Our Man Flint
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Our Man Flint is a 1966 sci-fi action film which stars James Coburn as Derek Flint. Directed by Daniel Mann, the premise of the film is that a trio of mad scientists attempt to blackmail the world with a weather-control machine.
Derek Flint is a parody of the James Bond franchise, the latter which had gained momentum in the 1960's with Sean Connery representing the British super-agent on the silver screen. Common traits for the two are:
- The adversary being a powerful criminal organisation.
- An appreciation of and by beautiful women.
- Usage of exotic gadgetry.
- Vast general knowledge.
Plot summary
Super-cool spy Derek Flint, ex-agent of ZOWIE, is lured out of retirement to deal with the threat of Galaxy, a world-wide organization led by a trio of Utopian scientists. Despairing of the world's governments ever getting their acts together, they demand that the governments all capitulate to Galaxy. To enforce their demands, they initiate earthquakes and other natural disasters with their machine.Flint is motivated to take them on, not by the pleas of his former boss Lloyd Cramden (Lee J. Cobb), but by Galaxy's preëmptive assassination attempt, and later the kidnapping of Flint's four live-in "playmates" (Leslie: Shelby Grant, Anna: Sigrid Valdis, Gina: Gianna Serra, and Sakito: Helen Funai) who are taken to Galaxy's island headquarters and turned into Pleasure Units. Investigating a lead which takes him to Rome, Flint clashes with Galaxy agents Malcolm Rodney (Edward Mulhare) and Gila (Gila Golan) before using his power of self-induced suspended animation to make them to think that they have killed him in their elaborate death trap. The duo then carts his "body" back to Galaxy headquarters. Flint covertly revives, but his infiltration attempt is thwarted and he is taken before Galaxy's trio of leaders. Offered a chance to join their new order, he declares that Galaxy's vision of the world doesn't sound all that Utopian to him, and is sentenced to death by disintegration. Gila has (naturally) fallen in love with Flint, and changes sides, slipping him his gadget-filled cigarette lighter before being hauled away to the Pleasure Unit room. With the help of the lighter, Flint again escapes, rescues his playmates and Gila, kills Rodney and destroys Galaxy headquarters.
Trivia
The uncredited actor playing the overseer of the Pleasure Unit process is Dick Wilson, who later gained fame as "Mr. Wipple" in a long string of commercials for Charmin toilet paper.
The continuous-belt elevator which figures in Flint's chase through Galaxy's command complex is an example of a paternoster.
The distinctive ring-tone of Cramden's much-used "presidential hotline" phone was later reused in the films Hudson Hawk and .
As revealed by a plaque in the movie, ZOWIE stands for Zonal Organization for World Intelligence and Espionage.
Malcolm Rodney was clearly meant to be one of many potential foils from the Rodney clan Flint could have faced in the past, or in future sequels that never got made. Flint makes a show of pointing at the family crest on his blazer asking why "the Rodneys always choose the wrong side". Another explanation is that Flint is pointing out a bend sinister in the coat of arms.
Sequel
In Like Flint (1967) was directed by Gordon Douglas, and again starred James Coburn, with Cobb also reprising his role as Lloyd C. Cramden.
External links
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