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Our Man Flint
[20th Century Fox]
1965; color
Directed by Daniel Mann
Starring: James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan & Edward Mulhare
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Although packaged, with the benefit of hindsight, as a precursor to Austin Powers, Our Man Flint is a bit different from the catchphrase-heavy, slapstick comedy style spy spoof we've all come to know and expect. Honestly, I didn't know it was a spoof when we were watching it (for whatever reason I didn't read the box until it was over) but maybe spoof is in the eye of the beholder. Fortunately these types of films don't really need to be understood to be enjoyed (I actually think they're more enjoyable the less you pay close attention) so that didn't present much of a problem. James Coburn plays our man Flint; Derek Flint that is. As expected, he's the prototypical American playboy, even besting America's literal prototypical Playboy Hugh Hefner by one girlfriend. (And, in fact, by the time our anecdote achieves closure, a fifth young lady volunteers to his impressive entourage of nattily outfitted companions. Flint isn't partial to blondes by the way, he likes a mix; both culturally and follically. My favorite was the Asian girlfriend. She had the best outfits.) Our hero is oh so much more than a regular ol' Playboy, a regular ol' publishing magnate, or even a regular ol' womanizing super spy. He's "a Karate Champion, Brain Surgeon, Swordsman, and Nuclear Physicist... He's the top Master Spy of all time, with his cigarette lighter containing 82 death-dealing devices, his 2 man eating dogs, his 4 luscious playmates and his love nest built for 5." Wow! Plus, he knows how to make love in 47 languages. (Whatever the hell that means. We don't actually see his dogs eat any human beings by the way, so they're more theoretical man eating dogs, but the Kommandant says that still counts.) So yeah, in addition to all of his achievements, he's a bit of an overachiever. Therefore when a group of scientists threaten the world with their weather controlling device (in a confusing twist their ultimate goal is to force the nations of the world to disarm, thus leading to world peace) there is only one man to call... Luke Spencer! Oh no wait, that's who they called when Elizabeth Taylor threatened Port Charles with her weather machine on General Hospital. (Interestingly I think her greater goal was to get her hands on a giant diamond.) In this movie they call on Derek Flint. Which makes much more sense. And so it begins... then, later, it ends. With a lot of nonsense in between. Generally speaking I can take or leave a spy movie, or a spy spoof for that matter, and I could take or leave this one. It certainly isn't the worst movie I've ever seen but it's no ____. (Insert name of your favorite Matt Helm movie here.)
—Bunny
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