, WILL PENNY is rightly regarded as a minor classic--and perhaps the real crowning glory in Heston's extremely distinguished acting career.

Perhaps Heston's finest performance
Even more so than his Oscar-winning turn in BEN-HUR, Charlton Heston's role in the terribly underrated 1968 western WILL PENNY may well be his best ever. Frequently when he's not doing the big-budget historical epics, Heston's performances seem to be much more realistic. WILL PENNY is a case in point....

Aided by a solid script by director Tom Gries, who died too young in 1977, Heston gives a performance of real strength and character, with Hackett (who also died too young) equally fine as the lonely woman having to protect an emotionally fatherless son. WILL PENNY was primarily shot on location in the Owens Valley, at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada, during the winter of 1967; and this results in a very cold but still panoramic movie, superbly shot by veteran cameraman Lucien Ballard. For whatever reason, Paramount originally buried it in release in early 1968, choosing to release it simultaneously with the 20th Century Fox film PLANET OF THE APES, another Heston film that got the box office glory. Now, however, WILL PENNY is rightly regarded as a minor classic--and perhaps the real crowning glory in Heston's extremely distinguished acting career.

Not just one of the best westerns, its one of the best films
Will Penny is perhaps the most realistic western ever filled. From the aged clothing and weapons (antiques rented specifically for the film) to non-Hollywood plot devices and ending the film is unsurpassed for realism. I recommend the DVD over the VHS because it contains a short film on that subject (more on the DVD version later). Charlton Heston's performance as ageing cowboy Will Penny is one of cinemas best and at times appears to be the inspiration for Robert Duvall's performance in Lonesome Dove. Familiar western faces in the supporting roles include Joan Hackett and Lee Majors and a who's who of westerns character actors (Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Anthony Zerbe, Bruce Dern to name just a few). If there is one flaw it is the inappropriate desert caravan score and jarring closing credits song. Despite this consideration it is a definite must for western fans. One DVD complaint, though the behind-the-scenes short shows clips in widescreen, the so-called "widescreen version" of the film is condensed and clipped. Paramount has a reputation for the worst transfers of any major studio and here is a prime example why that reputation exists. One can forgive the less-than-sharp picture because we have no idea the condition of the print, but if they had a widescreen version to gather long clips why didn't they use it for the film itself. Perhaps they were culled from a promotional short and the entire film no longer exists in its original theatrical format, but why market the DVD as part of their "Widescreen Collection," as it is labeled right there on the top of the front cover, when it was not? Just plain sloppy, and dishonest.

Heston Classic
I usually don't waste my time on thes matters but in responce to the reviewer "ageofanxiety", it is typical like that reviewer to "stereotype" Heston into the catagory of what the previous reviewer states that Heston is a actor that has "pompous roles" and STEROTYPES Heston as a "Conservative" in most of his films.Well, that is that person's opinion and it is wrong to put a great actor such as Heston into that catagory.Typical of today's reviewer that think they are experts in "avante cinnema garde" films or whatever that crap means. A movie is a MOVIE. Your so-called form of "art" is your OPINION and nothing else!This was a classic Heston role and if you want to see Heston really ACT, then I suggest you see his dual acting role in the classic movie "Mother Lode".

heston CAN act
after so many films of the conservative heston playing the conservative heston he finally remembered he was an actor and delivered a touching, humanistic performance. he is vulnerbale here and even uneducated, a far cry from the normal pompous roles heston specialized in. its a shame there werent more performances like this form him, but it is performance to be cherished.
the film has a sort of neo realism and its refreshing. the only false note lies in the overly melodramatic villians. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Green Opal and Dove Affair, Both 1st Season Episodes
"The Green Opal Affair" and "The Dove Affair" are both 1st season episodes. Not one of my favorite episodes.

