Deadlier Than the Male

I never cared for the title of this film, although it's a fitting description of the circumstances that bring Richard Johnson, as accident insurance investigator Drummond, onto the case. Elke Sommer and Sylvia Koscina provide ample "eye candy" as villian Nigel Green's "hit girls" (no "hit persons", thank you - this is before political correctness) and Richard Johnson is perfect as the suave Bond-inspired update of the 1930's character, Bulldog Drummond. The finale on a giant mechanical chess board is a highlight!

Women are indeed more dangerous than men, I know it from my own experience. Sylva Koscina (34 years old when the film was made) and Elke Sommer (27 years old when the film was made) lookalike two Amazons-sirens just came out of the sea and you don't know what is more dangerous, their personal charms or their deadly harpoons. Also, who's cigars smoker, would do well to check that smoke from now, lest to shoot himself tugging fumes, because Elke Sommer is still alive. Very entertaining action movie, I've seen it many times and I'm always watching it again with great pleasure.

This splendidly entertaining spoof of spy thrillers, brings back detective Bulldog Drummond (debonairly portrayed by Richard Johnson) to do battle with a megalomaniac villain (elegantly laconic Nigel Green), who uses sultry female assassins (Eurobabes Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina) to do his dirty work. Stylish doses of brutality, sly humor and witty set pieces make this obscure thriller a real winner...a widescreen DVD is due out in May of 2003.

Richard Johnson (of The Haunting fame) is Bulldog Drummond, a insurance investigator trying to uncover what happened to one of the planes his company had written a policy on. It's not long before anyone with information for him turns up dead. And most of the deaths "appear" to be accidents. Before you can say "Shaken, Not Stirred", Drummond is up to his neck in hired killers and a mad genius. Deadlier Than the Male has a lot to enjoy. The 60s feel, Johnson's Drummond, Nigel Green, terrific locations, and the implausible yet wonderful gadgets and traps are all a delight. But my absolute favorite moments are those between the two hired henchmen (or should that be henchwomen or maybe even henchpersons) played by Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina. There constant spats and barbed remarks are a riot. There are a lot of bad Bond wannabes out there, this is one of the good ones.

This entry into the world of the 1960s spy genre is one of the best. Due to its witty screenplay, with some great dialogue, and its great visual direction, this film stands out above any of the Matt Helm series or other European films. The two female leads, Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina are perfect, as are Nigel Green and Richard Johnson. I highly recommend this film is you are into fun adventure, told with tongue-in-cheek style.

This 1966 adventure flick was quite well done and Richard Johnson seems perfectly cast as the lead. The real treat of this flick is the women: Elke Sommer in a bikini with spear-gun is as attractive as any Bond moment, Suzannah Leigh, and the Italian beauty Sylvia Koscina. Nigel Green is great again as a corrupt adversary and the locations are great. This is a 7 out of 10. Best performance = Elke Sommer. This blows away FATHOM with Raquel Welch. Tough chicks who are easy on the eyes in the mid-60's will always be a joy to watch. Don't sell this one short. Well worth the effort and a pleasant experience. This is definitely available so look for it if you dig those 60's spoofs!

This above-average Bond knockoff deserves to be better known. It's too imitative of the Bond pictures of the time (especially "Thunderball" - minus the underwater scenes), and the plot slows down at times, but Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina make a terrific pair of sexy, teasing assassins (with Sommer being the sexier one and Koscina the more teasing one). Nigel Green also makes a smooth villain (although he should have hired more guards!). This picture should become more widely available, because although it's not perfect, it's much better than, say, the atrocious pseudo-spoof "Our Man Flint". (**1/2)