The Million Eyes of Sumuru

THE MILLION EYES OF SU-MURU is one of the millions of Harry Alan Towers-produced movies made during the 1960s that were usually filmed in various exotic locations; Hong Kong was the choice for this one. Based on a Sax Rohmer story, this is a film which serves to emulate the popularity of the Christopher Lee-starring Fu Manchu movies which were being made at the same time, except with an all-female twist.

Sadly, it's a bit of a boring affair, a definite case of style over substance and a film which feels rather insipid and tame when watched with modern eyes. Shirley Eaton (GOLDFINGER) is the titular foe, who sends her all-woman army out to kill various world leaders in a bid for world domination. Only two men can stop her: the wooden George Nader (ROBOT MONSTER) and the equally wooden singer-turned-actor Frankie Avalon.

What follows is light, fluffy, and predictable, and this feels much like the Italian Bond rip-offs that flooded cinemas during the late '60s. There are lots of beautiful Euro starlets wandering around showing acres of flesh, a typically bizarre cameo role for Klaus Kinski, and Wilfrid Hyde-White propping up the scenery as he did in many a Towers-produced film. Fans of '60s kitsch might find something to enjoy here, but those who require more substance should look elsewhere. A Jess Franco-helmed sequel, THE GIRL FROM RIO, followed.

Silly as this movie may be, it does evoke a certain aspect of 1960s culture, so if you're nostalgic for beehive hair-dos, go-go boots, narrow neckties, white lipstick, etc -- sit back and enjoy. The plot and acting here are beneath notice but the pace is snappy and it does have a few oddball moment of note. See Frankie Avalon acting tough and throwing a hand grenade! See Wilfred Hyde-White slumming it! See George Nader in chains being whipped by Shirley Eaton! This whipping scene, in fact, is the movie's highlight. Not only does a bare-chested Nader look pretty good for a man in his mid-40s, but note that his belt is unbuckled. Did the wicked Su-muru plan to pull down his pants after the whipping? Inquiring minds want to know!

This flick was always on a "double-bill" because nobody in it (including one of the leads, Frankie Avalon - who starred in Beach Movies before this) was REALLY A-list quality talent, except for the beautiful Ms. Shirley Eaton (Painted-gold girl in GOLDFINGER). The plot is wack-city on a bad dexedrine trip with ancient greed or something. The sacriligious testament to Z-movie cultures exemplifies NOTHING! This flick isn't even EVIL or robotic, it's just a zenith of confusion ("plot"-wise), let alone there's some beautiful babes spouting Amazon-like platitudes about illusions of purity.

Needless to say, this sounds like a turkey (and technically it is), but it's an exploitation film without any known characteristic (sex, violence, bikers, horror..etc.) and manages to make you believe that these characters are actually believing what they're saying. George Nader was never great shakes as an actor, but had a lengthy career without having "known" talent or good hair. Shirley Eaton, one of the brightest, most beautiful and enchanting Brits of the 50's and 60's never gets to show something. But you have to check this one out. I give it a high (7) for this kind of thing rating, ..only because everyone involved SEEMS convinced it's a REAL PLOT! Anyway, give it a shot (if you can find it). Quite enjoyable in a sleepy, demented way.

Anti-male syndicate of beautiful female assassins, led by the no-nonsense, whip-wielding Sumuru (Shirley Eaton) at their base of operations near Hong Kong, plots international domination by ridding the world of its male leaders; two wisecracking American agents (Frankie Avalon and George Nader) use their masculine charms to save mankind. UK production, distributed Stateside by American-International Pictures, is a fairly tepid adventure yarn with 'humorous' asides. There are some interesting ideas (any woman who betrays Sumuru by falling in love with a man is automatically targeted for extermination), but not enough imagination or excitement. Eaton strikes a formidable figure as all-powerful Sumuru, and her army is certainly attractive, but film is a mishmash of clichés handicapped further by the casting of puerile Avalon and Nader, both lead weights. Eaton played Sumuru again in 1969's "The Girl From Rio". *1/2 from ****

It is really strange that most people seem to think this movie is unintentionally funny, but the truth is it surely was made as a parody of the 60's spy movies. George Nader is frequently bumping into something and has a lot of funny lines to say. He is obviously the stupid counterpart of his other role at this time, FBI agent "Jerry Cotton".

A big problem in enjoying this beautiful fun is however, that most available versions present this (shot in 2,35:1-Scope) film in shitty fullscreen transfers, so you can see only half of the real image and missing much important picture information on both sides, so you sometimes can hardly tell what's going on.

I'm sure, the day this finally will be released in a decent OAR-transfer the film will win a lot of admirers!