Seth Holt’s DANGER ROUTE (1967)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 19, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, British Cinema, Spies & Secret Agents, Amicus Productions, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Richard Johnson, Carol Lynley, Seth Holt

Top: Richard Johnson and Carol Lynley
Bottom: Barbara Bouchet and Diana Dors

After hearing the news about John Walker’s death recently I started thinking a lot about ’60s spy films and I got the urge to watch Deadlier Than the Male (1967) again. Afterward I started obsessing over the male lead, Richard Johnson.

I’ve always liked Richard Johnson but I often forget about how many terrific movies he’s appeared in. It’s easy to take him for granted. After turning down the role of James Bond, Johnson was never offered the kind of career defining roles that could have made him a bigger star like Sean Connery. But while I was looking over his filmography I was reminded of what a fascinating career Johnson’s had. He appeared in a lot of great films besides Deadlier Than the Male and its sequel, Some Girls Do (1969) including The Haunting (1963), The Pumpkin Eater (1964), Operation Crossbow (1965), La strega in amore (1966), The Night Child (1975), Hennessy (1975), The Comeback (1978) and Zombie (1979) just to name a few. In some ways Richard Johnson’s filmography is richer and more interesting than Sean Connery’s.

Over at the Movie Morlocks I decided to share some thoughts about Johnson and his starring role in Seth Holt’s Danger Route (1967), which is currently streaming at Netflix. It’s a thoughtful low-budget spy film produced by Amicus with a terrific cast that includes Carol Lynley, Diana Dors and Barbara Bouchet. Please follow the link to read more about Danger Route.
- He Is A Weapon: Danger Route (1967) @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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The Walker Brothers - Deadlier Than the Male

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 9, 2011

Categories | News, Soundtracks, Spies & Secret Agents, Elke Sommer, Scott Walker

Top: The Walker Brothers - John, Gary & Scott
Bottom: Sylva Koscina, Elke Sommer & Nigel Green in Deadlier Than the Male (1967)

I was disappointed to learn that John Walker (aka John Maus) of The Walker Brothers died on May 7, 2011 after a long battle with cancer. He was 67 years old. The brilliant Scott Walker tends to overshadow the rest of the Walker Brothers but the talented trio recorded some great songs together. One of my favorite Walker Brothers’ tunes is the title song they recorded for the terrific ’60s spy flick Deadlier Than the Male (Ralph Thomas; 1967), which features the fabulous Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina in two of their best roles and Richard Johnson as the handsome spy, Hugh ‘Bulldog’ Drummond. You can hear the track playing over the opening titles in the video clip below.

Recommended Links:
- John Walker of the Walker Brothers has died @ Dangerous Minds

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Mini Monday #4

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 25, 2011

Categories | Spies & Secret Agents, Television, Mini Mondays, Patrick McGoohan

Patrick McGoohan drives a Mini Moke in The Prisoner (1967-68)

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Anne Francis in The Satan Bug (1965)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 13, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Spies & Secret Agents, American Cinema, Actresses, Science Fiction, Anne Francis

Anne Francis in (1965)

I was disappointed to learn that Anne Francis had passed away on January 2, 2011 so I decided to revisit one of her best films, John Sturges’ action-packed sci-fi thriller The Satan Bug (1965) for the Movie Morlocks. Sturges is an undervalued director and like many of Sturges’ movies, The Satan Bug deserves much more praise than it’s received since its initial release. If you’re an Anne Francis fan or just enjoy smart stylish thrillers I highly recommend heading over to the Movie Morlocks where you’ll find my tribute to the actress and Sturges’ terrific film.
- Anne Francis in The Satan Bug (1965) @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Sean Connery at 80

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 25, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, Spies & Secret Agents, Sean Connery

Sean Connery in From Russia With Love (1963)

Sean Connery celebrated his 80th birthday today and there was a brief interview with him published in Scotland’s Daily Record that’s worth a read. He talks about retiring from acting and why From Russia With Love (1963) is his favorite of all the films he made. Good stuff!

Interview:
- Sean Connery at 80: My acting days are over but I’m still loving life.

And a great interview with Connery done at Cannes in 1968 . . .

