It is the height of the Cold War and Judith (Julie Andrews), who works in the British Home Office, has gone to Barbados to get over a failed love affair. She just happens to be staying next door to suave Col. Sverdlov (Omar Sharif), a highly-placed Russian spy. He pursues her, relentlessly, and then follows her back to London. Does he want to defect to the West or recruit her for his side?
Despite the two beautiful stars and a top-notch supporting cast, the movie is slow, confusing, and dull. Andrews never convinces us that she is attracted to, let alone in love with, the Colonel. She looks stiff and uncomfortable throughout, wearing a wardrobe that was meant to be glamorous, but looks silly. The script makes Sharif out to be an annoying, tiresome, overgrown teenager with one thing on his mind. The lovely John Barry soundtrack is haunting and the scenery is lush, but the movie's over-all feeling is one of cool detachment and ennui. Unfortunately, there is neither romance nor spy thrills to be had in The Tamarind Seed.
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The Tamarind Seed dvd movie.