Episode 6 "The Green Opal Affair": UNCLE gets a new recruit when suddenly, he goes out of control. Before he drops into unconsciousness, he says Green Opal and the name Walter Brach (Carroll O'Connor). They find out that Walter Brach is an eccentric man who yearly visits an area called the Green Opal. No one knows why he goes there. Napoleon on orders goes to investigate, going undercover by being hired as a temporary secretary to Brach. When the arrive at Green Opal, he joins up with Chris Linnel (Joan O'Brien), a woman who is kidnapped by Brach's men. They are both captured and we find out that Brach is really a THRUSH agent. THRUSH has developed a way to control people's mind, making them completely loyal to THRUSH. They have kidnapped many people from all over the world and operated them from Green Opal. Brach has plans to use Chris to get through to her genius husband and Napoleon to get into UNCLE.* This is one episode I don't like that much. For one thing, it's very serious and unlike the other episodes, not much humor. Another reason I don't like it so much because Napoleon works 'solo', without the help of Illya. I think the best episodes are the ones in which both of them are in it.

Episode 12 "The Dove Affair": Napoleon goes to Eastern Europe to get the pin of a dove which he knows nothing about from a nation's leader, except that the leader is assassinated by THRUSH. Napoleon steals the pin of the leader's body and tries to get out of the country. But THRUSH is right behind and tries to catch him. Napoleon gets on a train out of the country with the help of an Eastern European spy, Satine (Ricardo Montalban). Satine also wants the dove pin but Napoleon hides it on the train. Satine then tells Napoleon that the reason that the pin is so important is that engraved on the wings of the dove are the names of countless THRUSH agents. They decide to work together along with an American teacher (June Lockhart) to get out of the country safely.* This is a so-so episode with great Ricardo Montalban. It is pretty serious and not that much funny lines or anything. No Illya at all in this one. Another UNCLE episode with a Lost in Space actress (June Lockhart) like in "The Neptune Affair" (1st season) with Marta Kristen. Ricardo Montalban also appeared in "The King of Diamonds Affair" (2nd season).

Green Opal Affair / Dove Affair
The Green Opal Affair and Dove Affair are great though I put only 4 stars since Illya doesn't come out almost at all! I wish he came out more often in the Green Opal Affair. The Green Opal Affair is interesting and I like the beginning where Illya looks at Napoleon when Napoleon is wearing his disguise and thick glasses. I loved Ricardo Montalban in the Dove Affair! He's such a great actor!

Green Opal is a Great Episode- one of my favorites? Yes!
I remember this episode as a kid and loved it as an adult. It has this oriental guy in it that looks like "Oddjob" from Goldfinger that gives Solo nasty looks through the first half hour. Finally there is the end fight scene with Solo using a wrapped up towel as a weapon. It's B&W (black and white) for all those post 60's people out there. But the video quality of this series is very good and if you are a fan of U.N.C.L.E repeats this is one that you'll watch more than once. Even my nine year old daughter gets a kick out of them too! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Hot Number and The Suburbia Affair
The Hot Number Affair is an episode about a dress( a hot number) with a pattern that is a secret code and the Thrush people want it.This episode is built around pop singing duo Sonny And Cher who play Jerry and Ramona.Ramona(Cher) wears the "hot number" and doesn't remember where she left it until it's brought in from the cleaners.Jerry(Sonny Bono) designed the hot number that Ramona wears and Jerry has a crush on Ramona.The popular Sonny and Cher song "I Got You Babe" plays in the background.The stock music uses kazoos throughout the episode which may be irritating to some but I found it to be humorous.
"The Suburbia Affair" has Napoleon and Illya move temporarily to the suburbs.These two guys even divide up the household duties on cooking and cleaning.The so-called milkman sends them milk that appears to blowup.What a mess for them to clean up.Illya even gets to drive a ice cream truck.In one scene Napoleon and Illya almost sound like an old married couple when they begin to argue.I've seen a episode guide on "The Hot Number Affair" as an worst offering of the series.To me it's not that bad of an episode for 1967 compared to what tv executives put on nowadays. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

It was a nice movie, if not the Greatest
This was a nice movie. It was enjoyable. To take this movie to seriously might not be a good idea, but if you just wanna see Ali its good to watch. The acting is terrible, the only actors who were good in the movie were Ali himself and James Earl Jones. It was obviously a low budget movie, and if your not an Ali fan you might not like it. But Ali himself was charming in the movie and it's worth buying. If you want to see what Ali was like you should get this, if you want to see the events of his life in a clearer more serious way, get Ali with Will Smith.

Neither movie however does Ali's whole life full justice, so you might want to get an Ali documentary if you want to have a fuller look at Ali.

