Deadlier Than the Male (1967)

Carbon copy Bond

The James Bond craze of the 1960s sent studios scurrying to secure the rights to other literary secret agents and detectives, and alter them to fit the successful 007 formula. Novelist H. C. McNeile's creation "Bulldog Drummond" was showcased in numerous mystery films in the '20s and '30s; for this 1966 spy movie, however, the urbane sleuth was reconfigured into a carbon copy of Bond.

Like the Bond films, there's a strong (and welcome) emphasis on female villainy, represented here in the shape-make that shapes-of blonde Elke Sommer and brunette Sylvia Koscina. They're stunning and, as such, the primary reasons to sit through this run-of-the-mill rehash of the kind of spy movie clichés that Mike Myers has made a cottage industry out of satirizing.
November 28, 2005

Bond copy

This is one of several movies that cashed in on the Bond craze. This particular one is the worst of the copies. The low budget limits the exotic location shots and make the story very slow and dragging. There are none of the artistic photographic angles and effects common in the Bond films. It is about an insurance investigator who is looking into organized crime. The plot is totally devoid of any imagination or surprises. The one unusual feature is that some of the gratuitous violence is done by women who appear to be bored with their violent work. The women and their clothes were very flashy by standards of 40 years ago, but will have no romantic effects on healthy men of today. Notice how the women piled their hair on top of their head and then wrapped a turban around it. September 1, 2004

Entertaining But Not in the Same League as Bond

"Deadlier Than the Male" certainly copies the James Bond movie formula--and star Richard Johnson, reputedly once considered for the role, looks like a cross between Sean Connery and Martin Landau. Ultimately, the film lacks enough stylish excitement to be a true Bond contender, though its jazzy score and myriad locations are on par with many 1960s adventures. It may even remind some viewers a bit visually of Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 film, "To Catch a Thief." Johnson plays Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond, a well-tailored investigator who drives an expensive car, lives in a swinging but upscale London flat, and beds every woman he's interested in. If that sounds like Bond, the resemblance is understandable; Ian Fleming was likely inspired by the fictional Bulldog Drummond mysteries that preceded the Bond books. His quarry here is a two-woman assassination squad (luscious Elke Sommer and kooky Sylva Koscina) that is brutally knocking off contenders for a multi-million-dollar oil deal. Who is really behind the shady goings-on probably won't surprise you, but some of the kinky violence might, even if much here is tame by contemporary standards and already familiar to "The Avengers" fans. "Deadlier Than the Male" works best when it lets the assassins be cold-blooded and Johnson relax and be naturally smooth (as he was in "The Haunting" and numerous other films); it breaks down with its frequently desert-dry, sometimes racist humor and often lethargic, oddly-edited action sequences. Though a climax on a human-sized chessboard is visually impressive, trying to make complete sense of how and why the characters react to it might challenge you. Perhaps the biggest flaw, though, is that despite being suave and handsome, Johnson fails to bring sparks to the romantic scenes; as a female friend told me, "Now I see why he didn't get Bond." August 6, 2004

Fun but not Funny

Though I thought this film was pleasant enough, it ultimately was neither campy enough or action packed enough to ever get me too excited.

The plot feels second rate, the hero as played by Richard Johnson is about as bland as you get and any attempts at campy humor were too subtle to ever make me laugh.

All but serious student of 60's pop culture are probably going to feel a little disappointed after purchasing this film. It isn't nearly as good or fun as the cover illustration makes it seem. August 12, 2003

The best James Bond knock-off from the Sixties!

If you like James Bond, get this movie.

Yes, this is the best of all the Bond knock-offs produced in the mid-to-late Sixties, and there were a lot of them! Unlike spoofs like Modesty Blaise and Casino Royale, Deadlier Than the Male is actually a good movie in its own right. The production values are higher than most other sub-Bond spy films of the period (although nowhere near as high as those of Mr. Bond himself), the acting is good, the action is good, and the script is witty. Elke Sommer (at her absolute hottest!) steals the show as a voluptious assassin, but Richard Johnson makes a darn good hero, too. His character's relationship with his nephew is quite well-done, and a scene where the nephew brings a lady back to his uncle's apartment is a comedic hightlight (somewhat reminiscent of The Pink Panther). The murders are all very creative (think Avengers) and rather violent for the time period. The setpieces are great, especially the climax where hero Bulldog Drummond faces the villain (an amazing Nigel Green) on a giant chessboard filled with oversize pieces. If you like Sixties James Bond movies, or the Pink Panther movies, or TV shows like The Avengers, you'll like Deadlier Than the Male. (The Walker Brothers theme song is amazing, too, on par with many of the great Bond themes!) All in all, a great Bond-style action-comedy. Deadlier Than the Male is to Thunderball as XXX is to Die Another Day (only both those sixties movies are better to their 2002 counterparts). Bond in everything but name. (And budget.)

I'm so glad this movie is finally on DVD! As far as I know, it had never been officially released even on VHS before, so all I'd seen previously was a poor-quality bootleg. The dvd offers no features, and the print is a bit scratchy at times, but the widescreen transfer looks nice and it's infinitely superior to the bootlegs! I'd like to see the sequel, Some Girls Do, released as well, though it's nowhere near as good as this one. June 4, 2003

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