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IMDbPro

L'Empire de Madame Sin

Original title: Madame Sin
  • TV Movie
  • 1972
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
L'Empire de Madame Sin (1972)
AdventureCrimeThriller

A C.I.A. Agent is used as a pawn in an insane woman's plan to steal a Polaris submarine.A C.I.A. Agent is used as a pawn in an insane woman's plan to steal a Polaris submarine.A C.I.A. Agent is used as a pawn in an insane woman's plan to steal a Polaris submarine.

  • Director
    • David Greene
  • Writers
    • Lou Morheim
    • Barry Shear
    • Barry Oringer
  • Stars
    • Bette Davis
    • Robert Wagner
    • Denholm Elliott
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    1.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Greene
    • Writers
      • Lou Morheim
      • Barry Shear
      • Barry Oringer
    • Stars
      • Bette Davis
      • Robert Wagner
      • Denholm Elliott
    • 19User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos24

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    Top cast28

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    Bette Davis
    Bette Davis
    • Madame Sin
    Robert Wagner
    Robert Wagner
    • Anthony Lawrence
    Denholm Elliott
    Denholm Elliott
    • Malcolm De Vere
    Gordon Jackson
    Gordon Jackson
    • Commander Cavendish
    Dudley Sutton
    Dudley Sutton
    • Monk
    Catherine Schell
    Catherine Schell
    • Barbara
    Pik Sen Lim
    Pik Sen Lim
    • Nikko
    • (as Pik-Sen Lim)
    Paul Maxwell
    Paul Maxwell
    • Connors
    David Healy
    David Healy
    • Braden
    Alan Dobie
    • White
    Al Mancini
    Al Mancini
    • Fisherman
    Roy Kinnear
    Roy Kinnear
    • Holidaymaker
    Charles Lloyd Pack
    • Mr. Willoughby
    Frank Middlemass
    Frank Middlemass
    • Dr. Henriques
    Arnold Diamond
    Arnold Diamond
    • Lengetti
    Burt Kwouk
    Burt Kwouk
    • Scarred Operator
    Paul Young
    • Naval Driver
    Jack Weir
    • Chief Petty Officer
    • Director
      • David Greene
    • Writers
      • Lou Morheim
      • Barry Shear
      • Barry Oringer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    5.71.2K
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    Featured reviews

    7planktonrules

    The biggest sin? Having Bette Davis star in this otherwise cool film!

    The idea of "Madame Sin" isn't bad...but casting Bette Davis...that's insane!

    When the story begins, a secret agent, Anthony Lawrence (Robert Wagner) is kidnapped in the UK and brought to a manor home. This place is run by Madame Sin (Bette Davis), a half-Asian supervillian much like Fu Manchu or a Bond character. She is rich and evil and has scientists working for her making evil gadgets, such as as sonic device that can kill or render someone into human jelly as well as a machine where she can probe mines and even implant memories!! With this, she plans on making a fortune...sort of a mercenary criminal genius for hire! So why does she need Lawrence? Well, using him, she plans on stealing a Polaris submarine and selling it to a buyer willing to give her a billion dollars for it! Can Lawrence possibly twart her evil plans?

    This was originally made as a pilot for a TV series...a series that was never picked up by any of the networks. And, when you watch it you can see why. The basic idea and location shooting are all fine...but having Bette Davis in the role was utterly ridiculous and she looks about as Asian as Lassie! I am sure a lot of folks laughed when they saw this...and it's sad that when the film was made, Davis was essentially doing ANYTHING provided it paid. See films like "Bunny O'Hare" and you'll see what I mean.

    The bottom line is that is actually a very cool spy/action film...but is fatally flawed simply because of the casting. Fun to watch...and unfortunately a bit silly.
    4cB391

    Not bad but not Good - Skip it in most cases

    The movie does have some nice ideas - using sonic weaponry etc. that does make it more interesting. It doesn't seem to have anything else that drew me in. Wagner and Davis acted well, and there were a few funny scenes that would draw light chuckles. The plot does have a few twists that does make it watchable but nothing that will make you think or go beyond the story itself. The implausibility of some fight scenes appear a bit confusing, but need to be taken according to the time of the movie being made. If you have an hour-half to spare, this movie won't really help ease the boredom, so best bet would be to skip it. Rating 4/10.
    6ksf-2

    campy spy movie with bette davis

    Bette davis was already 64, and would do "nile" six years after this! She's madam sin, who kidnaps lawrence (wagner, between thief and hart to hart). He's a retired agent, whose help they want in stealing a new model submarine. Step one is to kidnap and brainwash the sub's captain. Lots of cheap and cheesy sound effects, which quickly get tiresome. Some fun co-stars. Denholm elliott, who we all know as coleman, from trading places. And catherine schell, who played some HUGE roles before and after this. Take a moment and check out the parts she played in very well known films and series. It's campy and silly, but good. Kind of a james bond knock off film, with davis as the evil villain. Bette davis plays herself, as she always does, with her stilted speech. Directed by david greene, who had also directed godspell and roots.
    Bruce_Cook

    Fu Manchu -- with Betty Davis eyes!

    Ever wonder what Fu Manchu would look like if Christopher Lee looked just like Bette Davis?

    Stop wondering, here's the answer. Ms. Davis plays the evil Madam Sin, an oriental villainess who is plotting world conquest from her Scottish castle, fully equipped with laboratory, sonic weapons, hypnotic drugs, etc.

    She abducts Robert Wagner, an ex-CIA man whom she frames as a defector. Then she dupes him into helping her kidnap a naval officer and steal a nuclear submarine. European audiences paid to see this pilot for an unsold TV series.
    6adrianovasconcelos

    Campy espionage plot with Davis trumping British monarchy

    I know very little about Director David Greene, who did mostly TV work and appears to have been no relation of Graham Greene's, the British writer. That much is clear from the campy script that David and Oringer hammered together with some self-deprecating humor, especially in the shape of eyelid-painted Bette Davis as MADAME SIN, the sinister lady who carries out all manner of experiments on the unfortunate souls who get caught in the waves of her sonar-sounding waves that basically turn the brain into jelly, and pliable to her despicable whims.

    Of course, the fact that she wants a British Polaris submarine, apparently to make a fortune out of it, is preposterous, Even harder to believe is Robert Wagner as some top spy/agent who keeps getting hit by the sonar, to the point of going deaf, which has laughable consequences as he tries to enlighten the British military on the foul plays by the evil MADAME SIN.

    Cinematography is just OK, editing not that great. The best thing about this TV flick is Denholm Eliott as the Madame's evil sidekick, looking prim and proper, constantly adjusting his tie. His initial encounter with Wagner, with two Catholic nuns on hand, provides the film's most memorable segment. The other good bit is the end, with MADAME asking when the lease on Buckingham Palace, or Windsor Castle or whatever that royable abode is, will be up because she wants to take it over.

    Also interesting to see Burt Kwouk, of Cato Fong fame in the Pink Panther franchise as Inspector Clouseau's sparring manservant, as the wordless hand-scarred man who remains shadowy until close to the end.

    Not bad fun, but having just rewatched it all I remember are the beginning and end. 6/10.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Originally intended to be a television series pilot, this movie was shown on television as a movie-of-the-week, and released theatrically overseas.
    • Goofs
      When Tony and Teddy drive into the harbor square, the time should be somewhere between 3:30 and 4:00PM. But the clock in the square reads 12:05PM.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Greatest Show You Never Saw (1996)

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    FAQ

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • July 26, 1973 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Madame Sin
    • Filming locations
      • Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK(location: island of Mull)
    • Production companies
      • 2X Productions
      • Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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