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.
9 Reviews
On the Trail of Assassins in South America
Uriah434 April 2021
While vacationing at a ski resort OSS Agent 117 "Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath" (Frederick Stafford) is contacted and told about a series of assassinations in South America that need to be investigated. As a result, he assumes a new identity as a news reporter by the name of "Hubert Delacroix" and takes the next available flight to Brazil. Upon landing he is met at the airport in Rio de Janeiro by a pretty woman named "Consuela Moroni" (Perrette Pradier) who claims to be the secretary of the person he was told to meet. However, because of the manner in which Consuela managed to get his attention, he becomes somewhat wary and upon arriving at their destination takes the car keys out of the ignition just in case. Minutes later he is attacked by three thugs and after disposing of them finds that Consuela is no longer in the car where he left her. To further add to his suspicions, he later meets another woman who also claims to be "Consuela Moroni" (this one played by Annie Andersson) who gives him a set of keys and some valuable information. What he still doesn't know, however, is who he can trust in his search for those responsible for the assassinations. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film started off as a really good EuroSpy movie but it seemed to lose a bit of its momentum toward the end. Admittedly, this picture didn't have the financial resources that the "James Bond" films did during this time and it shows to a certain degree. Even so, it did an interesting plot, an exotic location and a couple of attractive actresses in Mylene Demongeot (as "Anna-Marie Sulza") to brighten the scenery so it definitely has some things in its favor. That being said, while not a great spy film by any means, it managed to pass the time well enough and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
OSS 117's Killer Mission.
morrison-dylan-fan30 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Nearing the end of ICM's French Viewing Challenge,I looked for a quick and easy flick I could watch before bed. Catching the fun O.S.S. 117 n'est pas mort (1957-also reviewed) earlier this month,I decided to join OSS for another mission.
View on the film:
For the first hour co-writer/(with Pierre Foucaud and Jean Halain) director Andre Hunebelle's adaptation of Pierre Foucaud's novel is spent in a wandering state, where instead of gradually increasing the stakes, Agent OSS 117 is left to aimlessly travel round with little feeling of increased pressure from boo-hiss Euro Spy baddies.Going down to the jungle for the final, the writers switch from Euro Spy to a more Adventure flavour, with excitement fired up in the Amazon jungle over an uprising on by the locals on the baddies using a plant from the region to create a drug which will let them take over the world.
Whilst the Jungle action does get lively, the writers oddly continue making OSS 117 and Sulza feel like side characters,due to it being the locals and the baddies who pull the mission along. Mostly filmed in Rio and backed by Michel Magne's sweet hula hula score, director Hunebelle & cinematographer Marcel Grignon visual bring out the Euro Spy style missing in the script,in lush wide-shots giving Rio a globe-trotting espionage adventure sizzle, with the lair of the baddie surrounded by the jungle giving the flick a pulpy vibrancy. Burning up anyone who takes him on, Hunebelle makes the wonderful fight scene the centre-piece, thanks to the hand to hand combat moves being slickly shot, and left-field weapons coming out of nowhere,including a stand out fight OSS 117 has against a henchmen welding a flame-thrower. Cast after the director ran into him in a Bangkok hotel (!),Frederick Stafford (joined by the alluring glamour of Mylene Demongeot as Sulza) gives a very good debut performance as OSS 117, thanks to Stafford match the Euro Spy cool under danger style with a rough and tumble edge in the action scenes,as OSS 117 takes on a mission for a killer.
View on the film:
For the first hour co-writer/(with Pierre Foucaud and Jean Halain) director Andre Hunebelle's adaptation of Pierre Foucaud's novel is spent in a wandering state, where instead of gradually increasing the stakes, Agent OSS 117 is left to aimlessly travel round with little feeling of increased pressure from boo-hiss Euro Spy baddies.Going down to the jungle for the final, the writers switch from Euro Spy to a more Adventure flavour, with excitement fired up in the Amazon jungle over an uprising on by the locals on the baddies using a plant from the region to create a drug which will let them take over the world.
Whilst the Jungle action does get lively, the writers oddly continue making OSS 117 and Sulza feel like side characters,due to it being the locals and the baddies who pull the mission along. Mostly filmed in Rio and backed by Michel Magne's sweet hula hula score, director Hunebelle & cinematographer Marcel Grignon visual bring out the Euro Spy style missing in the script,in lush wide-shots giving Rio a globe-trotting espionage adventure sizzle, with the lair of the baddie surrounded by the jungle giving the flick a pulpy vibrancy. Burning up anyone who takes him on, Hunebelle makes the wonderful fight scene the centre-piece, thanks to the hand to hand combat moves being slickly shot, and left-field weapons coming out of nowhere,including a stand out fight OSS 117 has against a henchmen welding a flame-thrower. Cast after the director ran into him in a Bangkok hotel (!),Frederick Stafford (joined by the alluring glamour of Mylene Demongeot as Sulza) gives a very good debut performance as OSS 117, thanks to Stafford match the Euro Spy cool under danger style with a rough and tumble edge in the action scenes,as OSS 117 takes on a mission for a killer.
A superior example of the spy genre
vjetorix25 November 2002
This was director Andre Hunebelle's third crack at OSS 117, the hero of Jean Bruce's novels, and we consider it probably his best effort. OSS 117 Mission For a Killer has a lot going for it. Among them is Frederick Stafford. He's just right as the smart and tough Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath. He has an easy air of capability about him and we were surprised to learn that this was his first film credit. Stafford, who died in a plane crash in 1979, played the same role in OSS 117 From Tokyo With Love and he made one other spy flick in the sixties; Agent 505 - Death Trap Beirut.
