Film
The Million Eyes of Sumuru
A 1967 spy-fi romp where Shirley Eaton's sultry villain Sumuru plots global domination through an army of seductive female agents. It's campy, colorful, and delightfully shameless—a time capsule of swinging-sixties espionage fantasy where the gadgets are absurd and nobody takes it seriously. For viewers who love their spy thrillers with tongue firmly in cheek.
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Our Man Flint1966
James Coburn as the ultimate spy-gadget superhero, dripping with style and one-liners. More absurd and more fun than any Bond film, with inventions that are pure comedy gold.
But The humor is very much of its moment—occasionally the gags land flat, and the pacing can feel sluggish by modern standards.
Barbarella1968
Jane Fonda in a psychedelic space-age adventure that's exactly as ridiculous and gorgeous as it sounds. Costumes, color, weirdness, and genuine charm—pure visual joy.
But The plot barely exists and the acting is knowingly campy; if you need coherent narrative, this will test your patience.
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold1965
Richard Burton in a genuine Cold War thriller with real moral weight and spy tradecraft. Gritty, intelligent, and a tonic if you want something that actually respects the genre.
But It's deliberately bleak and unglamorous after all the fluff—some find it depressing rather than gripping.
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Funeral in Berlin1966
Both films mine the 1960s spy-fiction boom, but this one treats the genre as noir rather than camp—it shows what happens when you drain Sumuru's wink and replace it with paranoia.
Michael Caine's second outing as Harry Palmer—a thinking spy in a Berlin setting thick with actual Cold War dread. It's spy-fi dressed up in realism, where the game is genuinely dangerous and intelligence work is unglamorous.
But It's slow-burn espionage without action setpieces or gadgets; if you want excitement, this trades it for atmosphere and authenticity.
More like this (7)
Modesty Blaise1966
Monica Vitti as a retired secret agent pulled back into action. Pop-art colors, baroque set design, and a winking tone that gets the fun of spy fiction without trying too hard.
But It's uneven—some bits click perfectly, others feel like they belong in a different film entirely.
The Silencers1966
Dean Martin as a swinging secret agent in a vehicle designed entirely around his cool-guy persona. Lightweight, charming, and happy to be ridiculous.
But The comedy is broad and dated; it relies entirely on Dean Martin's charm, which not everyone finds sufficient.
The Italian Job1969
Michael Caine leading a heist with style, humor, and an ensemble cast firing on all cylinders. Fast, clever, and endlessly rewatchable—a genuine masterpiece of light adventure.
But It's nearly 60 years old; if you need constant action beats, the middle section might feel slow.
In Like Flint1967
The sequel to Our Man Flint doubles down on the absurdity—moon bases, doomsday devices, and Coburn's unflappable cool. Even sillier than the first, which is the point.
But If the original left you cold, this won't change your mind; it's the same joke told louder.
Ultimate Avengers: The Movie2006
Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes as stylish agents in a film that worships at the altar of 1960s spy-fi. If you loved the TV show, you'll appreciate the commitment to the aesthetic.
But Critics hated it and audiences avoided it; it's far too concerned with looking cool to tell a coherent story, even by these standards.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service1969
This is the Bond film that could've learned from Sumuru: it features a secret society, globe-trotting schemes, and a villain's army—but executed with sincerity and craft rather than kitsch.
George Lazenby as Bond in a story that actually cares about character and emotion alongside the action. Telly Savalas as a villain with genuine menace. More serious than its title suggests, stunning to watch.
But Lazenby was one film only and it shows—his performance is uneven. Harder to enjoy if you need a confident leading man.
Venom1981
A chance to see the opposite side of 1960s-70s adventure filmmaking—where the same era's exoticism and character-actor casting become genuinely sinister rather than playful.
Klaus Kinski (who played a president in Sumuru) as a snake-obsessed terrorist holding hostages in a townhouse. Tense, weird, and genuinely unsettling—a B-movie premise treated with B-movie seriousness. Director Pål Feig creates real threat.
But It's deliberately claustrophobic and slow; there's no camp, no humor, and Kinski's intensity will alienate viewers who don't buy into his particular brand of unhinged.
People
Cast
Frankie AvalonAgent Tommy Carter
George NaderAgent Nick West
Shirley EatonSumuru
Wilfrid Hyde-WhiteSir Anthony Baisbrook
Klaus KinskiPresident Boong- Patti ChandlerLouise
Salli SachseMikki- Ursula RankErna
Krista NellZoe
Maria RohmHelga Martin
Paul Chang Chunginspector Koo- Essie HuangKitty
Directing
- Anthony WayeAssistant Director
- Marjorie LavellyContinuity
- Lindsay ShonteffDirector
Writing
- Sax RohmerCharacters
- Kevin KavanaghScreenplay
- Harry Alan TowersWriter
Production
- Harry Alan TowersProducer
- Terry BourkeProduction Manager