Espionage Escapades

vf wing

New member
Couldn't find a thread on this episode. It's tone is quite.. different from most of the other episodes I've seen so far. Very lighthearted and entertaining. But I nearly busted a gut during this scene:

PDVD_004.gif


There is also an action sequence that's highly reminiscent of one from the films, but I don't want to spoil it too much. Kind silly to be worried about spoiling something that's a good 15 years old by now, but since I'm just only discovering this material for the first time I figure there are others too.

The second half overall reminded me of a Three's Company episode, since the plot basically revolved around a misunderstanding. But it was much funnier!
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Hey, vf wing, funny animated .GIF! The only other threads I can think of are:
Ep. 10: Barcelona, May 1917
Imagine being introduced to the series via "Prague, August 1917"

Plus, I don't think there's a need to worry about spoiling anything in a specific topic like this. The action scene you're thinking of, though,
does it involve oranges and pantyhose?:p Agreed, they are both hysterical episodes, especially Barcelona since Terry Jones directs & acts.
I'm a big Monty Python fan so, naturally, I like it but that crotch scene is nuts (literally)! I also thought it was great that he returned to film
the linking segment.

Having been to both those cities in the past year or so, my appreciation for "Espionage Escapades" has increased in a big, big way.
Attention to period detail is one of the series' many strengths so I was impressed they depicted Barcelona's Sagrada Familia still in it's
early stages of construction because I thought they had it wrong! (It's that really absurd, funky looking church by Gaudi in the opening.)
The research put into Young Indy was deep...even for a 4 second shot like this.(y)

Did you notice that a role in Barcelona was played by a "Raiders" actor?
 

Crack that whip

New member
Stoo said:
Did you notice that a role in Barcelona was played by a "Raiders" actor?

I did! I've noticed at least eleven different actors who've had multiple roles in the overall Indy series (movies and TV), in fact; I was thinking about putting up a listing of them on the Indy wiki, with it being a category one could list those actors under ("Actors appearing in multiple roles").

I've further noticed that it seems centered around Raiders of the Lost Ark - that is, that one movie seems to have more actors who appear in other Indy roles elsewhere than any one other movie or episode does (it even has at least two actors who each play more than one role just in Raiders alone, and they each also returned for other roles in the series).

Anyway, Wolf Kahler, memorable as Dietrich in Raiders, also portrays another German officer in this episode. It's somewhat tempting to devise some fannish backstory giving them some kind of familial link...
 

vf wing

New member
Check that Stoo, I'll stop stressing over spoilers. I know I just simply avoid the threads that deal with the entire series or specific episodes I haven't seen yet (which is turning into a miniscule number).

The action sequence I was referring to was the ride down the stairwell. It immediately echoed the mine cart chase for me. I'm not recalling the oranges and pantyhose reference, but that's not too surprising considering how fast I've been blowing thru these things. That's what re-viewings are for! (y)

The different feel of this episode was much appreciated. Not that I don't appreciate the general war theme, but it's fascinating to take a peek into what culture consisted of a century ago. Hope I remember to look out for that church next time I watch this one.

I did indeed pick up on "Dietrich's" presence. Crack, you should definitely put up that wiki entry!
 

Crack that whip

New member
vf wing said:
Crack, you should definitely put up that wiki entry!

Ask, and ye shall receive! I also created a preliminary page for Julian Firth, who's in this category.
:hat:

Oh, and...

Crack that whip said:
I've further noticed that it seems centered around Raiders of the Lost Ark - that is, that one movie seems to have more actors who appear in other Indy roles elsewhere than any one other movie or episode does (it even has at least two actors who each play more than one role just in Raiders alone, and they each also returned for other roles in the series).

To be specific, out of the eleven actors I've identified so far who have more than one Indy character, seven of them have their first roles in the franchise in Raiders of the Lost Ark - that's over two thirds of them!
 

Nurhachi1991

Well-known member
I saw this episode last night and I did not care for the first segment at all which is a first because I have loved every episode so far. But the second half where Indy was trying to get the phone installed was pretty funny and I was wondering was it supposed to have a 1920's silent movie feel? It was like something you would see in a Charlie Chaplin movie especially when they were coming down the stairs on the cabinet. The task could not of been simpiler wait till 12:00 and take the call kind of like Laurel and Hardy trying to get a Grand Piano up a flight of stairs.



all and all I thought it was a great episode.
 

