O Agente OSS 117

A secret agent (Frederick Stafford) is called to investigate a series of suicide attacks. However, he soon learns about a drug (a toxin derived from flowers) created by an organisation that has the ability to control a person.

Great location shots, plenty of action, more than the previous OSS 117's, though it still grounded espionage work, and some impressive hand to hand combat; they are well choreographed ( there's no picking up furniture and smashing it over some one - just pure hand to hand; cool judo throws and inventive blocking techniques - there an especially impressive fight scene involving a flame thrower and a cool jungle showdown.

Of course, the story is good, has enough intrigue mystery and danger to keep your attention. The production values are slick- Frederick Stafford is very good, suave but sly and intelligent. Amazing that this is his debut film and did nothing before ... the finale is a humdinger!!

According to Frederick Stafford "I married an Austrian girl in Bangkok in 1964 and among the bouquets at the wedding was one from a French film producer. He said "How would you like to make movies with me?" and I replied "Why not?"

"I was rushed off to Brazil to make my first film in Rio de Janeiro, and have been busy ever since."

So here we are then

This is another polished OSS production, with a decent screenplay and Rio as a great exotic location, but somehow lacking a certain "je ne sais quoi" (as the French might say).

There's seems to be a feeling of "ennui" about many of the proceedings for me, a lack of "panache", which seems surprisingly thing to say about something French. They are following the formula established by the Bond franchise, perhaps even trying to be more "realistic" than Bond, but, in doing so, losing some of that element of the "fantastical" which made the Bond movies such a huge success.

However, after some consideration, I have decided that the fault lies with the soundtrack, which consists of either jaunty Samba inspired travelogue music or laid back Bosa Nova style jazz. Don't get me wrong, those styles definitely have their place in a movie set in Brazil, but in this case the makers don't seem to know when to stop. Although the standard of on screen action is excellent, the music rarely provides any assistance to help generate suspense or tension before, after, or during. Other Eurospy sound tracks are often melodramatic and overwrought, but they at least bring some energy and help set the appropriate mood for dramatic moments, while the music in this one is often either non-existent, played too quietly, or in a style inappropriate for the moment and lacking the punch and drama required.

Fred does pretty well considering it's his first acting gig, cool and suave. There are three beautiful girls, one bad, one dies and one for Fred. There is a nasty blond henchman with a prominent scar and the fight choreography is exceptional (in particular the operating room scene and the blow torch scene).

The villain wants to become the Dictator of the whole of South America (the ultimate "Junta"? A form of government which South America was infamous for in the 1960s and 70s). His lair is located in the jungles of Bahia and I found it a bit drab and underwhelming. Now, if they had located it on San Martin Island, in the middle of Iguasu Falls, it would have been much more spectacular and "Bondesque". As it is, they do attempt to make use of the falls in the finale, but in a very cliché and underwhelming way. I mean why would anyone try to escape by paddling a canoe toward the edge of the largest waterfall in the World when the guy's has had his secret base located there for some time? He's hardly going to be unaware of its existence )It's just a Eurospy movie, I know, but the OSS films aspire to be better than that.)

Bondesque moment

Fred is dining with a beautiful girl on a terrace overlooking Rio

The waiter arrives with the ice bucket

Fred - "Oh, what's that?"

Waiter - "Mexican champagne sir"

Fred - (Giving him a look of distain) "Have you any whiskey?"

Waiter - "We have Portuguese Scotch sir"

Fred - (Frowns, then looks away and ponders for a moment) "Bring us two Brazilian vodkas then"

For a while, "OSS 117: Mission For A Killer" looks like it could be one of the very best of the 1960's Eurospy thrillers: Frederic Stafford actually makes a better James Bond-ish hero than either George Lazenby or Timothy Dalton, Mylène Demongeot is lovely, the fight scenes are often surprisingly technical (the one in a surgery room is the standout), and the production seems to be a bit more expensive than usual for the genre. Unfortunately, the film fizzles out in its last third, when the action moves from Rio to the Amazon jungle and the main villain's headquarters. The villain himself is one of the problems: everything about him is too vague, from his ultimate plan to his ultimate fate (the ending is unsatisfying). The print I saw was worn-out to the point of dis-coloration; this film needs a remastered DVD to do justice to its extensive on-location Brazilian shooting. **1/2 out of 4.

What atmosphere! What lovely girl (Mylène D)! 4,7 as an average? I must protest!! This is pure magic, the stuff that dreams are made of. Who cares about the story! This is for boys! Pure adventure, a fairy-tale! Will it ever occur on DVD? In France? This is just one film of still many, which has not reached the DVD-format yet although there are thousands of films which are so much badder than this one, which we had to endure on DVD. Probably this is due to the fact, that the people who know about these good films are becoming an extinct race.

Wow, so much to like here! Frederick Stafford (a Slovakian by birth, came late to acting) is lean and handsome. I count three gorgeous ladies in the cast. I watched it on the recent dvd release--print looks very good. Our story begins in Europe, but almost immediately shifts to an assignment in Brazil for OSS-117. Fine use of the Brazilian locations is made by the director. We see the famous beaches and the mountains. The movie has a very good look--nothing cheap or low-budget about it. 117 tools around in a cool burgundy rental car, a model I don't know. The film has a number of crazy, wild action scenes that are very entertaining! Two, in particular, are as good as anything in a James Bond movie. There is a big, no-holds barred finale. This is just a kick-ass good movie! I've seen a lot of Euro-spy films; I've never seen one better than this.