That Man in Istanbul (1965)

Nice effects though.

Fresh and Exciting

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Kelly (Sylva Koscina) is a gorgeous FBI agent who is investigating the disappearance of Professor Pensdergast (Umberto Raho) , director of a major US government research on nuclear energy . She arrives in Istambul where is the prime suspect , Tony Mecenas (Horst Buchholz) , a con who carries out illegal games supported by his hoodlums (Gustavo Ré , Alvaro De Luna) , being pursued by the stiff Inspector Mallouk (Angel Picazo) . In the course of the investigation , Kelly meets Tony , who , moved by the beauty of Kelly and the reward of one million dollars , will help her find the professor . As several international agents and Chinese spies track him , chase him , unarm or undress him , but Tony goes on his dangerous adventures full of action and amusement .Fun and romantic snapshot in time and place in which a swindler falls in love with a beautiful agent . Stirring film in which there are nail-biting action scenes , intrigue , blasts , suspenseful set pieces and two big stars : Buchholz-Koscina , if not much continuity . An agreeable all action sixties Euro-nostalgia trip , being fast paced and rightly developed . An action filled European thriller flick in which the suspicious protagonist falls in love for his investigator and there are some thrilling chases along the way before the final takes a slight twist . Successful thriller that follows the exploits and moving adventures of a rogue trickster , the German Buchholz who played in ¨Magnificent Seven¨ and ¨1, 2 , 3..¨ and a wonderful secret agent , the attractive Croatian actress Koscina . Mid-sixties Istambul comes across as very European locations and serve as an excellent backdrop for most of the action . The plot was a satisfying mix of set pieces and unexpected plot twists . Sympathetic acting by Horst Buchholz as a kind of James Bond as well as a young and adventurous seducer , and stunningly accompanied by the really charming Sylva Koscina . Being a Spanish production here appear several notorious secondaries as Ángel Picazo , Álvaro De Luna , Alberto Dalbés , Gustavo Ré , Luis Induni , Antonio Molino Rojo , Victor Israel and Jorge Rigaud as CIA Chief . Evocative cinematography by Juan Gelpi , including the exotic '60s atmosphere , though a perfect remastering is necessary , because the film copy is washed-out . Being shot in Istambul that is widely and marvelously shown . Lively and catching musical score by Georges Garvarentz . The director was defending his name and career , but also his money in more ways than one , as he was one of the producers investing in the project . Antonio Isasi Isasmendi is a good professional , a craftsman who has directed several films in diverse genres , as adventures and action , especially , such as : The dog 1979 , 1968 Las Vegas, 500 millions , 1963 The mask of Scaramouche and Summertime Killer . "That Man in Istanbul¨ results to be a surprisingly solid little film , including some action scenes very skillfully staged . Decent action/thriller is worth trying . This is a movie that's both entertaining and enlightening . Certainly worth watching if you're in the mood for something other than typical exploitation fare .

I caught this last week on the German 3rd / regional channel RBB, unaccountably included on a Spanish hotel cable TV service. Unfortunately for me, with a lot of work to do the following day, I couldn't bear to turn it off, so got to bed rather late. Why? Because as most of the other reviewers have noted, it's really rather good. The action just keeps flowing and the entirely watchable cast imbue the whole thing with a decent slickness.Spanish director Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi captured the emerging glamour/spy zeitgeist with style, underpinned with a workmanlike eye for detail (I forgive him the wrecked car replacements, I'm sure the budget was not over generous). The occasional asides of the Tony Mecenas hero are fine in the context of the time and probably soften the otherwise implausibly super-human aspects of the character. It's a technique already pioneered in similar genres, e.g. Roger Moore's "The Saint".Mid-sixties Istanbul comes across as very Euro-Mediterranean and serves as an excellent backdrop for most of the action. The plot was a satisfying mix of set pieces (meaning that one felt at home with the genre) and unexpected twists (meaning that there was no way the viewer could foresee the eventual outcome). Like a number of other reviewers, I also found the relatively low profile of Sylva Koscina for much of the action to be a bit of a shame, having fallen for her somewhat after watching the excellent "Deadlier Than The Male" recently.P.S. Retro-discovering these decently constructed sixties Euro-thrillers, particularly those made totally outside the Anglo-American sphere, has become a real pleasure in recent years.

A handsome hero with a shady past and a knack for adventure (Horst Buchholz), a beautiful heroine assisting him (Sylva Koscina), evil masterminds and agents, kidnapped scientists, an exotic setting (Istanbul), fights & chases, etc: the stage is set for a 60's Bond-inspired spy adventure. This one begins pretty well, but loses its spark when Koscina (one of the most underrated spy girls of the decade - see also "Deadlier Than The Male") disappears for long sections. Klaus Kinski also elevates the few scenes he is in (and has the best line in the film: "I am considered a good shot by those I have killed"!), but, like Koscina, he is underused. Buchholz is pretty good, both in the tongue-in-cheek and in the more violent moments, but the film is too long at 119 minutes, and about halfway through I began to lose the plot. At least it's better produced than many of these Bondian imitations, though the current VHS prints, fullscreen and worn-out, don't exactly do the production justice. (**)

This is one of the best action spy thrillers I saw, and believe me I've seen a lot.Even by today's standards, it would be good, provided someone cared to restore it's brightly colour, perfect editing, and natural sound. The alternate soundless shots of a knife fight inside the hotel swimming pool, where he can see each detail of two athletic actors actually going at it, and the merry sounds of tourists on the esplanade above while still unawares of the drama close-by, has NEVER been recreated in any film, possibly because it was too much trouble, or there were no Horst Buccholz and Mario Adorf around.The dialog was OK, and true grit, real lines, and delivered with realism. In that not only Buccholz was good, but the other actors, too, therefore grabbing the spectator into a quite realistic scenario. The story develops from a predictable ending into something quite different, therefore we miss the presence of Koscina in the later part of the story, but it is all for the best of the film.The director was defending his name and career, but also his money in more ways than one, as he was one of the producers investing in the project through Isasi (Barcelona, Spain). It is a pity that there was never a VHS around that I know of, and that no DVD is made of such a precious B jewel.