The Trouble with Spies

1987 comedy film by Burt Kennedy

The Trouble with Spies

Directed by	Burt Kennedy
Written by	Burt Kennedy
Based on	Apple Spy in the Sky by Marc Lovell
Starring	Donald Sutherland Ned Beatty Ruth Gordon Lucy Gutteridge Michael Hordern Robert Morley
Cinematography	Alex Phillips Jr.
Edited by	Warner E. Leighton
Music by	Ken Thorne
Production company	HBO Pictures
Distributed by	De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Release date	December 4, 1987
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$6 million^[1]
Box office	$205,507

The Trouble with Spies is a 1987 film written and directed by Burt Kennedy. A spy spoof comedy, it stars Donald Sutherland and Ned Beatty.^[2]

The film was shot in 1984, but not released until three years later.^[1] It features veteran actress Ruth Gordon's final performances. It was also the final film of Suzanne Danielle.

Plot

When secret agent George Trent goes missing, spy agency chief Angus sends inept colleague Appleton Porter to the isle of Ibiza to find out why.

Appleton meets a number of guests in Mona Lewis's hotel who were familiar with Trent, but none has a clue what became of him. Appleton himself is totally clueless, nearly being killed a number of times but surviving mainly due to pure dumb luck.

Cast

Donald Sutherland as Appleton Porter
Ned Beatty as Harry Lewis
Ruth Gordon as Mrs. Arkwright
Lucy Gutteridge as Mona
Michael Hordern as Jason Locke
Suzanne Danielle as Maria Sola
Robert Morley as Angus
Gregory Sierra as Captain Sanchez

Production

The film was financed entirely by Home Box Office, the first production of the pay cable channel’s new theatrical motion picture division.^[1] the film, initially titled Trouble at the Royal Rose, was greenlit in the Spring of 1983 and the film had a $6-million budget.^[1]

Michael Caine was initially offered $1 million to play the role of Appleton Porter However, Caine turned down the role and actor Donald Sutherland took the part instead.^[1]

Based on a novel titled "Apple spy in the sky", one of several spy spoof novels featuring agent Appelton-Porter by author Marc Lovell, all of which feature apple puns, the film was originally to be titled "Trouble at the Royal Rose" (being the name of the British-run Ibiza guesthouse where Appleton-Porter puts up), but by April 1984, it was announced that the title had changed to "The Trouble with Spys", using a deliberate misspelling supposedly because it would look better on theatre marquees.^[3] Nevertheless, the trailer "corrected" the spelling to 'spies', as did contemporary posters and as still do most current references, including IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. ^[4]^[5]

Home media

After limited theatrical release HBO Video issued The Trouble With Spies UPC 0026359002830 ISBN 1-55803-0255 on VHS, in 1993. It was released on streaming, but not DVD or Blu-ray.^[6]

The poster illustration depicts a Volkswagen Beetle with convertible top yet the film only features the Citroën 2CV.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "The Trouble With Spys [sic]". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
^ "The Trouble with Spies (1987) - Burt Kennedy - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
^ https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57871
^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094188/
^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_trouble_with_spies_1984
^ "The Trouble With Spies (HBO)". Max. 1987. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
^ "The Trouble With Spies - VW Beetle Cabriolet USA 1987". Drivepast Original Movie Posters. Retrieved 6 November 2023.