Il nostro agente Flint

James Coburn is "Our Man Flint" in this 1966 spy film. Flint is called in by our government to find and destroy the enemy's capability to control the weather. Given our current situation with global warming, it was actually quite interesting.

The cool, perfect Flint is a derivative of James Bond, a gadget-ridden spy, unflappable in the face of certain death, totally brilliant, and a sex machine surrounded by gorgeous, buxom women. Played by the resonant-voiced, angular-faced James Coburn, Flint sails through his assignment, not only escaping death but faking death when it suits him.

It's a fun movie, but it's amazing how many of this type of film and spy films in general were made in the '60s - not only the Bond films, but caper films like Topkapi, Gambit, the Harry Palmer films, Casino Royale (where James bond was a character) - these films and takeoffs of them, like The Glass-Bottomed Boat - abounded.

It's always nice to reminisce about the '60s, and "Our Man Flint" has the music, the dancing, the gowns, the gadgets and the bustlines that will take you right back. A good time.

I've been a fan of this movie ever since I was maybe eight years old. It's not a great movie in the sense that "Citizen Kane" is great, but I love the way my perceptions of it have changed over the years. When I was little, I saw it all as strict action-adventure, but as I got older, I got the jokes, too. It's like James Coburn and company know full well how ridiculous the whole thing is, but they're having fun, and they invite us to do the same.

Someone once called Derek Flint "a cross between James Bond and Hugh Hefner." He's a true Renaissance Man, and I still want to be like him when I grow up.

OK, in retrospective, we should all know that 1960s espionage was all about cool dudes battling evil, and attracting hot babes in the process (though the latter often overshadowed the former, as Austin Powers showed). "Our Man Flint" is no exception. I will say that Derek Flint (James Coburn) isn't exactly James Bond, but he has his merits. The movie mostly seems like an excuse to experience that ultra-cool feeling that always emanated from the spy movies of the '60s, and they achieve that.

So, even if it isn't James Bond, it's still very enjoyable. Also starring Lee J. Cobb...and a bunch of half-dressed women.

So during that era, the four most important spies were James Bond, Derek Flint, Harry Palmer and Maxwell Smart.

If you approach this movie thinking it's going to be a proto-Austin Powers you might be in for a disappointment. Sure, it's a James Bond spoof, but nowhere near as broad as you might expect. The Bond movies were becoming increasingly self parodic by the late 60s anyway, so there's not all THAT much difference between this and say 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', except this is more entertaining than just about any post-Connery Bond in my opinion. James Coburn is just terrific as super spy Derek Flint, a role he was born to play. I can't say this is his best performance acting wise, but his most enjoyable role? Could be. The More you dig Coburn the more you'll enjoy the movie as let's face it, the plot is pretty thin, about some maverick scientists controlling the world's weather. But hey, it sure does LOOK great, and Gila Golan ('The Valley Of The Gwangi') makes a very sexy co-star. Plus you have respected character actor Lee J. Cobb, and if you keep your eyes open James Brolin, and even Russ Meyer babe Tura Satana in the supporting cast. Cool fun for 1960s buffs.

They don't make them like James Coburn any more; compared to the likes of him, modern Hollywood leading men seem like fairies suited to play nothing more than Tinkerbell in Peter Pan remakes.

Here, Coburn plays the plethoric, three-doses-of-everything Derek Flint. Four girlfriends (up to five at one point as we learn in the sequel), able to stop his heart, master of combat techniques, uses two wolfhounds and a GSD to greet guests and escort them in (dog lovers, note the GSD's silver colouration, a rare combo with black in the US -- and note that a black and tan GSD is used in the sequel), forensic science genius, private jet owner, philosopher... the list goes on.

This is a fun film with plenty of outright silly moments. No more or less silly than James Bond films or even The Saint, the difference being Connery and Moore's characters appear to take themselves and their work much more seriously than Coburn's Flint does -- and with good reason. His clothing, made of fibres not found in nature on this planet, is at least three sizes two small; his pantlegs are configured for an imminent flood; his hairstyle rivals that of any British Invasion band member; his attitude toward women is similar to that of Alexis Zorbas (special albeit frail creatures that must be respected and loved); his shrieks and cries during hand-to-hand combat make Bruce Lee sound like Caruso.

Recommended!