Jung, blond und tödlich

I was let down by Hammer Films' version of SHE (1965), so I wasn't particularly looking forward to its even less regarded sequel (concocted by Peter O'Donnell, who had earlier scripted the Joseph Losey camp classic MODESTY BLAISE [1966]!). Still, given that the film begins in a modern-day setting, I have to say that I found it mildly intriguing at first (following an unintentionally funny opening scene in which leading lady Olinka Berova is nearly raped by a loutish trucker who ends up trampled by his own vehicle!); however, once the scene shifts to the mythical city of Kuma, the film grinds to a halt - and, being one of Hammer's longest efforts at 101 minutes, this does it no favors at all! Though Mario Nascimbene is best-known for his scores of epic films and was probably assigned to this one for just that reason, the lounge music (including a title tune which is not half bad) he composed for the modern early scenes is actually the most effective part of his soundtrack!

The cast is, again, worth discussing: Berova, who's involved in some very mild nudity throughout, is undeniably gorgeous and yet rather petite to act as a stand-in for the statuesque Ursula Andress (trivia note - reportedly, she was deported from the U.K. on suspicions of espionage!); John Richardson, repeating his role from the original film but who has turned villainous in the interim, gives a wooden performance; rugged Edward Judd always makes for a compelling lead in this type of film (I especially loved the way he put-down an exotic dance number secretly organized for his entertainment while a prisoner in Kuma!); Colin Blakely and Jill Melford as a wealthy vacationing couple (on whose yacht a distraught Berova finds herself) make a fine impression, but they unfortunately exit the proceedings very early on; Noel Willman is virtually unrecognizable as a wizened learned man of Kuma; Andre' Morell, appearing in a different role from the one he played in the original, is an embarrassment as a sort of shaman spouting mumbo-jumbo.

As was the case with THE VIKING QUEEN (1967), there's some confusion with respect to the culture and the geography depicted in the film: the city of Kuma is supposed to be situated somewhere in North Africa, yet the natives - whom Judd meets during his journey to locate the kidnapped Berova - speak in Arabic. Similarly, both Morell and the high priests of Kuma are seen to be well-versed in the occult arts: I can't recall if this was as prominent a feature in the original Hammer film but, somehow, it all feels incongruous to the material!

Despite the title She Who Must Be Obeyed spends much more time receiving it than dishing it out in the unusual Hammer production which unlike most of their exotic melodramas has a contemporary setting and left the relatively cosy surroundings in the woodlands around Bray for the more exotic setting of Almeria in Andalusia, where troubled Scandinavian Olinka Berova - usually incognito in big hair and a very small skirt - disrupts a gathering of eurotrash on board a luxury yacht.

Scripted by Peter O'Donnell of Modesty Blaise fame it benefits from attractive photography by location specialist Wolfgang Suschitzky; while Hammer shows its once customary enterprising choice of composer in its mournful saxophone solo by Tubby Hughes.

!!!THIS REVIEW CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS!!!

This is one of the few well-known Hammer films I had never seen, until a few days ago. I had very low expectations and so, sat down to watch this with no preconceived ideas of real enjoyment; just of ticking another Hammer film off on my head as "seen".

The Vengeance of She is oddly enjoyable if totally trashy. The script goes in a vaguely similar line to the original 1965 She. It has minimal characterisation, has no inner continuity and the actions and deeds of some of the characters are totally anachronistic (e.g an Arab who seems steeped in Western magick rites and philosophy).

By the end I found myself totally disinterested if Carol (Olinka Berova) is the reincarnation of Ayesha or not. I was unmoved by the loss/love of Killikrates (John Richardson)and his dilemma of being immortal without his soul-mate. The actual events lost momentum for me even before reaching the Lost City.

So why watch this film? There is an ethereal beauty to this film. Other reviewers have mentioned the beauty of the lovely Ms Berova and she is stunning, so that is enough said about that. But the ethereal beauty is beyond just her looks alone.

The film has some wonderful images: Berova walking down a long winding road in a white fur coat, the desert sequence, the entry to Kuma, etc. The music score by Mario Nascimbene, including the song title (sung by Bob Fields), uses a haunting but very simple melody heard throughout the film in various guises. For the scenes set in the "modern world" it is played as a jazz miniature with solo saxophone. In Kuma, it becomes a chant with an ostinato figure derived from the main melody. I find this very effective.

The ethereality of these features combine to produce something unexpected. This film has stayed with me. Shallow, disjointed and incongruous as the whole thing is, there seems to be something of a 60s acid trip side-effect from this film that I cannot explain. The notions of exoticism; love unrequited or lost; beauty and decay; and glamorous adventure that are not really explicit (due to ineptitude in narrative and performances) in this film are what will now stay with me.

Perhaps in five years time or more, I will have a notion to return to this film... and be totally disappointed, wondering where the effect of this film, that stayed with me in the following days, actually came from. Yet, it is there and for this I give it a tentative recommendation and a very over-generous rating.

First the good part of the film. The beginning of the movie was beautifully and sharply filmed with an excellent view of the French countryside going towards Monaco with a highway cutting through. The opening theme song was haunting, especially with the supernaturally lovely Czech star Olinka Berova. When you see this miniskirted vision with the flowing blonde hair and long legs walking down the highway with her suitcase, you can't help but be hooked, especially with the aforementioned cinematography and theme music. Unless you saw the predecessor-film, SHE, with Ursula Andress(also called Undress) you wouldn't know what the film was about. The makers assumed that everyone who saw the film also saw SHE. Well, the vast majority of viewers did not and thought the movie's plot was unintelligible. QED Only Olinka Berova's ethereal beauty kept the film from being a total failure and is worth seeing for that alone. Judging by the pre-release publicity, the movie was expected to make Olinka into a major star. Unfortunately for all of us, it did not. Most of the films she made later were behind the Iron Curtain. She later married and divorced an American movieman. Today, she reportedly lives in New York under the name Olga Calley. Her retirement from film is a loss for us all. Update: Olga Calley has moved back to Prague.

Hammer made a number of non horror films. Rather a bad choice. Everything about this film is second rate. The acting,the script,the sets. Actors having to spout nonsense dialogue. This might be of little consequence if the film were not so totally boring.