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You are efficiently working your way through my list of favourite films! I haven't seen this for ages.. but do I remember a sinister scene in a forest practising shooting water melons?

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Very much so. A forest in Provence. Last shot- melon exploding. Can never get my head round why he's only given five bullets. He uses up three to calibrate the rifle. We share similar tastes...

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A favourite film.

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It’s a sensational film, taut, tense, hard-edged and brilliantly acted. Sinden and Brittan are superb as the Scotland Yard detectives.

“Commissioner, how did you know whose phone to tap?”

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"$500,000? Considering you expect to get France in return, I'd have thought it a reasonable price..."

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I mean he has a point. There’s an element of Dr Evil’s “one meeeeellion pounds”. They want the president assassinated. That’s always going to cost, otherwise everyone would be organising coups.

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Mais, oui.

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Jun 16Liked by Luke Honey

The anachronisms, 1961 to 1973, used to bother me, but I've got over myself these days and, like you, the last time I saw it I just saw it as a darned good thriller. Paris looks great in this, flares aside, all very stylish. As with the book it really doesn't matter that De Gaulle lives the plot is still based on fact (up to a point!).

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Funnily enough, thinking about it, I rather like the 60s/70s hybrid.... adds that extra dimension.

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