Patrick McGoohan, 1928-2009

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 14, 2009

Categories | News, Actors, Spies & Secret Agents, Television

Patrick McGoohan, 1967

2009 is gotten off to a rough start. After the death of Bob Wilkins, I caught wind of the news that the talented British actor Patrick McGoohan has passed away at the age of 80. The incredible television series The Prisoner (1967-68) was McGoohan’s own creation and a follow-up to the previous television series he starred in, Danger Man (aka Secret Agent Man, 1964-67). Both shows are available on DVD and they’re well worth watching in their entirety, but The Prisoner is arguably the best television show ever created.

Besides acting, writing and directing for television, McGoohan also appeared in some terrific films. A couple of my favorite Patrick McGoohan performances can be found in All Night Long (1962) where he plays a cool as ice jazz musician in this original take on Shakespeare’s Othello and in Ice Station Zebra (1968) where McGoohan easily out shines the rest of the cast playing a role he perfected on television, a British spy. He was also memorable as Dr. Paul Ruth in Scanners (1981) and as the warden in Escape from Alcatraz (1979).

Style, class, brains, good looks and a wonderful voice that commanded your attention were just a few of the things that made McGoohan stand apart from many of his contemporaries. Unfortunately the qualities that McGoohan possessed seem to be in short supply these days so I’m sad to see him go.

“I am not a number! I am a free man!”
- Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan in The Prisoner)

Patrick McGoohan was definitely not just a number. He was a great actor and I wish he had appeared in more films during his lifetime.

Some recommended links:
- David Hudson collects some links to various Patrick McGoohan obits and tributes at IFC Daily
- Tim Lucas on the final escape of The Prisoner.

Hopefully the rest of my January posts will be less dreary. I’ve been mourning my recently deceased cat and busy with work, so I haven’t had much time for blogging about movies lately. I am slowly compiling my Favorite DVDs of 2008 list that I hope to share before the month is over so keep an eye out for that.

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Irvin Kershner’s S*P*Y*S (1974)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | December 17, 2008

Categories | Movie Reviews, Spies & Secret Agents, American Cinema, Comedies, Elliot Gould, yé-yé

In 1970 Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould made movie history with their portrayals of Hawkeye and Trapper John, two young wisecracking surgeons working at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The success of M*A*S*H (1970) catapulted Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould into superstardom and audiences wanted to see them appear in more films together.

In 1974 the actors got an opportunity to team-up again in Irvin Kershner’s unusual comedy S*P*Y*S, which was released on DVD for the first time last year. This uneven spy spoof was panned by critics when it was originally released and it’s not hard to see why the movie has received a lot of negative press over the year, but I still think S*P*Y*S has a few things to offer potential viewers who are looking for some laughs.

Much like Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H, Irvin Kershner’s film is undeniably a product of its time and the radical politics of the era play a large part in the movie’s portrayal of government figures and the shady world of international espionage. S*P*Y*S is nowhere near as smart or well-written as Altman’s critically acclaimed M*A*S*H, but not all of the jokes in S*P*Y*S fall flat and some of the action filled comedy sequences are well executed. The film was also shot on location in France, which lends the movie a nice atmosphere. If potential viewers expect S*P*Y*S to be another M*A*S*H, they’re bound to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you watch the film with no expectations you might just enjoy yourself. S*P*Y*S is a quirky unconventional spy spoof that has limited appeal, but a lot of ’70s style charm.

Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould have a natural chemistry together on screen and it’s fun to watch them bounce jokes off one another even when those jokes are missing their intended marks. In S*P*Y*S the two actors play CIA agents Griff (Elliott Gould) and Bruland (Donald Sutherland), who find themselves caught up in a cold war cat and mouse game with Russian agents. Gould and Sutherland were both iconic counterculture figures in the seventies and their shared easygoing humor is undeniably appealing here. Both actors work extremely well together and they’re able to inject some life into the film’s lackluster script.

Top: Elliot Gould & Donald Sutherland in S*P*Y*S (1974)
Bottom: Zouzou in S*P*Y*S (1974)

The movie also stars the beautiful French pop icon and yé-yé star Zouzou (aka Danièle Ciarlet) as a radical anarchist called Sybil. Her appearance in the film is unfortunately much too brief and she doesn’t get the opportunity to sing any songs, but Zouzou is terrific whenever she is on screen and it’s hard to keep your eyes off her. The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable, but the french actors Xavier Gélin and Pierre Oudrey are memorable as Sybil’s revolutionary minded companions.

