"Masquerade" stars Cliff Robertson, Jack Hawkins, Charles Gray and several other excellent actors. With this cast, the film can't help be good....if it had a good script. Sadly, it doesn't have a decent script and characters simply defy beliavability.

Robertson plays David Frazer, an American who is somehow convinced to work for the British government. His job will be to keep watch over an obnoxious young man to is about to become the leader of his North African country. Why does the British government care? Well, they want a British company to secure the rights to the oil from this guy's nation.

While this plot doesn't sound bad at all, it is problematic because again and again and again, bad guys become good guys and vice-versa...to the point of absurdity. And all this plotting and scheming becomes tedious after a while and there really isn't any sort of a payoff by the end of the film. A big misfire.

There's an assassination and a change of power in a Middle East country. Suddenly the British oil rights are at risk. So they get Jack Hawkins to kidnap the prince, and he hires old WWII associate Cliff Robertson to help him out. As usually happens in these caper movies, things don't go according to plan.

Robertson was born in 1923, so he certainly was of an age to serve in the Second World War. He also looks far too young for the role, in his early 30s at the latest. Still, he does a good job, as does everyone, even though this busted caper movie is not terribly engrossing. The satirical edge is a little weak.

I suspect the story got a bit muddled. It was originally intended for Rex Harrison, but he was busy, so they got in Hawkins, and decided they needed an American. Sometimes a lot of rewrites polish a script. Sometimes it makes it worse.

A down-on-his-luck American, David Frazer (Cliff Robertson),is recruited by a British fellow he knew during the war to assist with mission. It seems that a Middle Eastern Prince will assume power in just a few weeks. Until then, the boy's uncle is in power. The British government is worried that the uncle will attempt to assassinate the Prince to keep power. And, the British government can't have that. The young Prince seems likely to grant Britain oil concessions in his country. Anyway, Frazier is recruited as part of a plot to kidnap the Prince and hide him in Spain until he comes of age. Quite naturally, there are any number of people who would like to get their hands on the Prince - whether to kill him or for ransom. Can Frazier keep the boy alive?

After writing that rather lengthy plot summary, I realize that I should have just said that Masquerade is the story of a man who is double crossed at every turn. That's what makes this thing so fun. Just when you think Frazier has found someone he can trust, they double cross him. At times, it's hard to tell who is on who's side. Frazier finds himself in all sorts of predicaments - bonked on the head and dumped in a wine truck, scaling the narrow ledges of a castle, part of a clown show in a circus where he is rolled in a carpet and kidnapped, and locked in an animal cage with the beautiful Marisa Mell (tough job). There's just so much going on.

Another big plus for Masquerade is the cast. In addition to Robertson and Mell, Jack Hawkins, Michel Piccoli, Bill Fraser, Charles Gray, and John Le Mesurier are on hand to lend their considerable talents. I was especially impressed with Hawkins. What a great actor.

I'm amazed that Masquerade only has 217 votes on IMDb. I can't believe more people haven't seen this. It seems to me it would appeal to fans of 60s comedies, Eurospy fans, or anyone looking for a bit of fun. It's got plenty of action, comedy, espionage, and other good stuff. It's even got a dangling rope bridge that looks suspiciously like the one in Indiana Jones. I enjoy Masquerade more and more each time I see it. I'm giving it a very strong 7/10.