I thought I was renting a documentary
Expecting to see a documentary of the great man I was rather surprised when I realised this is in fact a film starring Ali himself detailing what he sees as the key points in his life.

As the three stars indicates this film is a mixed bag. Ali does a solid job of portraying himself and the ever brilliant Ernest Borgnine does a good job as Angelo Dundee. The storyline is somewhat disjointed and seeing an old Ali replaying his youthful antics is only a limited success.

There are points in the film where Ali is acting like a prize ..., whether he intentional meant to show this or whether he still didn't realise considering it was still only 1977 when this was made I am not sure.

Like the life of Muhammad Ali himself there are some areas of the film which age very well whilst others already seem rather embarressing and will only get worse as time goes on.

Ali's risking prison by refusing to be inducted into the military is a great example of a principled stand, something that will never be diminished.

However the three stages of Ali's interest in women is an example of the rather dated attitudes of the day. First we have Ali with the white hooker, thankfully saved ...by the calling of Malcolm X. The not so subtle message of this encounter equating white women as basically [easy] who are there to tempt the black man from the righteous path is racist nonsense. Ali is then saved by the perverted ideology of the Nation of Islam as spoken by Malcolm X (bizzarely played by James Earl Jones) and their "blue eyed devil" hate filled speaches. Next he moves to a transitional stage where he is with a black woman who is swiftly got rid of once she dares to dress provocatively and heaven forbid is willing to talk, even flirt with the devil white man. Finally Ali gets the perfect girl, your classic submissive and virginal young black muslim girl who needs her parents permission to go on a date.

The scenes where Ali encounters racism is no more or less convincing than the usual Hollywood stuff. Ali looks all noble whilst some small time actor is paid to stand there and call him "boy" and generally give him grief.

All in all this is probably only going to be enjoyed by the Ali fan. As someone who is a huge fan of the man despite recognising his many shortcomings I found it interesting. Someone with a limited knowledge would perhaps be better off with the modern day Wil Smith epic.

ps. I noticed they didnt include Ali getting pole-axed by 'enrys Hammer (Henry Cooper) in London. Where only the quick thinking of Angelo Dundee ripping Ali's glove and thus stopping the fight for five minutes and allowing Ali to recover prevented him from losing. ;)

Chip Mcalister
Chip was excellent in this movie and I know what happened to him. I ran into him in San Clamente, Ca and ate lunch with him. He seems to be doing very well. Good actor and good guy. 11/16/02

Perfect for the hard-core Ali fan
To sum it up, "The Greatest" is not a very well made movie. There are a few very taltented actors in it, but overall the movie lacks that certain special somthing that a movie needs to be good. Most of the scenes are dull, long and drawn out. And i don't believe that Muhammad Ali was the perfect choice to play Muhammad Ali, he really is not a good actor. But I did enjoy the movie, because I am a huge Muhammad Ali Fan. Many that ive heard have tried to compare this movie and the recently released "Ali" on DVD. But you can't really compare the two movies. "The Greatest", even though it's not a very good movie, its does portray what happened in Muhammad Ali's life very well. But the movie "Ali" does not portray his life, It just portray's Muhammad Ali himself, not his life. So I would say that this movie is a must for those who want to know more about Ali. Then after wards, rent or buy "Ali" to understand Ali's mind. when you do that, you'll have a great understanding of what kind of person, what kind of things he had to go through, and a much higher respect for "The Greatest."

More compelling than ALI with Will Smith
The day after I paid to see the film ALI, starring Will Smith, THE GREATEST, starring Muhammad Ali (playing himself), showed up on cable television. I had high hopes for ALI and low expectations for THE GREATEST.

The better picture? THE GREATEST. That's not saying much (if you saw ALI), but if nothing else THE GREATEST is worth a look for Muhammad Ali's charming performance. THE GREATEST offers several compelling scenes, even if they don't add up to a coherent film, all anchored by the ever-watchable Ali.

