OSS 117 – Double Agent

OSS 117 – Double Agent (also known as OSS 117: Murder for Sale or No Roses for OSS 117 (Pas de Roses pour OSS 117)) is a 1968 Eurospy film about agent OSS 117, starring John Gavin.

OSS 117 – Double Agent
Italian film poster
Directed byJean-Pierre Desagnat
Renzo Cerrato
André Hunebelle
Written byRenzo Cerrato
Jean-Pierre Desagnat
Pierre Foucaud
Michel Lévine
Based onPas de roses pour OSS 117 by Jean Bruce
Produced byAndré Hunebelle
StarringJohn Gavin
Curt Jurgens
Luciana Paluzzi
Margaret Lee
CinematographyTonino Delli Colli
Edited byJolanda Benvenuti
Music byPiero Piccioni
Distributed byCinema International Corporation (Italy)[1]
Valoria Films (France)[2]
Release date
  • 28 July 1968 (1968-07-28)
Running time
105 minutes
CountriesItaly
France
LanguageEnglish
Box office1,226,223 admissions (France)[3]

Plot

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Cast

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Production

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Frederick Stafford did not reprise his role as he was filming Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz and was replaced by John Gavin.[4] The film used an idea of having the hero undergo plastic surgery to fool his enemies, an idea discarded by the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) that was being filmed at the same time.

The film was shot in Rome and Tunisia. It was known during production as No Roses for Robert.[5]

Reception

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The film was only a moderate success at the box office in France – the 40th most popular film of the year.[6]

It was not released in the US despite Gavin's presence in the lead role. However the film did help Gavin be cast, briefly, as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Niente rose per OSS 117 (1968)". Archivio del Cinema Italiano. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ "OSS 117 - Double Agent / OSS 117 - Murder for Sale". UniFrance. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  3. ^ Top box office hits in France in 1968 at Box Office Story
  4. ^ a b Philippe Lombard, "No Roses for OSS11" Production information at Historie de Tournages
  5. ^ Martin, Betty (Feb 9, 1968). "MOVIE CALL SHEET: John Gavin Set for Role". Los Angeles Times. p. c15.
  6. ^ "French box office 1968". Box Office Story.
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