Jeanne Roland Movies
- 1968
Sebastian (Dirk Bogarde) is an undisciplined mathematics genius who works in the "cipher bureau" of the British government. While cracking enemy codes, Sebastian finds time to romance co-worker Susannah York. The film dwells upon Sebastian's rather lax morals (even by 1968 standards), culminating in his refusal to commit himself to York once he's rendered her pregnant. This aspect of the story is frankly more fascinating than the main espionage plotline. Keep an eye out for Canadian actor Donald Sutherland in a bit as an American. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dirk Bogarde, Nigel Davenport, (more)
- 1968
Two steadfast members of Frank Sinatra's self-styled "clan," Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr., are the stars of Salt and Pepper. The boys run a swinging nightclub in London's Soho district (which explains their awful "mod" wardrobe) and also reluctantly double as secret agents. Their current assignment is to put the kibosh on a half-baked military officer (John LeMesurier), who plans to hijack a nuclear sub and hold England captive. The film is securely locked into the 1960s, with weird camera angles and out-of-focus optical effects, plenty of compliant young miniskirted damsels, and Bondlike action highlights. Salt and Pepper was followed two years later by a sequel, imaginatively titled One More Time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Lawford, Michael Bates, (more)
James Bond heads East to save the world (and to learn how to serve saki properly) in this action-packed espionage adventure. When an American spacecraft disappears during a mission, it's widely believed to have been intercepted by the Soviet Union, and after a Russian space capsule similarly goes missing, most consider it to be an act of American retaliation. Soon the two nations are at the brink of war, but British intelligence discovers that some sort of UFO has crashed into the Sea of Japan. Agent 007, James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent in to investigate. After staging his own death to avoid being followed, Bond, disguised as a Japanese civilian, teams up with agent Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba) and his beautiful associate Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi). With their help, Bond learns that both the American and Russian space missions were actually scuttled by supercriminal Ernst Blofeld (Donald Pleasance) in yet another bid by his evil empire SPECTRE to take over the world. As he battles the bad guys, Bond finds time to romance both Kissy Suziki (Mie Hama) and Helga Brandt (Karin Dor). You Only Live Twice was one of Sean Connery's last outings as James Bond. The next Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, would star George Lazenby as 007, and while Connery would return for Diamonds Are Forever, in 1973, Roger Moore took over the role. (Connery would play Bond one last time, in 1983's Never Say Never Again, which was produced outside the official series.) ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, (more)
Retired after years of international espionage, Agent 007 is lured back into action to battle the evil spy organization SMERSH in this notoriously incoherent parody of the James Bond films. David Niven portrays the aging Bond, who atypically rejects the advances of a variety of women, and agrees to battle SMERSH's hold on the lavish Casino Royale only after organization head M is murdered. Also mixed up in the affair are several other secret agents, all named James Bond, played by everyone from Peter Sellers and Woody Allen to a chimpanzee. Despite a star-studded cast, a large production budget, and a hit score by Burt Bacharach, the film was universally panned as a muddled, overlong failure, with the occasional amusing sequence lost in the unintelligible surroundings. The participation of several screenwriters and five different directors, including John Huston, only adds to the confusion. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, (more)
- 1965
This cheap, but colorful British period horror piece follows an ill-fated archaeological expedition to the cursed tomb of the pharaoh, Ra-Antef, whose sarcophagus the team's leader opts to sell to a smooth-talking American promoter who intends to set it up as part of an exploitive side-show attraction. No sooner has the tomb reached the States than the foul-tempered pharaoh is released; he then begins stalking and strangling all those who have desecrated his resting place. The bandaged one's vendetta doesn't stop there; he also has a score to settle with the reincarnation of a man who betrayed him eons ago. This rather dull mummy muddle was originally double-billed with Hammer Studio's superior chiller The Gorgon. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terence Morgan, Fred Clark, (more)
