Raquel Welch was one of the last film stars created by a studio - kind of. Under contract to 20th Century Fox, her PR pictures were getting a lot of attention so they were considering putting her in Our Man Flint as The Girl before deciding to cast her in a support role in Fantastic Voyage (as The Girl). She was borrowed by Hammer to appear in One Million Years BC where the famous still of her in a fur bikini made her a star, at least in PR terms. Enthused, Fox decided to give her her own vehicle, this spy spoof.
James Bond movies and their rip offs were hugely popular in the mid 60s - so much so that there was a sub genre of female spy movies: Modesty Blaise, Caprice, this. Welch is a sky diver who is hired by a mysterious agent (Ronald Fraser) and his offsider (Richard Briers) to find a maguffin, a nuclear triggering mechanism.
Some not particularly colourful or well budgeted adventures follow, with Welch coming up against a mysterious American (Tony Franciosa), comic Armenian (Clive Reville) and brooding Tom Adams (briefly the star of his own spy series). There's also a Chinese Secret Service agent, Greta Chi and Australia's own Reg Lye.
The film was written by Lorenzo Semple Jnr, whose work I often like, including the film of Batman; that was directed by Leslie Martinson, who also directed this. This has a similar campy tone with Revill's performance being particularly over the top. It could have done with more gags - or excitement. Or logic really.
The film is seems most inspired by is Charade with an adventurous heroine who is continually rescued by a handsome leading man who may be good or bad.
Welch isn't very good but she does look great - wearing a series of sky diving outfits, low cut outfits and bikinis, plus large hair. Annoying her character is saved a lot by Franciosa (in a bull ring, on a plane), who is a better actor but not as strong a personality - the role required someone more charming. And he calls her "poppet" too often, it gets on the nerves. I enjoyed Welch more than Franciosa and the two don't have much chemistry.
Fraser and Briers give the support cast some class.
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