This cold war comedy definitely owes a tip of the hat to Kershner’s previous film Up the Sandbox (1972), which starred Elliot Gould’s ex-wife Barbara Streisand. Both films took jabs at the government fueled fears of average Americans toward radical political groups at the time and used comedy as a force to explore pertinent social concerns. Up the Sandbox is a better and more fully realized film than S*P*Y*S, but both movies would make an interesting double feature thanks to their subject matter and stars.

Director Irvin Kershner has had a decidedly mixed carer behind the camera with a few worthwhile hits and many misses. After making S*P*Y*S he directed some critically acclaimed films such as the fascinating Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) and the popular Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Ironically Kershner would also go on to make the James Bond film Never Say Never Again (1983) which marked his only return to the spy genre.

The 20th Century Fox DVD release of S*P*Y*S comes with some nice extras, including an interesting 20 minute featurette called Inside S*P*Y*S, which contains interviews with the director Irvin Kershner and the film’s star Elliott Gould. Both men express their disappointment with the movie, but the “making of” stories they share with viewers are really interesting and informative. The disc also contains a government documentary directed by Irvin Kershner called The Road of a Hundred Days and an original trailer for the film.

New and used copies of S*P*Y*S are currently selling at Amazon and the movie should be available for rent from Netflix and Greencine.

- A edited version of this review originally appeared in Cinedelica 04.26.2007

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Cinema Retro #10

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 12, 2008

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, Spies & Secret Agents, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Cinema Retro, Peter Cushing

A new issue of the British film magazine Cinema Retro arrived in my mailbox yesterday and it might be my favorite issue yet. I’ve been feeling under the weather lately, but flipping through a new issue of Cinema Retro overstuffed with fantastic color photos from ’60s and ’70s era films can cheer me right up.

I’m tempted to refer to issue #10 as the “Blond Bombshell” issue since it contains articles on no less then four fabulous blond starlets including Susan George, Joy Harmon, Doris Day and gorgeous cover girl Elke Sommer. Elke has long been one of my favorite actresses and Cinema Retro #10 features an extensive look at one of her best films, Ralph Thomas’s super spy thriller Deadlier Than the Male (1967). Besides lots of amazing photos from the film you’ll find a piece called In Conversation with Elke Sommer where she discusses her experiences while making the movie. The article also mentions that Elke will be appearing regularly in upcoming issues discussing her life and career in film, which I’m really looking forward to reading.

Other highlights from issue #10 include an insightful look at one of my favorite British films from the sixties, Michael Winner’s smart satire about the world of advertising called I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname (1967), which starred the great Oliver Reed in one of his best roles as an angry young man working for an advertising agency while trying to manage his chaotic love life. Orson Welles also has a memorable role in the film as Reed’s ex-boss who tries to lure him back to the company once he gives up advertising to write for a small literary magazine.

Top: Doris Day and Oliver Reed
Bottom: Peter Cushing and Susan George

In the new issue there is also a firsthand account of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the release of Hammer’s first color film The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) that was held at Bray Studios last summer, a fascinating look at cuts that were made to Sam Peckinpah’s controversial film Straw Dogs (1971), as well as the magazine’s ongoing features on special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen, the actress and Bond girl Luciana Pauluzzi, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. star David McCallum and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. films, which were recently shown on Turner Movie Classics here in the states.

Naturally there’s lots more to read in Cinema Retro #10 such as soundtrack reviews and various bits of film related news and information. I’m sure the new issue is going to sell out fast so grab it while you can. It has inspired me to revisit some of my favorite Elke Sommer movies so you can expect me to be writing more about the actress and her films in the future.

In the meantime check out my previous posts about Cinema Retro and visit the magazine’s official site for more information on how you can get yourself a copy of the latest issue. The web’s great, but please continue to support print magazines!

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Here comes Honey!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 1, 2008

Categories | News, Spies & Secret Agents, Television

Anne Francis as Honey West with her pet ocelot (1965)

Honey West is one of my favorite television shows from the sixties and I just discovered that VCI Entertainment will be releasing the entire short-lived series on DVD sometime in 2008. The series has been available in the U.K. on PAL Region 2 DVD for awhile now, but this will mark the first time that Honey West has been released on DVD in the U.S.

