This is one of the rare movies that tapped into Julie Andrews' understated sex appeal; she is radiant throughout, with a ripe beauty. Omar Sharif, as a philosophical Russian, also has his moments, but the cast that surrounds them is not as interesting; the story goes every which way and goes on too long, with some excitement only in the last 10 minutes. Don't miss the James Bond - like opening title sequence - designed by Maurice Binder and scored by John Barry! **1/2 out of 4.
The Tamarind Seed
1974
Action / Drama / Romance / Thriller
The Tamarind Seed
1974
Action / Drama / Romance / Thriller
Plot summary
While on vacation in Barbados to recover from the lingering effects of a love affair that ended badly, Judith Farrow (Dame Julie Andrews) meets Feodor Sverdlov (Omar Sharif),a handsome Russian. They find pleasure in each other's company as they visit colorful places on the island, but there are complications to their budding romance after their vacation in the tropical paradise comes to an end. Problems arise due to geopolitical concerns of the Cold War, for Judith is the assistant to an important minister serving in the British Home Office in London, and Feodor is the Soviet air attaché assigned in Paris to Soviet General Golitsyn (Oskar Homolka). British Intelligence Officer Jack Loder (Sir Anthony Quayle) suspects that Sverdlov is attempting to recruit Judith to work as a Soviet spy, and this is in fact what Feodor tells his boss that he is attempting to accomplish. Feodor tells Judith that this is a way for him to be able to see her without bringing about suspicion from his people. Due to somewhat similar thinking on the British side, she is encouraged to see him as well. Loder is attempting to discover the identity of an undercover Soviet Agent that has been sending confidential reports to Moscow. Soon, he also is told to help a Soviet Agent who wishes to defect to the West.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Julie Andrews as Judith Farrow
Omar Sharif as Feodor Sverdlov
Sylvia Syms as Margaret Stephenson
Oskar Homolka as General Golitsyn
Movie Reviews
Reviewed by
Julie Andrews has never looked more beautiful
Reviewed by
Cold War prevents Julie and Omar from true love
The Tamarind Seed has both Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif looking to merge. But merger is going to be impossible because of the Cold War. You see Julie works for someone in the British home office and Omar is a military attaché for the Russians.
If they were from allied countries or even one of them from a neutral there would be no problem. But being in the jobs they're in they're under surveillance, even more so when they start dating. Wildest of all is that both are put on the spot to get the other to defect.
Sharif and Andrews are the weak links of The Tamarind Seed. Both lack chemistry between them, you don't the feeling that they are truly caught up with each other. The ones to watch here are Dan O'Herlihy, a high level traitor to the United Kingdom and his ambitious wife Sylvia Sims. Both of their roles are spiced with former passion turned to hate. Herlihy is a closet gay man and Sims stays married to him for the sake of position. He's in line for a top level ambassadorship and she wants it for the perks of the position.
Those two really make The Tamarind Seed worth watching.
Reviewed by
Turgid
It's a long, rambling and ultimately trite movie. Julie Andrews, who works for one of the British spy groups, goes on vacation to the Barbados. There she is courted, seduced and turned by Russian spy Omar Sharif. He does so rather easily.
It's from a novel by Evelyn Anthony, and it looks to have been influenced by the blow-up of Kim Philby, and the novels of John Le Carre: spying isn't in service of Queen and Country, it's a game of points played by people who think 3-d chess is too simple. Of course, Sharif is a good-looking guy, and ever since DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, it was understood he was Russian and not a bridge-playing Egyptian actor.
Blake Edwards directed this as a vehicle for his wife, Miss Andrews, and he directed each scene impeccably, using actors like Anthony Quayle and Oskar Homolka (in his last screen role). I'm sure the oppressive score by John Barry and plodding pace was intended to give a sense of anomie to the story, but it also gives one to the movie, and makes one wonder why Miss Andrews didn't try dogging.