OSS 117 -- PANIC IN BANGKOK

Kerwin Mathews 

OSS 117 -- PANIC IN BANGKOK (aka Shadow of Evil aka /Banco a Bangkok pour OSS 117/1964). Director:  Andre Hunebelle.

Operative Hubert Bonisseur (Kerwin Mathews of The Boy Who Cried Werewolf) -- a lover boy with a real line -- is assigned to replace a murdered agent who was investigating a series of plague outbreaks in Thailand. In Bangkok Hubert works with a man named Leacock (Henri Virlojeux) and gains an enthusiastic and helpful assistant in Sonsak (Akom Mokramond). After interviewing Professor Hogby (Jacques Hilling) and his pretty blond secretary, Eva (Dominique Wilms), Hubert set his sights on a charismatic character named Dr. Sinn (Robert Hossein) -- or rather Sinn's lovely sister, Lila (Pier Angeli). Hubert is unaware that Eva is Sinn's lover. Sooner or later, Hubert hopes to uncover exactly who is unleashing the deadly plague -- and why.

Robert Hossein as Dr. Sinn

Well, with one character named "Dr. Sinn" you may not be too surprised at the identity of the villain in this, but you may be surprised that OSS 117 is as (modestly) entertaining as it is. Mathews makes an effective leading man, and Hossein is equally good as his adversary, A group called the Elected People have decided to wipe out most of the world's population and start over again, or something like that. There's a nifty fight scene in a hotel, some nice photography and music, and the Bangkok settings are well chosen. However, while the movie holds the attention it utterly lacks the big scale action and excitement of the best of the Bond films, so some viewers may find this a snooze. OSS 117 was a character in French spy novels, and after the success of Dr. No, OSS 117 is Unleashed  -- also starring Kerwin Mathews -- was released. with Panic in Bangkok being the sequel. Since then there has been a whole series of foreign eurospy OSS 117 movies from the sixties until today with the part being played by John Gavin, Frederick Stafford and others. Kerwin Mathews and Pier Angeli reteamed for Octaman. (In French with subtitles.)  

Verdict: So-so spy film with Mathews making like a lower-key Bond. **1/2.