Sharp Dressed Men

So I saw the new Man from U.N.C.L.E. movie today. I enjoyed it when it was going on. After all, it stars two very handsome men engaging in derring-do while wearing beautifully tailored clothes (Napoleon/Henry's wardrobe is especially impressive).*

I also remember little or anything about it.

I grew up on the TV show and am watching a Me-TV rerun as I post this. It was better. It simply was. There was greater chemistry between the agents and it relied less on violence and more on cheeky charm.

The movie does have exceptional production values and a few plot twists I didn't see coming. But it doesn't have these two. The movie Illya is a damaged soul with a scary temper. David McCallum's Illya is a geek who, while capable of great athleticism, would rather use his head than his hands. While both the movie and TV Napoleons share their love of a good woman and a fine suit, Robert Vaughn's is more optimistic about his ability to get out of whatever dilemma he may be facing at the moment, and the fate of the world at large.

So save your money and watch the reruns.

*The women's wardrobe is distracting, though. The movie is unwisely set in mid-1963, as established by the speech JFK is shown delivering. The women are all shown wearing Carnaby Street/Twiggy style threads, which didn't come into vogue until 1967. (If there's an era I know cold it's the 60s.) Which isn't to say I didn't love seeing all those big beautiful sunglasses and swinging, dangling earrings. They just weren't appropriate.