The Rank Film organisation jumps on the James Bond bandwagon - they'd already dabbled with Hot Enough for June - by reviving Bulldog Drummond and changing him from his previous incarnations (neck breaking pseudo fascist in the books, comic gentleman adventurer in the movies) into a modern day sophisticated, womanising spy (although he works for an oil company rather than the government).
Drummond is up against a duo of female assassins - Elke Sommer, Sylva Koscina - who run around knocking off people, usually in some revealing outfit (bikinis, evening gowns, etc). These two are great fun, and several of their scenes are reminiscent of the film Charlies Angels, especially the opening sequence where Sommers attacks a guy on a plane, parachutes out, is met by a bikinied Koscina in a speedboat, then then go someone in bikinis with a spear gun.
Even better the girls have different characters - Sommers is bossy, Koscina a troublesome psychopath, the two bicker. As long as they are around the film is great fun, helped by fantastic costumes and stunning locations. Nigel Green isn't bad as their boss.
The film's more wobbly when it comes to Drummond. Richard Johnson is handsome and clearly a capable actor but is dull as a star. He wouldn't have made a good Bond. The guy who plays his American nephew or whatever is agonisingly irritating - why not make this person a girl helping him? They throw in Suzanna Leigh in the third act, with an accent, but it's too little too late. The action scenes aren't done that well.
But it's bright and cheery and has some smashing looking birds as they used to say.
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