The Spy with a Cold Nose

The Spy with a Cold Nose is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Laurence Harvey, Daliah Lavi, Lionel Jeffries, Denholm Elliott, and Colin Blakely.^[1] It was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.

The Spy with a Cold Nose
Directed by	Daniel Petrie
Written by	Ray Galton Alan Simpson
Produced by	Joseph E. Levine Leonard Lightstone
Starring	Laurence Harvey Daliah Lavi Lionel Jeffries Pickles (dog)
Cinematography	Kenneth Higgins
Edited by	Jack Slade
Music by	Riz Ortolani
Production company	Associated London Films
Distributed by	Paramount British Pictures (UK) AVCO Embassy Pictures (US)
Release date	19 December 1966 (1966-12-19)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

A dog has a covert listening device implanted before being presented as a gift to the Russian leader. Spies recruit a veterinarian, to retrieve the transmitter before the Russians find it.

Cast

• Laurence Harvey as Dr. Francis Trevelyan
• Daliah Lavi as Princess Natasha Romanova
• Lionel Jeffries as Stanley Farquhar
• Eric Sykes as Wrigley
• Eric Portman as British Ambassador
• Denholm Elliott as Pond-Jones
• Colin Blakely as Russian Premier
• June Whitfield as Elsie Farquhar
• Robert Flemyng as Chief M.I.5
• Bernard Archard as Russian Intelligence Officer
• Robin Bailey as man with Aston Martin
• Genevieve as nightclub hostess
• Nai Bonet as belly Dancer
• Paul Ford as American General
• Michael Trubshawe as Braithwaite
• Bruce Carstairs as Butler
• Glen Mason as 'Ark' assistant
• Norma Foster as 'Ark' nurse
• Gillian Lewis as Lady Warburton
• Wanda Ventham as Mrs. Winters
• Amy Dalby as Miss Marchbanks
• Tricia De Dulin as air hostess
• Virginia Lyon as lift attendant
• Julian Orchard as policeman
• Jack Woolgar as zoo keeper (uncredited)
• John Forbes-Robertson as M.I.5 Workshop Director
• Arnold Diamond as agent in water wagon
• Pickles the dog as himself

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Broad, thoroughly British farce, developed along totally predictable lines but partly saved by a script which at least has the virtue of keeping things on the move, and by a zany and superbly timed performance from Lionel Jeffries. There is good support from Colin Blakely as the dog-loving Russian Premier and from Eric Portman as the British Ambassador who holds private meetings in a sound-proof glass bowl. The dogs have thankfully little to say for themselves."^[2]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "Ace sitcom writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson here offer their contribution to the spy boom that was dominating popular cinema in the 1960s. Their sub-Bondian farce stars Laurence Harvey and fine comedy actor Lionel Jeffries in a story of Cold War espionage which features a bulldog with a listening bug grafted to its insides for spying on the Russians. The script was held up as a model of its type but the genius of the words lost a little something in translation, but much mirth remains."^[3]

Film critic Leslie Halliwell said: "Rather painful, overacted and overwritten farce full of obvious jokes masquarading as satire."^[4]

Accolades

The film was nominated for the 1967 Golden Globe Awards in the Best English-Language Foreign Film category, and Lionel Jeffries in the Best Performance in a Comedy or Musical category.^[5]