Thu 28 May 2020
Movie Review: DEADLIER THAN THE MALE (1966).
Posted by Steve under Action Adventure movies , Reviews[13] Comments
DEADLIER THAN THE MALE. Rank, UK, 1966. Universal, US, 1967. Richard Johnson (Hugh Drummond), Elke Sommer, Sylva Koscina, Nigel Green, Suzanna Leigh, Steve Carlson. Screenwriters: Jimmy Sangster, David Osborn) & Liz Charles-Williams, based on a original story by Jimmy Sangster and the character Bulldog Drummond created by Herman C. McNeile (as Sapper) & Gerard Fairlie. Directed by Ralph Thomas.
If my count is correct, there were 22 films between 1922 and 1951 in which Bulldog Drmmond was the leading character. Various actors played the role, with John Howard getting the nod the most often. Others include Ronald Colman, Ray Milland, Tom Conway and Walter Pidgeon. Spurred on by the success of the James Bond films, Deadlier Than the Male was the first of two additional outings for the character in the late 60s; Some Girls Do (1969) was the second.
By this time, though, I can easily imagine that audiences had more or less forgotten the character. The role played by Richard Johnson could easily have been any debonair insurance investigator. I may be mistaken, but in Deadlier than the Male, I do not believe he is even called “Bulldog†Drummond.
He’s brought in on the case when a series of accidents have taken out some of the top level executives of various oil companies. Responsible, although he doesn’t know it at first, are two eye-catching female assassins (Elke Summer, she of the cantilevered bikini, and almost as luscious Sylvia Koscina). But even with such eye candy on hand, the story doesn’t really get into high gear until Drummond’s arch enemy Carl Peterson reveals himself as the man behind the killings.
In spite of all the action that takes place in the last thirty minutes, I found the overall product only semi-satisfactory at best. As I mentioned earlier, there was a sequel, so this first of the two must have done all right, but unless someone can tell me otherwise, the adventures of Bulldog Drummond essentially ended with the second of the pair, content perhaps as being the model and/or inspiration for the many other characters of derrng-do who followed in his footsteps.

NOTE: For Dan Stumpf’s much more personal take on this film, posted on this blog almost nine years ago, go here.
May 28th, 2020 at 3:08 pm
There is a spoof movie based on the popular play, BULLSHOT CRUUMMOND after this, and an adaptation of the first Drummond book for BBC radio, a one shot Bulldog Drummond comic book, some appearances by the character in THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, and some attempts to continue the character by various writers in ebook form, but this is certainly the last of the character on screen.
Deadlier is by far the better movie, with a spate of well known British character actors, and that well done giant chess set Drummond and Peterson battle with.
Dalhia Lavi replaces Sommer and Kosina in the second film and James Villiers take the lead as Peterson., but the movie just doesn’t have whatever it was carried Deadlier over.
Henry Reymond is listed as the writer of the novelizations of both books, the first one quite good (from Signet, the Bond paperback publisher), the second written in the present tense and annoying to even read — it wasn’t even published here.
Still Drummond’s influence, for good or bad, lingers on, the Saint, Albert Campion (who early on is almost a spoof of Drummond replete with gang of pals and buzzing about in the fog fighting political villains), Dennis Wheatley, Peter Cheyney, John Creasey, Mike Hammer, James Bond, Dirk Pitt, James Rollins … all acknowledge Drummond as an influence. And no few major writers were inspired to write in angry response to the Drummond mindset and socio-political milieu like Graham Greene and Eric Ambler. John LeCarre is at least as much a reaction to Buchan and Drummond as Bond.
May 28th, 2020 at 6:16 pm
Thanks, David. That’s quite a list of influences, isn’t it? Pro anbd con.
May 28th, 2020 at 9:05 pm
I saw this when it first came out, not so much for Drummond but for Elke Sommer, who brightened up many a movie for me when I was young. Turns out I would have enjoyed the film even without Elke Sommer — a little bit less, to be sure, but that’s a fairly high recommendation from me.
May 28th, 2020 at 9:20 pm
Is it possible that Elke Sommer is known best for being in this movie? Anyone who remembers this movie from when they were younger certainly thinks of her first and maybe the giant chess set second. What other movie was she in that anyone remembers?
May 28th, 2020 at 11:17 pm
Found an interesting review here:
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=13522
May 29th, 2020 at 12:59 am
As a young American teenager in the 1960s, I have to say that Elke was more memorable to me (and to the U.S. market generally) in director Mark Robson’s pretty good Faux-Hitchcockian THE PRIZE (1963) opposite Paul Newman; and in writer/director Blake Edwards’ A SHOT IN THE DARK (1964) opposite Peter Sellers.
May 29th, 2020 at 12:18 pm
You’re quite right, Rick. Her presence in both films was most welcome indeed.
May 29th, 2020 at 8:56 am
Intriguing coverage of a movie that I should have seen by now but haven’t. The “almost as luscious” Sylva Koscina? All due respect to
Elke Sommer (and her eye-popping nude pictorial in PLAYBOY back in the day), but we fans of the gorgeous Sylva Koscina would never find her an “almost” second to anybody.
May 29th, 2020 at 12:17 pm
I can’t argue with your Point of View, Fred, but I’ll still stick with Miss Sommer. One thing I did learn, though, from watching the trailer, is how to pronounce “Koscina.” I never knew before.
May 29th, 2020 at 10:26 am
Henry Reymond is listed as the writer of the novelizations of both books …
Could this be Henry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating, well-known around these parts by his initials?
Somewhere in my stacks (piles?), I’ve got a movie novelization that Mr. Keating wrote under his full (initialed) name: Murder By Death, from Neil Simon’s spoof screenplay.
I’ll have to dig it out to be certain, but my recollection is that Mr. Keating actually tried to turn Mr. Simon’s joke machine into a real (sort of) novel.
Mind you, I’m glad to have this book in my home; I only wish I knew where it is just now …
May 29th, 2020 at 12:12 pm
I think you’re onto something here, Mike. It’s almost a sure bet that Keating wrote both novelizations, but I hae a couple of good book sleuths looking into it, just to be sure.
May 29th, 2020 at 1:14 pm
I’ve just gotten the confirmation that yes, Reymond and Keating are one and the same. Straight from Keating’s widow.
May 29th, 2020 at 7:13 pm
Keating certainly explains why the first one was so good, but I have a feeling he wasn’t behind the second book which barely qualifies as a novel.