Flannery10

New member
Well, the second half of "Espionage Escapades" was actually based on Franz Kafka's novels, who also appears in this episode. Even though I haven't read any Kafka, I heard the novels and this episode are quite similar in style.

Personally, I have a completely different opinion about the quality of the 2 episodes. I thought Barcelona was hillarious and well made, with the some great scenes in the theatre. For me a 9/10.

Prague though was a little too much Murphy's Law and in the end I just thought the episode was waaay to ridicolous! It's nice they tried to make a tribute to Kafka's work, but it was the wrong series to do it in. Yes, it was funny, but you know what I mean. Right episode in the wrong show!
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Nurhcachi1991 said:
I saw this episode last night and I did not care for the first segment at all which is a first because I have loved every episode so far. But the second half where Indy was trying to get the phone installed was pretty funny
No offence (and don't mean to be a stick in the mud), Nurhachi, but there's already a thread about this: Espionage Escapades
Anyway, glad you enjoyed the episode because this part is pretty much a make-or-break part of the series.

As Flannery10 stated, the Barcelona chapter is hysterical and a little less over-the-top as the Prague episode. After visiting both cities, I can appreciate the 2 stories equally but "Prague" has the edge on being a little too silly at times. Nonetheless, I love the Prague characters and the climax with the telephone pole.:whip:

Flannery10 said:
Even though I haven't read any Kafka, I heard the novels and this episode are quite similar in style.
One of his last stories, "The Castle", is a story about a man's frustrating attempt to enter a castle in order to obtain a work permit. Insanity at it's best!:eek:
 

Violet

Moderator Emeritus
I absolutely love the Barcelona segment, coz it's really funny, but still in touch with the reality we're given throughout the series, but the Prague half was way, way, too cartoony and in fact, irritates me royally. It annoys me so much that I have never watched it again.

It reminded me of all my troubles with my grad film. So much permits and authorities to deal with just to make a final year student film. :rolleyes:
 

Nurhachi1991

Well-known member
The whole episode in general was like a classic slapstick movie from the 30s. The three spies in the first half even reminded me of the stooges.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Violet Indy said:
I absolutely love the Barcelona segment, coz it's really funny, but still in touch with the reality we're given throughout the series, but the Prague half was way, way, too cartoony and in fact, irritates me royally. It annoys me so much that I have never watched it again.
The one part of Prague that really annoys me is the sped-up photography of the filing cabinet going down the stairs.:sick:

Nurhachi1991 said:
The whole episode in general was like a classic slapstick movie from the 30s. The three spies in the first half even reminded me of the stooges.
Especially when the trio is running around sliding on the floor of the theatre entrance or when they're in the balcony with opera glasses trying to find where the reflection is coming from. (Not sure if you know this but the Barcelona segment starred & was directed by former Monty Python member, Terry Jones.)
 

Indy_Forever

New member
Love this episode, i actually found it pretty funny when Indy did that kind of jig on stage for Morse code, it's a good episode. i really liked it, wish they'd make figures of YIC (y)
 

Flannery10

New member
Violet Indy said:
I absolutely love the Barcelona segment, coz it's really funny, but still in touch with the reality we're given throughout the series, but the Prague half was way, way, too cartoony and in fact, irritates me royally.

Another reason why I prefer the Barcelona episode. To a certain extent it's still realistic, even though there's a lot of slapstick.

Glad to see there's such a big interest in this episode. Definetely the comedy highlight of Young Indiana Jones.
 

acsgrlie

New member
Yeah, I really liked the Barcelona part. My favorite is when Indy gives the agents the message in morse code with his codpiece and the agents say the message out loud word by word :D
Prague took me a few more viewings to get into but it got funnier each time. The "incandescent with rage" part always gets me.
 

AnnieJones

New member
Does anyone remember the character Jacques Clouseau in this episode? I have no idea who portrayed him and I looked everywhere to find out.I looked at the DVD credits,on IMDB,and Wikipedia and found no traces of the name of the actor who plays him.If someone here knows the answer,please help me out.It would be much appreciated.:hat:
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Hi, Annie. He is Nickolas Grace (who was in "Brideshead Revisited"). The reason you didn't find him in the credits is because he is simply named, "The Prague Spy".;)
 

michael

Well-known member
Does anyone know why the actor that plays Kafka, looks nothing like Kafka?

I know they tried their hardest with matching the looks of the historical figures, and I haven't cross-referenced them all.

But Kafka seemed like a real miss. Perhaps it had to do with his estate not approving likeness?
 
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