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Talking With Trina

by Kimberly Lindbergs | June 17, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Spies & Secret Agents, Comedies, Actresses, Blaxploitation, Interviews, TCM

Trina Parks in Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

I recently had the opportunity to interview the actress Trina Parks who appeared in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and the fascinating blaxploitation movie Darktown Strutters (1975). Trina was really fun to talk to and I learned a lot about her during our exchange. You can read my interview with Trina Parks over at TCM’s Movie Morlocks Blog. Darktown Strutters will be playing on TCM Underground tomorrow night (June 18th) and if you haven’t had the opportunity to see the movie yet I highly recommend giving it a look. I guarantee that it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before.

- Talking with Trina @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

Recommended Links:
- Super Sisters On Cycles! - My review of Darktown Strutters (1975).
- Trina Parks Tribute

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A Dandy in Aspic

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 29, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Spies & Secret Agents, Costume Design, Laurence Harvey, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Laurence Harvey & Mia Farrow in A Dandy in Aspic (1967)

One of my many weaknesses is a good spy film and Anthony Mann’s 1967 film A Dandy in Aspic is one of my favorites. Mainly because I adore Laurence Harvey and I think it’s one the actors best films but the movie also features some fabulous mod fashions designed by the legendary Pierre Cardin that are worn by a very young Mia Farrow. The film boasts a great score by Quincy Brown and British actors Tom Courtenay and Peter Cook even show up in a small but extremely memorable roles. Calvin Lockhart is in the movie too but his performance is awful so I tend to forget about it. But with a cast that good, how could anyone not get some kind of enjoyment from A Dandy in Aspic?

Mia Farrow modeling Pierre Cardin fashions
in A Dandy in Aspic (1967)

I’m in the minority but I think it’s one of Anthony Mann’s best films and easily his most interesting film of the ’60s. Mann spent most of the decade making big bloated spectacles like El Cid (1961) and The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964). I like both films thanks to Sophia Loren’s performances but I’d rather watch A Dandy in Aspic. You can read more about why I like Anthony Mann’s last film over at the Movie Morlocks.

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Modern Mondays: OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 9, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, French Cinema, Spies & Secret Agents, Comedies, Modern Mondays

If you’ve been reading Cinebeats for awhile you’re probably well aware of my fascination and fondness for spies. From the smart and exceptional Prisoner to the ridiculously silly Last of the Secret Agents?, I never seem to get tired of watching spy movies or television shows as long as they have a good soundtrack accompanying them. So it should come as no surprise that I think the recent French spy spoof OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies aka OSS 117: Le Caire, Nid d’Espions (2006) is one of the funniest films of the last decade.

The movie was directed and co-written by Michel Hazanavicius who based it on the original OSS 117 spy novels by the prolific French author Jean Bruce. The original books featured an American born spy with French roots named Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath who worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). OSS 117 predated Ian Flemming’s more well-known spy James Bond, alias 007, by 4 years, but both characters seem to share a lot of similarities. I haven’t read any of the original Jean Bruce novels myself or seen the early French films based on the books but according to director Michel Hazanavicius OSS 117 isn’t as ironic or clever as James Bond.

Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS 117, is played brilliantly by the handsome and very funny French actor Jean Dujardin. Dujardin has clearly based his character on Sean Connery’s Bond from the early ’60s as well as other self-assured male spies from the same period and he does a terrific job of mimicking their best and worst qualities. In the film agent OSS 117 is sent to Cairo to investigate the disappearance of his close friend and fellow OSS operative Jack Jefferson (Philippe Lefebvre). Finding his friend won’t be easy and over the course of the film OSS 117 becomes entangled in a web of international espionage involving Nazis, a fundamentalist uprising and two beautiful but dangerous women played by the lovely Bérénice Bejo and Aure Atika.

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies takes place in 1955 and the film beautifully replicates the decade it’s boldly taking a jab at. Director Michel Hazanavicius clearly loves the movies he’s emulating and OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies comes across as a thoughtful homage as well as a clever parody. From the detailed set designs, to the stylized fashions and incredible soundtrack, OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is a film that knows exactly what it’s doing while delivering a lot of laughs. The humor in OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is slightly more sophisticated than the Austin Power films but the movie should appeal to Pink Panther fans and anyone who enjoys television shows like Get Smart.

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Patrick McGoohan, 1928-2009

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 14, 2009

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

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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