MovieChat Forums > Deadlier Than the Male (1967) Discussion > James Bond spoof very lite

James Bond spoof very lite

posted 16 years ago by turtletommy
3 replies | jump to latest

Spoilers!

Well just watched the new DVD and after hearing past comments that Richard Johnson had been considered for James Bond I'd have to say that the Bond producers found the right man in Connery. Now, I realize that this film was supposedly a Bond spoof but it seemed more a poorer yet semi-serious imitation. I do have to say that the Bond girls have nothing over the women in this film, very impressive. But that's about the only thing this movie has going for it. While Johnson as Drummond is serviceable enough, though with a haircut that at times looks like a bad toupee, his American nephew sidekick fresh from Princeton is a major annoyance. The 60s swinging London feel is kind of historically and culturally interesting and fun and doesn't appear quite as silly as the Austin Powers films would have you believe- well the theme song is pretty silly I have to admit.

Truthfully even the worst Bond film excepting maybe Casino Royale ('67 version!) is much better entertainment than this and if you want a better Bond spoof I'd suggest Our Man Flint (1966), starring James Coburn, which is a hoot and very clever.

I have to say I really liked Richard Johnson as Dr. Markway in The Haunting (1963), which besides his role in Khartoum are the only other films I've seen him in. I think he looks better with the moustache he had in The Haunting too. That was better casting as he seems to have more the professorial look and bearing than crime fighter. Maybe that was part of the joke in DTTM, playing the suave karate-chopping insurance investigator!

[–] DC-Tiki 13 years ago

I don't know if it was intended to be a spoof of James Bond as more of an imitation. Any PR material claiming that it's a spoof was probably written retrospectively and perhaps intended to get people who enjoy films like Austin Powers or the modern french OOS117 films to pick it up for a viewing.
Like Bond of the Fleming literature, Bulldog Drummond was a detective in the pulpy noir type genre, the Deadlier than the Male film-makers adapted the material to fit a eurospy theme in the fashion of the increasingly popular Bond series. The term I've heard for these eurospy type films ripping off the 007 franchise is Bondploitation - hence why I don't think it was meant to be in jest, but is meant to be taken seriously (well as serious as you can when you've got a villain backed up by a small army of lethal lovelies running around carrying out his assassinations for him.)

[–] turtletommy 10 years ago

Yes I agree probably more imitation than spoof. At any rate since the producers seemed to be trying to grab a little slice of the Bond pie whether in a serious vein (or not) I think the results were a bit lackluster.

[–] drgreenthumb1001 7 years ago

I know Bond films are not wall to wall action, but there just wasnt much action in this one. It also doesnt have near enough dark comedy, like when our female assassins get their comeuppance, I just rolled my eyes

It was also done quite cheaply in what actions scenes there were, they were poor.

Lets start with when Drummond is mugged in the parking garage, they show one of his attackers going down to the ground. When he hits the ground you can see the cushion they had thrown down "ripple up" when he lands.

The scene when his annoying nephew breaks through that huge iron gate with that tiny, crappy car, the gates noticable start to fall forward right before he hits it!

Then when he wrecks the car into a statue, it comes to a stop, and then its turned over on its side.

The airplane flying at the beginning was pretty weak for a model, even back then.

Add in the version I saw edited out the Elke Sommer undressing scene and Im disappointed in this movie as well.