The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) The Hong Kong Shilling Affair (1965) User Reviews

A Wild One

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 30 November 2014]

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. – The Hong Kong Shilling Affair – 1965

This is the 24th episode of 1964 to 1968 spy series, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. The series ran for a total of 105 episodes. The first season was filmed in black and white with the remainder shot in colour. Robert Vaughn plays agent Napoleon Solo while David McCallum plays Illya Kuryakin. Leo G Carroll plays Mister Waverly, the boss of the secret agency known as U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law & Enforcement) Their main enemy is THRUSH, an organization out to take over the planet.

In this episode, THRUSH is selling NATO information to the highest bidder at a Hong Kong location. UNCLE agents Vaughn and McCallum are sent out to the far-east to stop the sale. One of the items up for sale is a sample of the steel use in American ICBM nosecones.

Getting mixed up in the mess is ex-Army veteran, Glenn Corbett and the leggy Karen Sharpe as a Hong Kong undercover cop. The THRUSH baddies are played by Gavin McLeod, Irene Tsu and future Bond villain, Richard Kiel.

There is plenty of violence and the like in this fun episode. The pace is keep at a frantic pace by long time TV director, Al Ganzer.

Emphasis on humor and a spirit of fun in this episode

[shakspryn · 8/10 · 9 July 2017]

The James Bond films of the early 1960's were a combo of hard, exciting action; flirting and sexy women; some witty dialogue; interesting worldwide locations; and a look of big money on the screen, to sell it all. TV shows have never been able to really match all those elements, so they would pick and choose. That's this episode.

Alan Caillou, who wrote this and 6 other episodes, had a real life background of WWII intel work plus a police career in Africa. He had plenty of background to write realistic action if he wanted. Here he goes for humor and romance. Some familiar faces make this an especially fun show for we old TV hands: Glenn Corbett as an adventurous Yank tourist; Karen Sharpe as a very sexy, mysterious lady; Gavin McLeod as a bad guy; and Richard Kiel, pre-Bond films, as a henchman. Some fans, I think, yearn for the series to always lean more towards action and danger, but UNCLE always tried to have the witty, sexy aspect of some spy films. That's central to the series, as it is here. Karen and Glenn really shine in this outing.

**

[edwagreen · 4/10 · 10 February 2016]

By far, one of the absolute worst episodes I have viewed in this usually good show.

A valuable coin, stealing defense secrets, make up this episode set in Hong Kong. There, a group of deviants meet to bid on a coin which they all feel contains vital information.

When the courier of the coin is killed, Glenn Corbett plays someone who steps in to intervene and is soon caught up in the mayhem.

Gavin MacLeod is just ridiculous as a leader taking bids on the item. He is aided by Richard Kiel of James Bond fame.

Ilya coming upon the scene as a dressed up Mongolian deviant is just as absurd. The whole thing is ridiculous and absolutely laughable. One wonders how anyone could concoct such junk.