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Agent for H.A.R.M.
Agent for H.A.R.M.
	Theatrical release poster.
Directed by	Gerd Oswald
Written by	Blair Robertson
Produced by	Joseph F. Robertson
Starring	Mark Richman; Carl Esmond; Wendell Corey; Barbara Bouchet; Rafael Campos
Cinematography	James Crabe
Music by	Gene Kauer; Douglas M. Lackey
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	January 5, 1966;
Running time	84 mins.
Country	United States
Language	English

Agent for H.A.R.M. is a 1966 science fiction spy thriller directed by Gerd Oswald and starring Mark Richman, one of a number of spy thrillers of the era having conspicuous sci-fi elements. Here it is the deadly spores which turn human flesh into fungus on contact.

The film was intended to be the television pilot for a new spy series. However, it was later decided that it should be given a theatrical release instead. It was released as a double feature with Wild Wild Winter.

Plot

Adam Chance (Peter Mark Richman), works for an American agency, H.A.R.M. (Human Aetiological Relations Machine). He is assigned to protect Dr. Jan Steffanic (Carl Esmond), a recent Soviet defector who has developed a new weapon which fires spores that upon contact with skin slowly eat the body away.

Following Dr. Steffanic's arrival in the US he is taken into protective custody by H.A.R.M. and is placed in a beach house along with his niece and Agent Chance to develop a spore antidote. Here he reveals the communists' real plan, which is to dust all of the American crops with these deadly spores. During their time at this house Chance falls for Steffanic's niece Ava Vestok (Barbara Bouchet), who is later revealed to be a communist spy. After the flat is attacked, Dr. Steffanic is kidnapped by European spies and taken to a warehouse. Chance eventually rides in and a gun fight ensues in which Steffanic (spelled “Stefanik” on-screen) is exposed to the deadly spores in a valiant sacrifice, and dies. Afterwards, Chance re-appears at the beach house and arrests Ava for good.

Cast

Mark Richman as Adam Chance
Carl Esmond as Professor Janos Steffanic
Barbara Bouchet as Ava Vestok
Martin Kosleck as Basil Malko
Wendell Corey as Jim Graff
Robert Quarry as Borg
Rafael Campos as Luis
Aliza Gur as Mid-Eastern contact
Donna Michelle as Marian
Marc Snegoff as Conrad
Chris Anders as Schloss
Steve Stevens as Billy
Horst Ebersberg as Helgar
Ray Dannis as Henry Manson
Robert Donner as Morgue attendant

Music

On The Damned's 1980 LP, The Black Album, Adam Chance is mentioned alongside Zorro and Corporal Clott in the song The History Of The World, Part 1, which was also released as a single.
In 2009, there was a song of the same name written about the film by punk rock band, The Riverdales

Reception

Howard Thompson of The New York Times called it an "anemic James Bond imitation".^[1]

Trivia

This film was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, as the host segments feature Mike Nelson being put on trial. This is also Patrick Brantseg's first episode as Gypsy due to Jim Mallon's focus on directing.