'One spy too many' is two episodes of the Man from UNCLE TV show put together to create a film length version. Alexander (Rip Torn) is breaking each of the ten commandments as he carries out his master plan towards world dominance. When he steals a chemical weapon from a military base, leaving a number 8 behind, UNCLE agents Napoleon Solo (Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (McCallum) join forces with Alexander's estranged wife (Dorothy Provine) to stop his plan before it's too late.
Like most UNCLE films this is has TV-show production values and is generally not meant to be taken too seriously. Having said that the plot is not that ridiculous compared to some of the spy spoofs' other storylines, and Rip Torn makes for a good villain. The story manages to be fun without being too silly. However the idea of a drug that makes you calm and peaceful will probably not seem too farfetched for many of us!
Vaughn has the most fun as ladies man Solo and gets the lead role of the two agents. McCallum always seemed strangely sidelined and here is no different. He doesn't get any girls, any laughs and doesn't get that many fights either. However the two do manage to have a type of disapproving chemistry between them. Provine is a bit annoying as Tracy Alexander and is not a great female lead. Other minor female characters aren't key to the story but do provide a flirtatious sexy feel to the film especially the beautiful 'Control' (Yvonne Craig who also played Batgirl!) and Princess Nicole (Donna Michelle who played another role is the earlier UNCLE film "The spy with my face"). They both provide tasteful sexiness that feels at home in a 1960's film.
Rip Torn is almost unrecognisably young as the lead villain and plays him well - with an air of uncaring evil as he calmly goes about his businesses. There are actually no really bad performances in this film! Also, having been left out in "The spy with my face" that old friend makes a reappearance - the UNCLE theme tune! It now feels more like an UNCLE movie.
It's all a bit of fun, but it manages to have good performances, a reasonable plot and some dated action in order to make itself a fun, Saturday afternoon family film. Any fan of the TV series should be a fan of this.
