Ernie Wise
Ernie Wise, born in 1925 in England, is best known as one half of the iconic comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. In The Intelligence Men (1965), he showcases his comedic prowess, bringing a distinct charm to the film's absurdity. While primarily recognized for his television work, Wise's foray into film adds a layer to his legacy, reflecting the playful spirit of 1960s British comedy. His role in this cult classic highlights the intersection of humor and cinema during a transformative era for entertainment.
The Intelligence Men
Eric (Eric Morecambe), in his London coffee bar, is happily serving black coffee to a sinister-looking man (Tutte Lemkow) when the man tries to persuade him to remember a tune. Unfortunately, Eric is tone-deaf. Ernie Sage (Ernie Wise) enters the coffee bar and Eric tries to get him to identify the tune, without much success. Eventually, Sage realises that this could be something to do with a forthcoming visit by a Russian trade delegation and an assassination attempt by an organisation known as "SCHLECHT" to sabotage this mission. He reports this to his superiors in Military Intelligence (although he is little more than an office-boy), and they reluctantly agree that only Eric, having heard the tune, will be able to lead them to the centre of the plot. Eric is persuaded to pose as a British agent – the recently deceased Major Cavendish – who had managed to infiltrate SCHLECHT. After a few set-piece comedy interludes, the tune is identified and the plot switches to a performance of Swan Lake at the projected venue for the assassination, where the star Russian ballerina Madame Petrovna (April Olrich) is in grave danger. This section provides some of the funniest moments of the film: for example, Eric, masquerading as a Russian, adopts a broad Scottish highland accent; and during the ballet performance itself, Eric and Ernie, dressed in Egyptian costumes, get mixed up in the "Dance of the Little Swans". Finally, however, the villain is unmasked and all ends happily.
