The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
Country: GB
Technical: Techniscope 96m
Director: Don Sharp
Cast: Christopher Lee, Nigel Green, Karin Dor, Joachim Fuchsberger, Howard Marion-Crawford
Synopsis:
Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard, who apparently has as many other demands on his time as Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street, witnesses the execution of his old enemy, Fu Manchu, but becomes suspicious when a scientist in London is kidnapped for his exclusive work on Tibetan black poppy seeds.
Review:
The producers open their series of films very much in medias res, with an execution one might normally expect after one or two outings of intrepid pursuit. The plot concerns a deadly nerve agent which operates pretty much like Goldfinger's the year before. No matter. A dozen Tibetan henchmen armed with knives are nothing next to the Boys' Own fisticuffs of Smith and his associate, a humble scientist's assistant with a strong right. This and other unintended laughs aside, the period trappings and an excellent Green raise this above the level of its B-movie ingredients. All concerned play it straight, the only way to do these things. There followed four sequels, none with Green, and of decreasing interest.
Country: GB
Technical: Techniscope 96m
Director: Don Sharp
Cast: Christopher Lee, Nigel Green, Karin Dor, Joachim Fuchsberger, Howard Marion-Crawford
Synopsis:
Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard, who apparently has as many other demands on his time as Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street, witnesses the execution of his old enemy, Fu Manchu, but becomes suspicious when a scientist in London is kidnapped for his exclusive work on Tibetan black poppy seeds.
Review:
The producers open their series of films very much in medias res, with an execution one might normally expect after one or two outings of intrepid pursuit. The plot concerns a deadly nerve agent which operates pretty much like Goldfinger's the year before. No matter. A dozen Tibetan henchmen armed with knives are nothing next to the Boys' Own fisticuffs of Smith and his associate, a humble scientist's assistant with a strong right. This and other unintended laughs aside, the period trappings and an excellent Green raise this above the level of its B-movie ingredients. All concerned play it straight, the only way to do these things. There followed four sequels, none with Green, and of decreasing interest.
Country: GB
Technical: Techniscope 96m
Director: Don Sharp
Cast: Christopher Lee, Nigel Green, Karin Dor, Joachim Fuchsberger, Howard Marion-Crawford
Synopsis:
Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard, who apparently has as many other demands on his time as Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street, witnesses the execution of his old enemy, Fu Manchu, but becomes suspicious when a scientist in London is kidnapped for his exclusive work on Tibetan black poppy seeds.
Review:
The producers open their series of films very much in medias res, with an execution one might normally expect after one or two outings of intrepid pursuit. The plot concerns a deadly nerve agent which operates pretty much like Goldfinger's the year before. No matter. A dozen Tibetan henchmen armed with knives are nothing next to the Boys' Own fisticuffs of Smith and his associate, a humble scientist's assistant with a strong right. This and other unintended laughs aside, the period trappings and an excellent Green raise this above the level of its B-movie ingredients. All concerned play it straight, the only way to do these things. There followed four sequels, none with Green, and of decreasing interest.