The fabulous Anne Francis plays Honey West, a beautiful judo expert who holds a black belt in karate. After inheriting her late father’s high-tech detective agency, Honey and her partner Sam Bolt (John Ericson) become crime fighters who use lots of James Bond style gadgets and weapons to stop the criminals they go after. Naturally Honey also uses her seductive charms and wits to stop various villians as well. Honey West had a cute, but deadly exotic cat as a pet and she often wore animal prints and fabulous sixties fashions on the show. Anne Francis looks amazing in Honey West, which is a lot of fun to watch. In many ways she resembled an American version of the lovely Honor Blackman from the season two of The Avengers.

If you enjoy great television shows like The Avengers or The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., you’ll probably enjoy Honey West as well. Unfortunately the show only aired for one season in 1965, but all 30 episodes are scheduled to be released on DVD by VCI Entertainment. To get a taste of what to expect from this terrific series check out the opening credits from the show below:

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Last of the Secret Agents? (1966)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | December 2, 2007

Categories | Movie Reviews, Spies & Secret Agents, American Cinema, Comedies

During the sixties there were literally hundreds of spy spoofs made following the popularity of the early James Bond films. One of the silliest of these was Norman Abbott’s Last of the Secret Agents? (1966), which was the first and last film that attempted to make cinema stars out of the comedy team Allen & Rossi (Marty Allen & Steve Rossi). Allen & Rossi were a comedic duo that became popular on the Ed Sullivan Show during The Beatles’ heyday and they were patterned after Martin & Lewis (Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis), but their style of comedy was becoming rather dated as the sixties wore on. Last of the Secret Agents? was butchered by critics on its initial release and Allen & Rossi never appeared in a film together again. They ended their partnership in 1969 and Last of the Secret Agents? was basically forgotten.

The years have not been kind to the film and as far as I know Last of the Secret Agents? has never been released on video, much less DVD. A quick look at the film’s IMDb page shows that most viewers have given the film a 3 star rating out of a possible 10 and the comments are less then flattering, but I happen to think the movie is worth a look if you enjoy slapstick style humor and silly sight gags, as well as sixties spy spoofs. The movie doesn’t contain much comedic gold, but it’s also not the unwatchable mess that so many critics seem to think it is. If you enjoy Mel Brooks’ style of humor or the Austin Powers films you’ll probably find yourself laughing a few times while watching Last of the Secret Agents? and if you like funny spy flicks with good soundtracks and stylish wardrobes, then you might actually enjoy this silly film as much as I do.

The plot involves Marty Allen and Steve Rossi as two American ex-pats looking for work in Europe. They soon discover that they’ve been unwillingly used as couriers for art thieves who are part of an evil organization known as THEM. They get recruited by the GGI (Good Guys Inc.) and help concoct a plan to put an end to the criminal activities of THEM. Naturally lots of chase scenes and fights take place in the process. Like any good spy film there are plenty of beautiful women that help and hinder the two stars. Last of the Secret Agents? also contains a musical number performed by Steve Rossi and it ends with an appearance of Allen & Rossi on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Allen & Rossi try hard to make the film work but they’re no Martin & Lewis and they end up being one of the film’s main problems. They don’t seem to have much chemistry here and the jokes they deliver often fall flat. I’m not sure if it’s the fault of the comedy team or the writers but it’s a shame that the script didn’t give them an opportunity to show off whatever made audiences enjoy their stand up act so much. Since Allen & Rossi are the stars of the movie I think it’s easy for viewers to get caught up in their rather lackluster delivery and overlook all the funny performances from their costars, which is a shame.

The talented character actor Theodore Marcuse is really terrific here and especially funny as the evil mastermind Zoltan Schubach who heads THEM. His character is obviously inspired by the notorious James Bond villain known as Ernst Stavro Blofeld and I’m sure Mike Myers was inspired by Theodore Marcuse’s performance as Zoltan Schubach in Last of the Secret Agents? when he created the character of Dr. Evil for the Austin Powers movies. The great British actor John Williams lends a nice sense of gravitas to the proceedings and the very funny Harvey Korman even shows up in a brief but memorable bit as an actor playing a frazzled German Colonel.

Top: Nancy Sinatra and Carmen Dell’Orefice
Bottom: Susan Jean and Thordis Brandt

The film also features plenty of lovely female co-stars. Nancy Sinatra gets top billing here, but unfortunately she doesn’t get enough screen time. She plays Steve Rossi’s neglected love interest and she ends up spending most of her time in the film trying to get him to notice her. Rossi is a good-looking guy but I couldn’t believe that he would turn down Nancy’s marriage proposals even if she would have gotten in the way of his swinging lifestyle. Fashion icon Carmen Dell’Orefice is really wonderful as the wicked Baby May Zoftig and she vamps it up on the set as much as possible. Unfortunately she only has a few lines in the film and I wish the director had given her more to do. Other sixties starlets and femme fatales in Last of the Secret Agents? include Russ Meyer’s lovely wife Edy Williams and the beautiful actress Thordis Brandt.

