Does it deserve such a low rating?Frankly,no.There were ,in the wake of James Bond,so many dismal spy thrillers that you've got to be kind to "peau d'espion".Anyway,it's not James Bond style:no gadgets,no high budget.The plot might repel some,since it remains almost indecipherable till the scene between Jourdan and Berger in the car at night.And it's an hour before it shows up.But ,although implausible,-like 99% of the spy thrillers anyway-the story makes sense and features good actors:handsome Louis Jourdan,the French lover par excellence (he did a lot of work in Hollywood) ,gorgeous sexy Senta Berger,veterans Bernard Blier and Edmond O'Brien.Sometimes looks like a poor man's "torn curtain" if you take China instead of USSR.It's a far cry from it,but ,once again ,it's passably entertaining stuff.

A rather unpleasant scene nevertheless:a very unfriendly look at long-haired boys ;and they said they were all hippies!