What a waste of my time!!!

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

A passenger on an airplane becomes very ill. After examination, it becomes clear that he suffers from smallpox, a dangerous and highly infectious disease. Disquieting reports come in, speaking of individual smallpox cases in other countries. Will Archie Bannister of the World Health Organisation (WHO) discover the origins of this surprise outbreak, thus saving the world from an epidemic ? A strange movie, this, situated somewhere between thriller, adventure story and comedy. I watched it with a degree of enjoyment, mainly because of the good performance by lead actor Terry-Thomas, but I can understand why the movie is regarded as something of an experiment : the mix is not entirely successful. The main problem stems from the screenplay's desire to keep everything light, neat and happy, which leads to some VERY unrealistic scenes or characters. For instance, the airline passenger who becomes desperately ill is a married man. His wife, a glamorous and much younger woman with a taste for the high life, is not overcome with grief or worry. The viewer can believe this - sadly enough, not all marriages are based on love and tenderness. However, the wife continues to lead a life of near-unclouded happiness, even after discovering a) that her husband has smallpox and b) that she has been exposed to it. Later on, even her husband's death does not rattle her. In real life, the mention of the word "smallpox" would give pause to even the most ambitious or self-absorbed of golddiggers. There's another scene where some representatives of the WHO crash a busy party, in order to tell the guests that they were exposed either to a smallpox sufferer or else to somebody in close contact with a smallpox sufferer. As a result all of those present need to receive an injection, immediately. In the movie everyone takes this announcement in his stride : people queue up in order to get their injection, while asking only the most polite and neutral of questions. Again, it is unlikely that a real-life crowd would react this way. In real life, you would get at least one self-made expert pontificating, at least one obnoxious drunk trying to pick a fight, at least one delicate flower fainting at the sight of a needle, at least one pompous ass threatening litigation, and so on. And people would worry and fret, endlessly : "what if I'm pregnant ?" / "what if I infect my pregnant sister-in-law ?" / "what if the injection doesn't work ?" / "will the injection still work if I get the flu ?" / "I had a great-grandmother who died of smallpox, what if she slipped me some of her bad genes ?" / "what if I develop an adverse reaction to the injection ?" / "last year I suffered from skin cancer, at the beginning of this year I fell off a ladder and now this - am I being cursed ?". But no, in the whole movie there's nary a sob or a complaint to be heard.Still, you won't hear me say that this is the worst movie I've ever seen - it isn't. The intrigue is original and the deductive process is interesting, as is the wider context of the fight against plagues such as smallpox. (Lovers of female pulchritude can also gaze upon Sonja Ziemann, who, as the wife/widow of the stricken passenger, is hot enough to melt rocks.)

I have little to add to the other reviews that have pointed out the lamentable fact of this film's undeserved obscurity. It's a bit hard to describe or categorize because it is such a relaxed combination of light to oddball comedy plus a first rate mystery being pursued by an uncommon sleuth (Terry-Thomas in top form) and his American "sidekick" (Alex Nicol doing a competent job with an unconventional assignment as an actor).It is common to say that they don't make 'em like this any more. In this film's case it's also true that they never made so very many like this at all. I won't pretend that it's brilliant, though Terry-Thomas's performance probably qualifies, but it is the obvious product of a clear vision, a strong hand at the helm, and a very able crew. Once it started it kept me amused and engaged constantly.What fun! If you have any affection for British comedy or light mystery, do not miss it

Terry-Thomas works for WHO. WHO? Yes, WHO. The World Health Organization. He is to find out how an airline passenger had been infected with the smallpox and to root out the possibility of it spreading to others. Who did the gentleman come into contact with, and where had he been? He was traveling with his five-week newlywed wife, and his partner in business, played by Alex Nicol, was to meet him at the airport. But he was transported to the airport hospital, after falling ill. Yes, you heard right - the airport hospital. They have a rather good one. Shirley Eaton, James Bond's "Goldfinger" girl, has a small role, but Terry-Thomas is the whole show with his debonair and charming disposition and wits in getting at the truth. It gets really complicated and involved, but it's so rewarding and funny, especially nearer the end of the film, as he resorts to unscrupulous means for an autopsy. For those WHO love Terry-Thomas and British comedies, I would also recommend "School for Scoundrels," but, as the business here is to say something about WHO, I will simply say it's Terry-Thomas at his dashing best, without the presence of Peter Sellers or anyone else stealing the attention away from one of British film's greatest personalities, Mr. Terry-Thomas. Did I mention the star of the movie is uh, Terry-Thomas?

I haven't seen this movie since it came out in the early 60's, but I've always remembered it as refreshingly unusual, with Terry Thomas as an employee of the World Health Organization who is trying to track down the source of a small, puzzling epidemic of smallpox. He is almost thwarted by big oil money, secrecy, and efforts to cover up criminal acts. (I'm going to see it again soon, however - I found it for sale at CINEMAWEB. If my opinion changes after I've seen it again, I'll change my comments, if your site will allow that.)