SOME GIRLS DO: some filmmakers shouldn't

SOME GIRLS DO has forced me to completely re-evaluate my opinion of 'The Wrecking Crew."
In my January 2011 review I described that 1969 James Bond wannabe as 'lethargic' and "an all round waste of time, money and talent" but it's positively Citizen Kanesian compared to this dreadful, cut-rate British Bond spoof.

Suave and handsome Richard Johnson sells his talents cheaply in his second outing as legendary British secret agent Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond. This time around he's called in to investigate a series of mysterious and deadly accidents that have befallen the scientists and engineers working on the world's first supersonic passenger aircraft - the surprisingly Concorde-like SST-1.
It doesn't take him long to discover the criminal mastermind behind these nefarious deeds. Carl Petersen (James Villiers) stands to make an eye-popping 8 million pounds if the plane is not ready on time, and he's using his army of robot dolly birds to make sure he can cash in.
The robots are actually a bevy of scantily clad young ladies with electronic brains who ruthlessly use their looks to lead men to their death, although their appeal is more that of a reasonably attractive office worker than a genuinely alluring Bond femme fatale. But, to put it in context, this is Great Britain 1969 when a bottle of Blue Nun was considered the height of sophistication, so I really shouldn't expect too much.
Drummond certainly doesn't and appears to be thoroughly enjoying himself as a consequence. It's standard sexist stuff which, depending on your outlook, you'll either find a charming throwback to an earlier less politically-correct time, or offensive and patronising in its objectifying of young women.
For me, the overwhelming sensation was boredom.
The story is feeble, nonsensical and punctured with numerous holes big enough to march a large army of orange bikini-clad robo-babes through, the acting is lame, the thrills limp, and the special effects spectacularly cheap and ordinary.
Just another black mark against the British film industry, SOME GIRLS DO is one of those movies that leaves you wondering why anybody ever thought it would be a good idea to invest time and money in.

HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE: from London without a clue

Demonstrating that there was more to British cinema in the 1960s than Carry On comedies, kitchen sink dramas and anti-establishment angry young men, 1964's HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE is a frothy entertainment showcasing Dirk Bogarde's considerable talents for light comedy.
He plays Nicholas Whistler, an unemployed, unsuccessful writer who's hired by the British Secret Service to go behind the Iron Curtain and collect secret plans from an agent in Czechoslovakia.
The only problem is Whistler doesn't realise his new employer is MI6 and thinks he's going on a legitimate trade mission. His task is further complicated by the presence of Comrade Vlasta Simoneva (Sylva Koscina), the glamorous and seductive Czech secret service agent assigned to chauffeur him around - and keep an eye on him.
HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE was one of the first spy spoof movies to cash in on the success of James Bond (and there's a 007 joke early on in the proceedings) but unlike Dean Martin's 'Matt Helm' or James Coburn's 'Flint' director Ralph Thomas chooses to poke gentle fun at the general concept of gentleman spies working for Her Majesty's Government, rather than getting into the specifics of fanciful gadgets, fast cars and bikini-clad assassins. Bogarde's perfectly at home playing the well-spoken, slightly clueless and very proper English gent forced to rely on his wits when thrust into extremely unusual circumstances but still finding time to seduce the ladies.
His understated style is beautifully complemented by Robert Morley as his MI6 handler, and Leo McKern as Morley's opposite number in Prague. Morley plays Colonel Cunliffe as a relic of the British Empire, delightfully oblivious to ugly realities of late 20th century espionage, choosing instead to treat the whole thing like a wonderful game. McKern as Colonel Simoneva is as gruff as a Communist functionary is expected to be but there's a twinkle in his eye suggesting he's not entirely without a heart.
The film's communist stereotypes now seem terribly dated but that's part of the charm. HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE is silly, inconsequential nonsense graced by some fine talents whose comic timing and way with a phrase make this a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience.