Deadlier Than the Male

The star was director Terrence Young's choice for James Bond in Dr. No. He looks good. A little shop worn. But he doesn't have that Sean Connery deep voice. Also features Nigel Green who was the bad guy in the Ipcress File. The nephew is ok but hardly Robert Wagner to Pink Panther's David Niven.The girls make up for it all and do a very good job, but they all get ironically sloppy by the end of the movie. Suddenly the writer and director decided to give them a D in criminal behavior instead of the A they were getting through most of the film.It does run a little like a James Bond movie, especially the earlier ones that were slow moving.It's watchable. Some of the fight sequences look contrived (pull too many punches too soon).It's worth it just to watch Elke and Sylvia in their push-up bras.Really missed the good music of Jame Bond, Harry Palmer, John Steed, and Derek Flint.

James Bond led to a slew of copycats trying to capture its appeal and box office receipts. Deadlier Than The Male was one of the better ones. It features Elka Sommer and Sylva Koscina as two assassins attempting to manipulate companies by hook and by crook. Richard Johnson tries to stop them.The Bond influences are immediately seen in the movie. It starts off with Sommer and Koscina assassinating a man in an airplane and then the two are in bikinis. Johnson is not to be outdone as he’s a playboy. Here you have the sex appeal and the action sown together which were mainstays of the 007 movies. Besides that the movie has some good subterfuge, a conspiracy, an evil mastermind to keep it interesting plus plenty of 60s swag. That makes it far better than a lot of the other Bond inspired films.C