Besides the lackluster performances of the films stars Allen & Rossi, Last of the Secret Agents? is not without some other obvious problems. The stale looking set designs often make the movie look more like a television production instead of a feature length film. The movie would have really benefited from being shot on location in Europe. Last but not least, someone also should have hired a dialogue coach for the cast. There are a lot of actors in the film trying to sound like they weren’t born in America and most of them fail terribly. Since Last of the Secret Agents? is a comedy I found it easy to overlook the bad accents but they can still be a little jarring at times.

With all its problems, Last of the Secret Agents? still has something to offer potential viewers including one of the funniest opening sequences that I’ve ever seen. There’s also a terrific long-running sight gag that takes place on a train that is very cleverly shot and just plain fun to watch. The pop art style of the film gives it a comic book feel at times and the soundtrack by Pete King and Neal Hefti is truly terrific.

The film also boasts a wonderful theme song composed by Lee Hazlewood and sung by Nancy Sinatra. I personally think it’s one of Sinatra & Hazelwood’s best songs and it was released the same year that they released their huge hit single “These Boots Are Made for Walkin.” Unfortunately the title song for Last of the Secret Agents? wasn’t a big hit and I’m sure the movies lackluster reception was a factor. In retrospect, the theme song is just as good as any of Sinatra & Hazelwood’s early recordings so I can’t understand why the song didn’t become more popular after its release.

Before making Last of the Secret Agents? director Norman Abbott had previously made a name for himself working on popular television shows like Leave It to Beaver, McHale’s Navy and The Munsters. For better or worse, he brings that same comedy sense to Last of the Secret Agents? and as I mentioned above, the film often suffers from the somewhat stale television-like quality of the production.

Last of the Secret Agents? would become a minor launching point for some of the cast and crew to go on to bigger and better spy-related productions. Norman Abbott would return to television and direct episodes of the entertaining spy spoof Get Smart and Nancy Sinatra would go on to record the popular theme song for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967. Theodore Marcuse had acted in other spy spoofs before making Last of the Secret Agents? but afterward he appeared in the Doris Day spy comedy The Glass Bottom Boat and television shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Wild Wild West, before his unfortunate and untimely death in a car accident in 1967.

It’s a shame that Last of the Secret Agents? isn’t available on DVD and is rarely shown on television anymore. With the popularity of the Austin Powers films, as well as current interest in the James Bond series, I hope that Paramount will consider releasing the movie in the future. It deserves to be seen by a wider audience that might enjoy its silly charm now that over 40 years have passed since the films initial release.

If you’d like to see more images from the movie please see my Last of the Secret Agents? Flickr Gallery.

Recommended Links:
- Marty Allen’s Official Site
- Hello Dere! (Allen & Rossi fan site)
- Nancy Sinatra’s Official Site
- Lee Hazlewood Fan Site

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Let’s Get Sadistik!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 24, 2007

Categories | News, Spies & Secret Agents, Crime

I recently discovered Mort Todd’s terrific website Go Sadistik which is devoted to the diabolikal super-kriminal Sadistik (also known as Kriminal, Kilink and Killing). The site is well worth a look if you enjoy sexy sixties era pulp-style crime thrillers as much as I do.

I first read about the Sadistik / Kriminal / Kilink films in Pete Tombs’ great book Mondo Macabro : Weird & Wonderful Cinema Around the World back in 1998 but they seemed impossible to find then. Thankfully that has changed in recent years with companies like Onar Films making the Turkish Kilink movies easily available.

The history of Sadistik is long, complicated and incredibly convoluted, but at the Go Sadistik site Mort Todd does a good job of explaining how the character of Sadistik went from being an Italian comic book anti-hero inspired by Diabolik and created by Max Bunker (pen name for the Italian artist Luciano Secchi) to being the star of his own films in Europe and Turkey. Besides information about the history of Sadistik and the various films, you can find detailed profiles of all the actors involved in the movies there and some eye-popping galleries featuring amazing cover art from the original photo story magazines.

