Our Man Flint on DVD

In Like Flint
Modesty Blaise
Fathom

Before Austin Powers there was Derek Flint, secret agent extraordinaire who could single-handedly save the world.

Flint (James Coburn), is so cool and knows so much that he's chosen by computer as the ideal person to take over the case when the world's weather is threatened by an unknown gang of apparent terrorists a la SPECTRE.

But he doesn't want the job, and it takes his would-be (and former) boss Lee J. Cobb of Zonal Organization World Intelligence Espionage (the acronym sets the film's tone) repeated attempts to get Flint on board.

When he does, he does it his own way, eschewing ZOWIE's equipment (why do you need a gadget that performs some 26 functions when your own cigarette lighter does more than 80?), taking his own executive jet around the world to chase down what turns out to be a group of scientists bent on taking over the world so they can save it from itself.

The movie is lighthearted, but played mostly straight, and is arguably nearly as much fun as the Connery Bond flicks. Coburn is so cool as Flint you could chill a coke on his skin. His Flint is not only a Renaissance man, he's apparently all knowing and all seeing - which comes in handy as the "bad guys" (the leaders of whom aren't really that bad) try to foil his attempts to foil their attempts.

Edward Mulhare is the worst of the baddies, though he almost seems reluctantly evil. Gila Golan is Flint's main nemesis until she falls under his spell (which happens, as with Mr. Bond, almost as soon as she actually meets him).

Our Man Flint has action, gadgets, girls, special effects, and a good score by Jerry Goldsmith. It's an "unBond film" that'll grab you and keep you until the end.

Then there's "In Like Flint," the inevitable and (inevitably) inferior sequel.

Flint is once again recruited by Lee J. Cobb to be ZOWIE's top agent, this time around to solve a space-based that also involves the President of the United States (Andrew Duggan).

POTUS, it turns out, has been grabbed and replaced by an evil duplicate (thanks to the powers of plastic surgery). The sequel's scheme for world domination involves hostile and aggressive women (a feminists' delight!), and Flint, with his drop dead charisma, is just the man for the job.

In Like Flint doesn't have the spirit of the original, though it's still worth seeing once.

While we're in spy spoof mode, 20th Century Fox has also released on DVD Modesty Blaise, a movie version of the British comic strip. As the package says: "Her entire appearance changes with a finger snap. She thrashes villains without missing a spiked-heel step. Welcome to the mad, mod world of sexy, stylish intrigue as British comic strip character Modesty Blaise comes to life in this outrageous spoof.

Hired by the government to prevent a diamond heist, Modesty (Monica Vitti) recruits her wily sidekick Willie Garvin (Terence Stamp) to help her battle crafty, colorful foes on the secluded island of a suave mastermind thief (Dirk Bogarde). Grooving with mile-high hairdos and swinging, psychedelic wall patterns, Modesty Blaise is campy entertainment at its best!"

Then there's Fathom, with Raquel Welch at the height of her, er, powers. It's a spy flick in which Ms. Welch runs around in a bikini a lot, but it isn't particularly sexual and is, in fact, plain old good, clean fun. As the box says:

"From exploding earrings to dances with bulls to leaps from a plane at 1,000 feet, there isn't much Fathom can't handle in this wildly entertaining espionage spoof. Voluptuous dental hygienist-turned-skydiver Fathom Harvill (Raquel Welch) is recruited by a top-secret government agency to parachute into Spain in search of an elusive war defector (Tony Franciosa) and a missing H-bomb detonator he is believed to possess. But the super-sexy spy may expose more than she bargained for as she unravels the truth behind her employer's motives--with hilarious results!"

So if you want something a little cleaner than Austin Powers, any of these Fox titles can do the job for you. All of them feature anamorphic widescreen video (16x9 TV compatible) and Dolby Digital (mono) audio and while the picture quality isn't outstanding, it still beats the heck out of VHS.

Our Man Flint, from 20th Century Fox Home Video
108 min., anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital mono
Starring James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan, Edward Mulhare
Produced by Saul David,
Written by Hal Fimberg and Ben Starr, Directed by Daniel Mann

In Like Flint, from 20th Century Fox Home Video
114 min., anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital mono
Starring James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Andrew Duggan, Jean Hale,
Produced by Saul David,
Written by Hal Fimberg, Directed by Gordon Douglas

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