Definitely watch "Deadlier Than the Male." You'll be in for a real treat. But if you want to own a copy, save your money, and hold out for/demand a superior-quality disc that this film very much deserves. Here's why:FIVE STARS for an delightfully deft, light, and deceptively clever romp - a thinking man's/woman's take-off on the iconic Bond series.This inventive, stylishly playful satire features the distinguished, classically-trained, brilliantly versatile Richard Johnson* in the lead. Johnson portrays Drummond effortlessly: with debonaire, masculine charm, sexy intelligence, and perfectly wry humor. His Drummond is sophisticated but sporty, classy but not stuffy, and exudes a charismatic charge/threat that's understated but in no way effete. Not unlike Bond, he moves (and thinks) with sharp, cool grace. But unlike Bond's animalistic, devil-may-care image, Johnson's Drummond has just the right stroke of irony and warmth to keep him interesting. Then there's Nigel Green as a Brit baddie who's more credibly calculating than cartoonish. And Elke Sommer and Sylvia Koscina play the psychopathic sirens who wield their harpoons as perfectly (and lusciously) as their comic timing!Plus, the relationship between Drummond and his (U.S. American) nephew is refreshing, something rarely seen in movies - a central element that grounds the movie's hijinks (and certain moments of legitimately disturbing violence by the duo of female assassins) with a human, but no less humorous, touch. Then there's Zia Mohyeddin as a young oil heir, and Lee Montague as an erstwhile con-man gone clean, who give brief but memorably likable portrayals against stale stereotype. Convincing, smart, fun performances all around - and the same for the movie's script and direction.And what's a Bond-style caper without some martial arts, right? In this one, Drummond first appears on screen practicing judo, then karate throughout. But, at one point, he also slips in a clever move that's rarely seen in mainstream Western movies - voila! What fun it might have been, then, to see Johnson's Drummond and Elke Sommer's psycho-killer-vixen go at it, martial-arts style, one-on-one!As other reviewers have already noted, this movie is a welcome pleasure of 1960s fun. But it's impressive precisely because its style enhances, rather than diminishes, its approach. As a result, it achieves the incredible: it doesn't feel dated. To that end, it certainly helps that "Deadlier" is more on the lines of credible fantasy-entertainment, versus cheesy, over-the-top, gatchet-ladden ridiculousness. And its sexy (but not sexist), light-brush treatment is consistent throughout. Delightfully, the movie doesn't take itself seriously, yet in its most unflashy moments, it quietly does (when and where it most counts). These elements make "Deadlier" strikingly appealing, and it shows. It's stood the test of time, and gets even better with age. All in all, a bona fide cult classic. A real winner!However...ONLY HALF A STAR FOR THE BAD QUALITY OF THIS DVD (by Hen's Tooth Video). I've seen a clean, pristine, digital print of this movie elsewhere. Because of that comparison, I can say that this DVD is not up to standard, and certainly not acceptable for the price of $20. The color is badly off (example: flesh tones are red). The picture resolution is grainy, like a bootleg copy of a bad print. The picture contrast is too strong (example: where color details should be clear, you instead see vague/shadowy/silhouette darkness). The main menu even smacks of a cheap, bootleg product. No special features on the disc, either.Evidently, no care was taken in the digital transfer of this film to disc, which is a real shame. Because this is one of those truly rare gems of pop-culture cinema: a stylish yet intelligent, classy, and thoroughly unpretentious pleasure to watch. It not only offers a sly interpretation of the Bond 'mythos' and 'mystique', but stands entirely on its own merits. (I agree with other positive reviews here that "Deadlier" is even better than many of the Bond movies.)For these reasons, this movie is not only of its time, but still delivers nearly 50 years later. And is far superior to most of the pablum and swill that pass for movie entertainment (or 'actors') today. (I wish the same could be said of this movie's sequel, "Some Girls Do," which is outright dreadful, and painfully dated in ways that "Deadlier" successfully avoids.)* Johnson is a true actor's actor - one of jaw-dropping dexterity and range, unusually thoughtful intelligence, and exceptional nuance and restraint. Devoted to his craft, his performances are marked by naturalness over histrionics or hollow mechanics, grandstanding ego, or pretense. Over a phenomenally impressive 70-year career, to date, he has remained more interested in a passionate yet humble fidelity to the diverse, interesting, often intriguing characters he portrays (and the variety of projects he feels fortunate to be a part of) rather than in stardom or fame. From Shakespeare on stage, to classic Greek tragedies and period pieces, to cult horror and independent/foreign films, he's racked up a dizzyingly wide array of roles. His gifts are in a very elite class, yet few in the U.S. are familiar with him or his lesser-known roles. (He's mostly known for his role in the psychological horror classic "The Haunting." That is, the original 1963 version directed by Robert Wise.) Very, very few actors come anywhere close to Johnson's incredibly nimble, distinctive talent. If you appreciate subtlety, depth, and keen intelligence, seek out his most interesting other work. You'll be blown away.For those who don't know the history of the Bond franchise, Richard Johnson was, according to various sources, among the choices (if not the first choice) of Terence Young, the director of "Dr. No," to assume the role of Bond. To this viewer, Johnson was the most convincing, compelling 'Bond-who-almost-was'. And I say this as a fan of Connery's Bond (who's suave yet brutally dangerous and sociopathic - as real spies tend to be). Johnson himself has been gracious in openly acknowledging, without regret, that Connery ultimately was the right (and rightly subversive) choice to play the part and for the good of the franchise at its start. The fun for this viewer is in appreciating the distinct contrasts between Johnson's Drummond and Connery's Bond on screen, relative to how author Ian Fleming originally conceived the Bond character, and how various directors, screenwriters, and other actors have presented the Bond image differently and at its best.

Not a great movie but a very good movie. Definitely good entertainment for fans of spy/adventure/detective movies. Star Richard Johnson was director Terence Young's first choice to play James Bond in 1962's DR. NO.Johnson later remarked that they made the wrong choice for the role in Sean Connery but that the wrong choice proved to be the best choice as Connery brought humor and success to the movie.There are some obvious errors in continuity and plot but the actors are good enough that I didn't mind as much as I usually do.

