Mila Darvos (Senta Berger) is a villainess in the 1968 spy thriller "Istanbul Express".
Mila Darvos is a Russian agent posing as a Language Director in Venice, Italy. She meets Michael London (Gene Barry) who is traveling between Paris and Istanbul via train in order to bid on the Yanacek Papers, which are secret spy papers at a private auction. On his trip, Mila has Michael drugged in order to find out what his intentions are. She also obtains that after he obtains them, he is to place them in a private Swiss bank account in Istanbul.
Mila tries to convince Michael to go ahead with his plan and attend the bidding. However, she wants him to lose the bidding, and offers him $50,000 to follow that script. When Michael refuses, Mila calls in her goons who are just about to dispose him. Michael is able to distract them by running interference by using the call button on Mila's desk to bring in the secretary. He uses this to make his escape.
When Michael arrives in Istanbul, Mila meets him at the private auction. She tells him that her offer still stands, to which Michael responds that so does his rejection. Michael wins the bidding on the papers for $1.2 million, much to the displeasure of Mila.
Michael is surprised when his contact, Mr. Shepard (Donald Woods) is less than excited to get the papers. He figures out that he has been set up, and his contact Peggy Coopersmith (Mary Ann Mobley) was in on it. He finds out that he was never suppose to obtain the papers, since they were fakes. Shepard wanted them to get into the hands of the enemy. If the other side believed they were real, it would set them back six months.
After enjoying a bellydance show, Michael is mugged and kidnapped by Mila's thugs. However, he allowed himself to be captured. She directs them to tie him up injected with a truth serum. With the drug she is able to obtain the bank account combination. After she is satisfied that she has the code, she orders her thugs to kill him. After Mila leaves, Michael's friend Cheval (John Saxon) shoots the thug and rescues him.
Back on the train, Michael is informed by Peggy that Mila accessed the bank vault and took the papers.
Trivia[]
- Senta Berger appeared as Francoise in the 1961 comedy thriller film "Es muss nicht immer Kavier".
- Senta Berger appeared as Christiane in the 1967 French thriller "Diabolically Yours", which was originally entitled "Diaboliquement Votre".
- Senta Berger appeared as Francesca Madeiros in the 1967 spy film "The Ambushers".
- Senta Berger appeared as Susanne Stefan in three 1967 episodes of the TV mini-series "Babeck".
- Senta Berger appeared as May in the 1969 French thriller film "Las etrangers".
- Senta Berger appeared as Giulietta Cavamacchia in the 1969 film "Infanzia".
- Senta Berger appeared as Lorrie James in the 1969 episode "Flowers from Alexander" for the TV series "It Takes a Thief".
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