Modesty Blaise (1966)

A pop-art explosion that makes Austin Powers look demure, Modesty Blaise is a bizarre relic from the heyday of Swinging London. Based on a comic book, the movie is strong on psychedelic art direction, long on camp (especially Dirk Bogarde's aristocratic, white-haired villain), and thin on plot--and what plot there is cannot possibly be deciphered. Italian actress Monica Vitti, the ennui-weary star of many Antonioni classics, makes an odd choice for stylish spy Modesty Blaise (a female 007 without portfolio), especially given her uncertain command of English. The gifted director Joseph Losey, not noted for his humor, apes various New Wave techniques in his approach, even allowing Vitti and costar Terence Stamp to warble an off-key song. But the most coherent contribution is the jazzy swing of John Dankworth's score, which you won't be able to get out of your head, even if you want to. --Robert Horton Amazon.com

Modesty Bad!

About a long while ago I saw on my digital cable that "Modesty Blaise" was going to be on the Fox Movie Channel so I taped it since that I was going to see another movie. When I watched the film later on, I couldn't believe how bad it was. For those that are thinking about buying this movie on DVD, DON'T! It is as of now the worst 60's movie that I have ever seen and there are enough holes to fill swiss cheese. The thing that really kills me is that Monica Vitti (an Italian actress who-hello!-is playing a British spy) changes her hair from black to blond and back again; as if we have two Modesty Blaises. Also of note I couldn't see most of the opening credits as it surrounded by a pop title song! (that seems to be modeled later by "Barbarella" which was based on a comic book like this one) The movie may be 119 minutes long but it drags on and on. In conclusion, this is one that you shouldn't bother. April 15, 2006

Better than I remember it being, but still not recommended

I saw "Modesty Blaise" in the cinema when it was first released in 1966. At that time I had already read the book, which I loved, and I came away from the cinema thinking that this travesty, this blasphemy of a movie was total trash.

Peter O'Donnell, the author of the book and the comic strip that inspired the movie, went on to write a whole series of books about Modesty Blaise, and I loved them all, especially the first five - six of them, after which the series declined somewhat. I became a greater and greater fan of Modesty Blaise, and my memory of this movie remained completely negative.

Why this negativity? Because the movie does not follow the true concept of Modesty at all. The Modesty books are intelligent and exciting and character-driven, with a touch of humor. In particular, the characters of Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin (Modesty's loyal side-kick) and their unusual relationship are key factors in the books.

This movie, on the other hand, is just plain silly. It's "campy", with all of the characters acting strangely and with everything that is done being exaggerated. Modesty and Willie, who are both poorly cast relative to their appearance and physique as described in the books, even break into song a couple of times!

So as a movie depicting the "true Modesty Blaise" this movie deserves one star, even though the script does actually follow the first book to a large extent, although everything is modified a bit one way or another.

Now I've watched the movie again on DVD, and my opinion is less harsh.

If you take the point of view that this isn't a Modesty Blaise movie, but a Joseph Losey movie, then it isn't all that bad. Joseph Losey (the director) did have a specific idea of what kind of (campy) movie he wanted to make, and by gum, he did make it.

"Modesty Blaise" (the movie) lasts all of two hours, and the style is consistent and sure. Everyone acts consistently silly, the plot is silly, the action is silly and even the theme song (although catchy) is silly. So if you're in the mood for a silly, campy movie, you've come to the right place.

In fact, if I was a fan of campy movies then I might be giving this movie four or five stars. But I'm not, so I'll leave it at three stars. But it does deserve that simply for the consistent weirdness and for the song "Ice is Nice", sung by Bob Breen. (There's actually a sound track CD available!)

Incidentally, there is no extra material on the DVD, although it does include sound tracks in English, French and Spanish.

Over the years there was often talk of a new Modesty movie, and finally in 2003 "My Name is Modesty" was made and released directly to DVD. Comparing this movie with "My Name is Modesty" (which I also give three stars) I can say that the big difference is in the intention.

"Modesty Blaise" (the movie) was not intended to be a true Modesty movie, so it fails if that is what one is looking for. But it succeeds fairly well in what it was attempting to be, namely a campy movie.

"My Name is Modesty", on the other hand, really was trying to be a true Modesty movie, so it simply fails.

We true blue Modesty fans are still waiting for a good Modesty movie.

Rennie Petersen November 8, 2005

Fun, but not Modesty

The movie is mildly entertaining, but only one single line from Peter O'Donnall's script survived, "I am Mr. Fothergill." So, if you've seen the film, don't think you know anything about Modesty Blaise. Read the books from Titan, or the serial story in Comics Revue monthly. August 7, 2005

Did it inspire Austin P?

I first saw this movie during its original release. All these years later, my memories were positive enough for me to buy it. Oh dear! Memories have a habit of being selective. Even though its a satire and by no means to be taken seriously, its so high camp that it just loses you. It doesn't really entertain at any level. The only positive was the thought that maybe it had sown the seed for the far more enjoyable and also-camp-but-not-so-pre-occupied-with-itself Austin Powers. May 10, 2005

rock'n'droll

Though this is not a knee-slapper as satire, and certainly no thrill-giver as an action flick, this film has aged better than Bond films like Thunderball, generically speaking the ground of this satire. Modesty Blaise is loosely based on a comic-book super-heroine and played by Monica Vitti. The humor is very droll, yet needle-sharp in its mockery of the amorality of empire and espionage, and in its parody of the conventions of the action-hero movie, its mad-camp villain, its tools, its blue waters. It hits its dry humorous notes and jazzy visual chords without pedantry, seeming very British and looking very Italian, a nice trick. Stoned in a rather stately way, and head-scratchingly complex in places, this movie is shrewd enough to avoid the utter silliness of many 60s movies. The film is visually beautiful and engaging, with grand colors and compositions with lots of space and depth: the toughest thing about Modesty Blaise is that it moves at a pace more like an Italian sex-and-class study than an action movie or typical spoof; indeed, the film freely recalls Antonioni's L'Aventura, (which also starred Vitti), especially in its Mediterranean location shots. And after all else is said, Monica Vitti remains an absolute stunner here, a true movie star, with a face of a thousand shades of tenderness and cunning. She also has great hair that changes about every five minutes. (Her hair itself is a better actress than Madonna.) Vitti and her sidekick, Terence Stamp, a mod Adonis, have a cool chemistry, and even sing in one pleasantly bizarre scene. Dirk Bogarde, the villain, is in a role unlike any other he ever played, but he may steal the movie. This is an anomaly: a rocknroll movie--droll, nonconformist, and hip--with almost no rocknroll in the soundtrack. February 19, 2005

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