If you want to appreciate real Bond movies better watch this, a sophomoric re-write of a Bond movie. What a shame to use Elke Sommer as hit man. Before the movie is 15 minutes gone you'd like to see her brains splattered all over a wall. If you think Bond movies cheapened women, wait till you see this. Still I watched it till the end, that does say something ... (about the movie!).

German Blu-ray Release: Deadlier Than The Male (Heisse Katzen) -Mediabook. Limited Edition.The UK releases are from the precut BBFC approved cinema print, missing the torture/torment of the Drummond youth by Penelope. The previous german dvd releases had a scene of dialogue & Drummond unzipping Elke Sommer from her dress trimmed, which was a tad clunky. So these aspects are worth considering.This current mediabook presentation has some decent array of extras, all english friendly as far as i can recall, as well as the uncut 98 minute film. The english audio can be chosen easily, with german subtitles switched off for those not germanic. The booklet is substantial but this is in german of course.Overall a crisp, vibrant print fully uncut as far as i can see. Tad expensive by comparison. The torture is kinda mild compared to any modern work even on tv but it does give the characters a bit more potency here and it's worth seeing the film as uncut as possible. Worthwhile for a bouncy bond flavoured run around, certainly better than it's sequel, great theme song, oodles of femmes that are simply delish. Leave your cynicism at the door. This was meant to be fun...

This was given an X rating by our censorship guardians back in the 1960's. Why? The assassins in this film were female, they tortured some of their 'hits', and there was some promiscuity shown by the girls.How strange that the prime time tv series 'Killing Eve' of 2018 also featured a female assassin who tortured her victims, but the series was given a 15 rating by our 'censorship guardians'. Don't worry, we're protected!The Bond films spawned a variety of spin-offs, some directly contrasting such as the gritty Harry Palmer series and 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold' and much lighter spoofs such as the 'Flint' and 'Matt Helm' series. 'Deadlier....' is one of two lightweights with the charismatic Richard Johnson in the starring role.It does have a lot of action, pretty girls and exotic locations (back in the 60's we were just discovering overseas travel and cheap Euro destinations) and the London scene was well exploited complete with 'dolly bird' costumes for the girls. One serious actress, Sylva Koscina, the others better known for their legs and chests such as Elke Sommer and Suzanna Leigh.On board for the ride are top thespian Nigel Green, so underused throughout his career but leaving huge impact in lesser roles such as the sergeant-major in 'Zulu' and Michael Caine's boss in a Harry Palmer film for instance. Laurence Naismith, Leonard Rossiter, William Mervyn, Lee Montague, Milton Reid, George Pastell (remembered for always playing an unsavory Middle-Eastern character) fill out the film.It's lightweight, it's a bit corny viewed today. But it was a good watch back in the day. 50 years from now what would we write about some of the films that we see as passable today?Knocked a star off my rating because ---- NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES. Really a good part of the audience that this film is aimed at is older people seeking nostalgia value, which this film is abundant with, and many need subtitles. Age will wear us down I'm afraid.

Quirky 1960s `Bond` style spy thriller. It`s not a patch on a Connery Bond picture but very entertaining romp none the less. Surprisingly violent for the time in which this was made it was issued an `X` certificate (18) but quite mild now by modern standards. The late Richard Johnson is at his suave best in this adventure and overall the film has very good production values. The picture quality on this Blu-ray is outstanding for a film made 50 years ago and the soundtrack whilst mono still packs quite a punch. If you enjoy 60s films in general and spy thrillers in particular I`m sure this film will not disappoint.

A favorite detective style filmI loved the movie right awayPhotography is not that special for a periodBut the cars are dressed in landscapesIn the great game rule what else can you ask for a few poundsThank you very much to Amazon

Deadlier than the Male is a delightful piece of nonsense, that I remember from my mis-spent youth. Typical of it's period, although the "Bond" action is superior, the DttM "girls" are if anything even better. Just the thing to while away a rainy Saturday afternoon.