Our Man in Havana (1959)

Plot:  A British vacuum cleaner salesman joins the British secret service. To keep his superiors happy, he invents fictitious spy tales. However, his lies take on a life of their own and attract enemy agents.
Stars:  Alec Guinness, Noel Coward,  Burl Ives, Ernie Kovac, Maureen O'Hara

There are two reasons to see the movie, one is the excellent acting of Guinness and Coward, the other is the fascinating location shots of pre-Castro Cuba. Otherwise, its rather mediocre. There are a few funny moments, but much of book's humor - based mostly on irony, sardonic humor, and absurdity - doesn't translate well onto the screen.  Maybe Carol Reed should have hired a good film comedy writer instead of Grahame Greene. Its also hurt by some oddball/box office driven casting. Kovac is a Cuban Policeman,  Ives is a German Doctor and O'Hara is an English secretary and love interest. None of them do particularly well.  The movies serious turn at the end is rather jarring.

Note: Hitchcock bid for the rights and paid the highest sum, but Greene refused to let him film it.  It seems Greene never had much liking or respect for Hitchcock and thought he'd "Ruin" the film. It'd be interesting to know what Hitch would've done differently - for a start, he probably would not have hired Greene as a screenwriter.

Summary:  Given the talent involved, a disappointment - its uneven and surprisingly serious - but Guinness and Coward provide a few chuckles. **1/2