Mort Todd is currently publishing a wonderful bi-lingual Sadistik tribute magazine with co-editor Roberto Barreiro called Killing Time that is filled with lots of great articles and info. The first issue is currently available as a PDF file which you can download for free right from the site and it’s really a must read! You’ll also find free download sample pages from the classic Sadistik photo novels that Mort Todd is translating and publishing in association with Comicfix.

Comicfix and Mort Todd are also helping to promote Italian director SS-Sunda’s documentary about the history of Sadistik called Diabolikal Super-Kriminal which is currently in production. They’ve recently released a nice looking trailer for the upcoming film that you can watch below.

Besides the Go Sadistik website, Mort Todd and director SS-Sunda both have blogs which I also recommend visiting if you’re like me and can’t get enough of Sadistik:

- Mort Todd’s The Mask of Death blog.
- SS-Sunda’s The King of Crime blog.

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The New Cinema Retro

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 26, 2007

Categories | News, Spies & Secret Agents, Cinema Retro, Mario Bava

The latest issue of Cinema Retro recently arrived in my mailbox and I think it’s one of their best issues yet. It has lots of great articles that will appeal to anyone who enjoys sixties and seventies era films as much as I do. I’ve mentioned before how much I love this magazine, but if I haven’t convinced you to become a subscriber yet, you really should reconsider it. Cinema Retro rightfully calls itself “The essential guide to movies of the ‘60 & ’70s” so if you enjoy the kinds of films I write about here, you’ll definitely enjoy the magazine.

Issue #8 features a cover story about the terrific James Coburn Flint films called ‘Flint Unseen!” which includes lots of rare and never-before-seen photos and production stills from Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967). Other great spy related articles in this issue of Cinema Retro include Part II of an in-depth Interview with my favorite Man From U.N.C.L.E., David McCallum and an interview with the beautiful Bond Girl Luciana Paluzzi from Thunderball (1965). There is even an interesting article from Robert Sellers called “The Bond Film That Never Was” that offers an inside look at how Agent 007 almost came to the screen in a very different way.

You’ll also find terrific pieces about two of my favorite films, Mario Bava’s Danger: Diabolik (1968) and Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960). Dave Brown’s tribute to Danger: Diabolik was fascinating to read and included information about the film that was new to me. I also really enjoyed reading film critic Shirley Sealey’s personal account of seeing La Dolce Vita when it was released in Italy and her brief meeting with Fellini.

The new issue also features a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the making of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda’s classic motorcycle film Easy Rider (1969), information about the upcoming DVD release of the Steve McQueen film The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Part II of a tribute to Elvis Presley’s female film co-stars such as Nancy Sinatra, plus lots more including reviews of new DVDs, books and CDs that retro cinema enthusiasts like myself should really enjoy.

Cinema Retro has recently updated their website and if you haven’t checked out their current layout you should stop by and give the new site a look. You can also subscribe to the magazine and purchase back issues there.

- Cinema Retro : The essential guide to movies of the ’60s & ’70s

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Kiss Kiss… Bang Bang!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 23, 2007

Categories | News, Spies & Secret Agents, Westerns, Television

My favorite spy - Modesty Blaise

A quick reprieve from my French obsessions to chat about my obsession with spies & secret agents…

I was recently the very lucky Grand Prize Winner of the first contest held over at Tanner’s wonderful Double O Section blog. I received a brand new Wild Wild West - The Complete Second Season DVD set in the mail on Monday and I couldn’t be more happy about it. Thanks Tanner!

The Wild Wild West has long been one of my favorite TV shows (but I must add that I loathe the Will Smith movie) and I actually prefer Season II of The Wild Wild West to Season I because the show gets more entertaining and just plain crazy at times. The earlier episodes were shot in black and white and they’re a little more subdued. The second season has a few more laughs and it’s shot in color, which adds a lot to the almost psychedelic inspired action that often takes place.

I’m really happy that the success of the recent James Bond film has led to a renewed interest in all things spy related. Lots of great old TV shows like The Wild Wild West and Jason King are now being released on DVD and many old films such as Kommisar X and Espionage In Tangiers are also finding their way onto DVD. This coming weekend there is even a 007 Film Festival happening in San Francisco that I would love to attend.

If you happen to be interested in spies and secret agents yourself, I highly recommend visiting Double O Section. Tanner knows his stuff and shares lots of great info about the latest spy films, books and anything else he comes across that is spy related. He’s also planning to hold other contests in the future.

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