The Tamarind Seed (1974)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Evelyn Anthony (novel)
Blake Edwards (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 July 1974 (Sweden)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

During a Caribbean holiday, a British civil servant finds herself falling in love with a Russian agent.

Plot Keywords:

Paris | Cold War | London | Caribbean | British Intelligence

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Julie Andrews	...	Judith Farrow
Omar Sharif	...	Feodor Sverdlov
Anthony Quayle	...	Jack Loder, Head of MI6
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Fergus Stephenson
Sylvia Syms	...	Margaret Stephenson
Oskar Homolka	...	General Golitsyn
Bryan Marshall	...	George MacLeod
David Baron	...	Richard Paterson
Celia Bannerman	...	Rachel Paterson
Roger Dann	...	Colonel Moreau
Sharon Duce	...	Sandy Mitchell
George Mikell	...	Major Stukalov
Kate O'Mara	...	Anna Skriabina
Constantine Gregory	...	Dimitri Memenov (as Constantin de Goguel)
John Sullivan	...	KGB Agent

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1975) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1989) | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:A (original rating) | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Barbados

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

Final film of Oskar Homolka.

Quotes:

Feodor Sverdlov: I belong to a great country and a great socialist movement which one day will be accepted by the whole world.
Judith Farrow: God forbid.
Feodor Sverdlov: How could He if He doesn't exist?

Movie Connections:

Features Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Soundtrack:

Play It Again

This one has it all.

This movie is not highlighted in any discussion of the careers of either Julie Andrews or Omar Sharif, but it's a jewel. It has romance (the subtleness of which is very effective without constant bedroom scenes), intrigue, espionage, exotic locations, a multi-layered plot and plenty of suspense. You do have to pay close attention to keep up with the rather complicated story, but it pays off. The '70's clothing and hair styles are amusing, and the Russians are no longer the "bad guys," but those facts don't detract from the great storyline. Andrews and Sharif make a very attractive couple, and play their parts perfectly. In fact, everyone turns in a fine performance in this, one of my favorite movies.