I Watch Films: Modesty Blaise

Modesty Blaise

This gets called a 60s spy spoof and it certainly doesn’t take its material seriously. Amongst other things Willy Garvin has a Modesty Blaise poster on his wall (weird, and worse still he’s in bed across the room with one of his girlfriends (not Modesty) when he’s introduced to the film which seems... odd) and the bloke in Amsterdam that they spend a fair amount with in the middle section has a full on copy of a Modesty Blaise comic in his flat.

Also Modesty, having arrived there blonde, in fishnets and an overcoat, hides behind some plants and comes out brunette, in a catsuit (with no seams or zippers) with a bow and arrow, just like on the cover of the comic.

At one point Modesty and Willie sing a song about how they’ve never actually had sex with each other.

ANYWAY rather than just list the weird things (the villain’s lair has an organ and the friar plays it when he arrives! He’s very partial to decoration of that 60s geometric pattern of distorted squares!) let me just say it’s trippy. But is it trippy enough? Yes, I think it is. There’s also a couple of good fights, with the stunt doubles well concealed by camera angles and most of the stars managing to keep up for the close ups.

Watch This: For fun 60s spy nonsense
Don’t Watch This: If you prefer your spy thrillers to be serious

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