As the 5/30/00 review points out, Muhammad Ali doesn't sanitize himself in THE GREATEST. However, the movie's 1960s documentary fight footage followed by Ali, age 36, playing himself at age 22, breaks your concentration. Thankfully, talented actors, including Ernest Borgnine, James Earl Jones and Robert Duvall, help Ali pull it together. See THE GREATEST. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Illya Special
These two episodes are obviously designed for the fans of Illya. He's in both of them, and Solo is nearly non-existant. The Arabian Affair has fun with Illya convincing a tribe of Bedouins that he is the son of Lawrence of Arabia. Michael Ansara, as always, makes a good Arab sheik, and Phyllis Newman isn't bad as his headstrong daughter. She gets to hold her own in some exchanges with Illya. The plot, as always, is ever so slightly over the top, but everyone seems to be taking it with the non-serious attitude that made this show fun.

The second show, the Foreign Legion Affair has Illya parachuting off into the desert with a pretty stewardess to escape the Thrush villians. This results in an out -of-the-frying-pan into-the-fire situation, since they are promptly captured by a Foreign Legionnaire commandant, played by Howard da Silva, who thinks they are spies (well, he's partially right) but also doesn't know the legion has been disbanded. Like Phyllis Newman in the Arabian Affair, the stewardess gets to hold her own against Illya, and he actually smiles at her. They made a good match in this episode, inspite of her habit of biting people, Illya included, when she gets stressed out. One of the best scenes is on the plane when she asks him if he'd like coffee, tea, or milk, and to get rid of her, Illya retorts in a snappy way, "borscht". She doesn't turn a hair and answers, "cabbage or beet?" Obviously, this is an interesting woman, and unlike most of the heroines of the time (the mid 60s) she gets to take an active part in her own rescue! A good episode.

"The Arabian Affair" and "The Foreign Legion Affair"
This is a must have for Illya-philes. Both episodes showcase him extensively and, I think, well. There are some great shots of "The Illya Look" where everyone around him want to run screaming. Not too much by way of stupid moves in this one, definitely a plus.

"The Arabian Affair": Illya gets knifed and taken by a band of desert dwellers. The daughter of the leader is intent on selling him for a new camel. The Russian gains the support of the tribe by pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia's son. He then leads them on a raid on a THRUSH outpost where they are doing experiments on some flesh-melting chemical. All and all, an enjoyable romp. Even my 10 year old son liked this one.

"The Foreign Legion Affair": Not as good as the first, but still worth watching. Again, some great shots of "The Look". Illya is carrying microfilm that THRUSH wants. He ends up having to jump out a plane in a tandem jump with the stewardess and they land in the middle of the desert hundreds of miles from civilization. They find an old outpost of the Foreign Legion where the commandant and his faithful Lt. are the only ones left. The commandant does not realize the Legion is now defunct. A few moments of "Illya you know better than to do that", but what can we expect from the 60s? Another entertaining watch.

If you are a Robert Vaughn/Napoleon Solo fan, this is probably not the best video for you because there isn't much of him in it.

Not a good example of UNCLE's best, but still watchable
Volume 10 has "The Arabian Affair" and "The Foreign Legion Affair", both which appeared in Man from UNCLE's 2nd season. Although "Man from UNCLE" is my favorite TV show, as I said, these two episodes are not a good example of UNCLE's best, but still enjoyable in a way.

Episode 36, "The Arabian Affair" has Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) going to the Arabian desert to find THRUSH's new vaporizing machine. Instead he is captured by a local tribe. Though he emplores the tribe chief Sulador (Michael Ansara) to let him go, Sulador refuses, saying that his daughter, Sophie (Phyllis Newman), wants to keep Him to trade him for a camel. In New York, Napoleon Solo (Robert Vauhn) finds out that THRUSH agents are always eliminated when the retire. With this valuable information, he convinces a retiring THRUSH agent, David Lewin (Robert Ellenstein), to learn where THRUSH's base in Arabia is. Lewin and Napoleon are taken to the base, where they meet up with Illya and the tribe, whose confidence he had gained. Together, they launch an attack on the base. * Kind of a stupid plot if you ask me. Some of the humor was funny, some weren't. The next episode if you ask me is much more fun.

