Colourful, pungently witty tale of conservative Oxford professor Sebastian (Dirk Bogarde) enlisting hot-tempered, swinging interior decorator Becky Howard (Susannah York) into his all-female Secret Service code-breaking department and getting more than he bargained for (dosed with LSD by ex-girlfriend Janet Munro’s Soviet spy friends).
When Elsa Shahn (Lilli Palmer) leaks information to a left-wing organisation he is forced to resign. The Head of Intelligence asks Sebastian’s help in breaking a new code used by Russian satellites.
Becky has meanwhile left the department and Sebastian finally locates her, discovering that she has a child – his son.
Playing with the infant, the sound of the baby’s rattle suddenly gives him a vital clue to the new code.
Former Miss World Ann Sidney, Donald Sutherland and disc jockey Alan Freeman appear in minor roles.
Sebastian
Dirk Bogarde
Gen Phillips
Nigel Davenport
Head of Intelligence
John Gielgud
Becky Howard
Susannah York
Elsa Shahn
Lilli Palmer
Toby
Ronald Fraser
Pamela
Ann Beach
Ginny
Veronica Clifford
TV Disc Jockey
Alan Freeman
Ackerman
Donald Sutherland
Miss Elliott
Margaret Johnston
Carol Fancy
Janet Munro
Director
David Greene