MISSION BLOODY MARY. 1965.

Directed by: Sergio Grieco (as Terence Hathaway)
Soundtrack by: A.F. Lavagnino. 91 mins.
It's another Euro pudding production via France, Spain & Italy.

American actor Ken Clark starred in a heap of European spy films, most have pretty much remained unavailable for viewing, unless you live in the USA & happened to see them late at night on TV there or forked out some coin for DVD-R's via places like Something Weird. So finally we are getting to see what all the spy craze hullaboo was really like back in the 60s, through the help of the new DVD company Dorado. Sure you had James Bond, Flint, Matt Helm, but whoever heard of the CIA's Agent 077. Probably only hardcore Euro Spy fiends & those who went to see b-grade flicks in dodgy cinemas in the 60s.

It's a farely standard flick. The print used is quite good, though it has the usual dirt specks & dullness of colour, but it's nicely shot, if a little pedestrian, very much of its time & it wears its B-movie badge with pride. We get too see Paris, Madrid & Athens while Agent 077 cavorts with a double crossing spy chick over a potentially destructive suitcase bomb. The girls are all pretty dope, the biffo is consistent & the enjoyment in watching is there, but it is far from a film that one would recommend to non-spy film freaks.

The theme song is not too bad. Arranged by Ennio Morricone & sung by Maurizio Graf.

Ken Clark was starring in such masterpieces as Attack of The Giant Leeches, so i'm sure playing a spy in Europe running around with chicks was something he couldn't refuse. The director made more spy flicks as well as spaghetti westerns, sword & sandal flicks, but it is another film that is interest to me, Argoman the Fantastic Superman aka The Incredible Paris Incident. The European superhero flicks are a personal fave. I'm waiting for a DVD release of that in due time.

Mission Bloody Mary is available from Xploitedcinema.