Our Man in Havana (DVD)

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"Dr. Strangelove" is much more of a black Cold War comedy than this, but "Our Man in Havana" is still a clever satire. Oswald Morris ("The Spy Who Came in from the Cold") really gets the tone of this film, and his cinematography reinforces the subtle humor and pointed satire. If there's a character who seems adrift, it's the assistant that headquarters sends to him. Maureen O'Hara feels as if she's wandered onto the set of a different film than the one she's been working on, while the rest--Noel Coward as the recruiter, Ralph Richardson as "C," and a host of minor characters--feel more at home. By contrast, I don't think I've seen better performances from Ives and Kovacs, who make you believe their characters . . . and then some. And Guinness? He's an Everyman who's just trying to get by, and his involvement in grand espionage and the way he's able to fool the top brass provides most of the film's gentle humor.

It's not all chuckles, though, as guns are fired and lives are altered. But "Our Man in Havana" best captures the absurdity of a time when governments were literally feeling their way as they tried to keep tabs on their enemies, and a new world order was taking shape.

Watch this with or without martinis, shaken or stirred. Either way, it's an intriguing film that's artistically constructed. Just as importantly, it's a historical artifact the likes of which you'll never see again.

Video:
"Our Man in Havana" is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and the black-and-white picture quality is generally good. The contrast levels are lower than I would have liked, with too many scenes shot through with daylight, but as far as graininess goes it's a pretty clear video.

Audio:
The audio is a nothing-fancy Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono with closed captions in English. Tonally, it's a little flat, and the best that can be said is that it's free of distortion and pop/hiss/crackle.

Extras:
The concept is cute, but the bonus features aren't even as substantial as olives in a martini. There's the original trailer and two "Martini Minutes"--clip-montages with voiceover narrative that tries to sell the marketing concept: "Secrets of Seduction" and "How to Travel in Style." More martini recipes or ones for canapés would have been better.

Bottom Line:
Fans of Cold War films need to add this to their libraries, plain and simple. It's an intelligent script that drives the action, and winning performances that sell the satire.

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