Episode 51, "The Foreign Legion Affair" finds Illya stealing THRUSH code documents. While flying over a desert in a private airplane, the plane is hijacked by THRUSH agents. Illya manages to parachute out of the airplane with a stewardess, Barbara (Danielle DeMetz) with the documents. They wander in the desert and after a time finds an abandoned Foreign Legion post run by Captain Basil Calhoun (Howard Da Silva). The Captain, thinking that Illya and Barbara are enemies, holds them prisoner while Napoleon races to find them before THRUSH does. * A much better episode than "The Arabian Affair". One reason is because of Danielle DeMetz. She is one of my favorite UNCLE guest stars, her starring in also "The Come with Me to the Casbah Affair" (3rd season) and also "The Five Daughters Affair" (3rd season). In all three episodes she plays a great role. She's so funny! Another reason is that this episode has plenty of David McCallum to see.

If you want my advice and you want to by some UNCLE tapes, I suggest you buy Volume 1, 3, 10, 17, and 21 before you buy this tape. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not the best but definitely entertaining!
"The Concrete Overcoat" is a two part episode made during "The Man from UNCLE"'s third season (1966-1967). The "Man from UNCLE" featured actors Robert Vauhn and David McCallum as spies for an international organization headed by Alexander Waverly played by veteran actor Leo G. Carrol. Robert Vaughn plays Napoleon Solo, the debonair and suave UNCLE spy. With plenty of charm and tongue-in-cheek wit, always expect him to 'get the girl' :). David McCallum is Russian agent Illya Kuryakin, the enigmatic and quiet partner of Napoleon Solo. Together, the two agents make quite a pair as they save the world from villains and evil bad guys from THRUSH.

Episodes #70 & #71, "The Concrete Overcoat Affair Pt. 1 & 2": Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuraykin travel to Italy to discover THRUSH's newest plan to conquer the world. They find out that THRUSH agent Louis Strago (Jack Palance) has allied with Nazi scientist Dr. Von Kronen (Ludwig Donath) to use heavy water to divert the Gulf Stream. But before the two agents can report back to New York, they are separated and Napoleon finds himself having to hide under the bed of Pia Monteri (Letitia Roman). But enough after escaping a shotgun wedding with Pia's Gradmama (Penny Santon) holding the gun, troubles don't stop there. While the UNCLE agents are trying to find Strago and stop his plans, Pia's family feels her honor has been compromised. Therefore, the girl's American uncles, retired Prohibition-era gangsters "Fingers" Stilleto (Eduardo Giannelli), Enzo "Pretty" Stilleto (Allen Jenkins), and Federico "Feet" Stilletto (Jack LaRue) are called to hunt down Napoleon. Can the agents stop THRUSH from ruling the world even with Napoleon's big problem? Also starring is Janet Leigh as Miss Diketon, Strago's sadistic and a bit crazy female assistant.

As with most of "The Man from UNCLE"'s third season episodes, "The Concret Overcoat" borders on the edge of silliness and implausibility. Mostly this comes from 'the three stooges' type of routines with Pia's uncle gangsters and their 'old' pals. Especially the warehouse scene where they are trying to capture Illya. But overall the episodes are quiet enjoyable. Letitia Roman gives a pretty good performance as the Italian girl who has a bit of an innocent personality. Jack Palance is excellent as a THRUSH who seems to be always so nervous he's always carrying a handkerchief. As for Janet Leigh, her characters is quite, how shall I say... 'interesting'. But somehow I felt that the plot made her quite uneven at times. Though she's supposed to be a highly-trained strong agent, she seems to fall unconscience a lot. And of course Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin are terrific! Lots of banter between the two of them. A few of my favorite lines are:

Napoleon: Well how was I supposed to know you'd be smart enough to escape on your own?
Illya: I bring Lucrecia Borzia and you bring the Mafia. Huh! We're in great shape.

Napoleon: We'd better get out of here before those bombers get here.
Illya: Do we have to swim?

The action is pretty good for an UNCLE episode though at times it's pretty obvious their using stunt doubles for Vaughn and McCallum. Best part of the episodes is when they're on Strago's island.

Overall, not the best "The Man from UNCLE" has to offer but it's still pretty enjoyable to watch. If you've never seen any of the tv series episodes, I suggest you start out getting "The Man from UNCLE" volume 1 ("The Project Strigas Affair", "The Never Never Affair"), volume 3 ("The Deadly Toys Affair", "The Minus X Affair"), and volume 7 ("The Quadripartite Affair", "The Giucco Piano Affair"). These three tapes are one of my favorites!