The Last of the Secret Agents? (1966)

Absolutely Fantastic

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Spy spoofs were ten a penny in the 1960's. Norman Abbott's 'Last Of The Secret Agents?' ( 1966 ) is one of the better ones. It was intended to showcase the then-popular comedy double act Allen & Rossi ( Marty Allen and Steve Rossi ). With his mobile face and shock of untidy black hair ( and "Hello Dere!" as a catchphrase ), Marty is firmly in the Lou Costello mold of comic sidekicks, while Rossi is a Dean Martin tribute act. 'Last' is a decent film, and this is mainly due to its associate producer and writer, the talented Mel Tolkin. Marty and Steve are a pair of down on their luck furniture removal men based in France. A mysterious organisation known only as THEM ( also the name of an organisation to be found in the 'Captain America' and 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' Marvel comics of that period ) has them under surveillance. It specialises in stealing valuable art treasures and wants to use Marty and Steve as unwitting couriers. 'J.Fredrick Duval', head of G.G.I. ( Good Guys Institute ) recruits the boys to find out what THEM's latest scheme is and, if possible, wreck it. Marty is given a gadget-packed umbrella which contains a gun and a radio, and even converts into a hot-air balloon. As it turns out, their Blofeld-like leader 'Zoltan Schumach' ( Theo Marcuse ) is out to steal the Venus De Milo...The gags come thick and fast ( the passengers' changing clothes each time a train enters a tunnel was copied a year later by the 'Matt Helm' movie 'The Ambushers' ), some work and some don't, but overall this is an extremely likable motion picture, packed with 1960's colour, gorgeous girls and good humour. As well as Bond, the 'Batman' television spoof is spoofed, along with war movies ( Harvey Korman's cameo is hilarious! ) and cigarette commercials. Nancy Sinatra plays Rossi's love interest 'Micheline' and gets to sing the title theme. If Allen and Rossi did not, as was hoped, become the 1960's answer to Lewis and Martin, well, at least, they had a good try.

My family took us to the drive-in to see this when I was around six years old. Needless to say, I was not quite as tough on it as the junior John Simons around here. In fact, we all thought it was a masterpiece. Well, we didn't say that; but we thought it was funny. My Dad probably even knew the connection to "Your Show Of Shows." Now it is impossible to see, though I guess it turns up on T.V. now and then. It sounds like the historic significance as a precursor to the now played out "Airplane" school of comedy might make it fun. Martin and Rossi continued to play Vegas for many years after the film. Harvey Korman must have just been getting started.

This film took parts of Man From U.N.C.L.E, Get Smart and Abbott & Costello but it fails badly. Steve Rossi and Marty Allen team together as secret agents that join "GGI" to battle the evilness of "THEM." A counter to the "CONTROL" and "KAOS" of Get Smart. Marty Allen does everything possible to be funny, from big eyes to falling down but it rarely works. Rossi is the straight man, ladies man and the singer but also fails to make this film believable. But then Get Smart was not believable but then Maxwell Smart made this a very enjoyable TV Series. Maybe that is the answer, as a TV Series, this may have worked well as a 30 minute show but fails because it is too long as a movie. One of the commentaries mentioned Martin & Lewis and maybe this is true but I never watched that team so my comparison is with Abbott & Costello. It was typical of a thin, straight man vs the fat, tubby man is very much Abbott & Costello. Even the intelligence or lack of remind me of the classic comedy team of old. If you have nothing to do, then by all means watch this film.

Just wanted to know if anyone else noticed William Petersen in an uncredited role. He appears in the restaurant/club about thirty or forty minutes in, with blonde hair or streaks. He looks good; appears to be a bouncer. I didn't mind the movie a bit, needs a few more good gags.