After four political assassinations occur inside a month, all perpetrated by drug-induced innocents, Stafford is sent to Rio to track down the source of the narcotic. Since it's Rio, we are treated to the prerequisite Carnival footage but it doesn't take up too much time. The Latin-inflected score by Michel Magne is just fine and in fact, blends well with the Rio and Bahia area locations. The film has plenty of action, good fights and intentional humor. Overall this is a superior example of the genre and well worth seeking out.
After four political assassinations occur inside a month, all perpetrated by drug-induced innocents, Stafford is sent to Rio to track down the source of the narcotic. Since it's Rio, we are treated to the prerequisite Carnival footage but it doesn't take up too much time. The Latin-inflected score by Michel Magne is just fine and in fact, blends well with the Rio and Bahia area locations. The film has plenty of action, good fights and intentional humor. Overall this is a superior example of the genre and well worth seeking out.
Lacks serious punch
Wizard-826 February 2018
The third entry in the French OSS 117 movie series in the 1960s should have worked a lot better than it actually does. It had what looks like a decent budget, and much of the movie was shot on location in Brazil. But this attempt to emulate the world wide popular British James Bond movies falls flat for the most part. The biggest reason the movie fails is that it is really boring. The movie's story moves at a snail's pace, and you never get the feeling that lives are at stake. There is also very little action, and while there are a couple of okay hand to hand combat sequences, otherwise the action is flatly staged and directed. Even the climatic sequence feels slow and unexciting. Another reason why the movie fails to engage the viewer is the casting of Frederick Stafford as the secret agent. While some of the blame has to do with how the director told him to act, he has to share some of the blame for coming across as annoyingly smug. This is the weakest OSS 117 movie so far in the series, but I have two more entries to watch, and I won't be surprised if the quality continues to weaken as it goes along further.
What a bore.
brogmiller24 March 2021
Prolific writer Jean Bruce, who had numerous pseudonyms and who met his death at just 42 whilst speeding in his sports car, introduced Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath, alias 0SS 117 to the world in 1948. The first film adaptation was made in 1957 with Ivan Desny which seemed to go unnoticed. Following the James Bond phenomenon that swept the world with the release of 'Dr. No' it probably seemed like a good idea to French producers to jump on the secret agent bandwagon and rescusitate Bruce's creation.
As bad luck would have it the task was assigned to a certain Andre Hunebelle who must surely reside in the Circle of Hell reserved for third rate directors. Having planted the kiss of death on '0SS 117' and 'Shadow of Evil' with cigar store Indian Kerwin Matthews in the title role, Monsieur Hunebelle then proceeded to cock this one up and foisted upon us his 'discovery' Frederick Stafford whose style of acting makes Matthews look positively animated. Even Hitchcock failed to bring him to life in 'Topaz'.
The film bears all the hallmarks of this director's output: crummy editing, the pace of a catatonic snail, lack of momentum and totally unsuitable music. The only redeeming features here, which warrant giving it a score of 'deux points', are the French version of Eastmancolor and Mylene Demongeot, surely one of the most delectable creatures ever to walk on to a sound stage. Mlle Demongeot had shown remarkable promise throughout the 1950's but as the following decade progressed her material worsened, not least the ghastly 'Fantomas' films directed by, yes, you've guessed it.....Andre Hunebelle! She has survived and at 85 is still working and has retained her 'sparkle'.
The Bond series weakened by evolving into something of a 'send up' whereas the Eurospy genre seems to be far more effective when 'spoofed', as indeed it has been by Philippe de Broca and latterly by Michael Hazanavicius.
As bad luck would have it the task was assigned to a certain Andre Hunebelle who must surely reside in the Circle of Hell reserved for third rate directors. Having planted the kiss of death on '0SS 117' and 'Shadow of Evil' with cigar store Indian Kerwin Matthews in the title role, Monsieur Hunebelle then proceeded to cock this one up and foisted upon us his 'discovery' Frederick Stafford whose style of acting makes Matthews look positively animated. Even Hitchcock failed to bring him to life in 'Topaz'.
The film bears all the hallmarks of this director's output: crummy editing, the pace of a catatonic snail, lack of momentum and totally unsuitable music. The only redeeming features here, which warrant giving it a score of 'deux points', are the French version of Eastmancolor and Mylene Demongeot, surely one of the most delectable creatures ever to walk on to a sound stage. Mlle Demongeot had shown remarkable promise throughout the 1950's but as the following decade progressed her material worsened, not least the ghastly 'Fantomas' films directed by, yes, you've guessed it.....Andre Hunebelle! She has survived and at 85 is still working and has retained her 'sparkle'.
The Bond series weakened by evolving into something of a 'send up' whereas the Eurospy genre seems to be far more effective when 'spoofed', as indeed it has been by Philippe de Broca and latterly by Michael Hazanavicius.
a real gem
karlericsson21 October 2004
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.
From the swashbucklers to the spy thrillers
dbdumonteil20 August 2005
Andre Hunebelle was the odd-job man of the French cinema.He made lousy comedies ("taxi roulotte et corrida"which featured Louis de Funes before he became the biggest comic actor of his time) .But I remember him best as a swashbuckler specialist :between 1959 in 1962,he directed Jean Marais -who had seen better days with Jean Cocteau's works- in four of those flicks .
By 1963,winds had shifted ,with the coming of James Bond."Furia à Bahia" was Hunebelle's third "OSS 117" effort.Unlike James Bond which was always played by Sean Connery till 1969,OSS 117 was the three- faced spy.First there was Kervin "Sinbad" Matthews and then John "imitation of life" Gavin,in the Italian episode.Hunebelle hired Frederick Stafford whose part may or may not help him become the lead in Hitchcok's "Topaz".
Hunebelle's movie can boast a nice cinematography.The magnificent Brazilian landscapes make up for the triteness of the story:another man who wants to rule the world.Mylene Demongeot (check her name :they tried to make her another BB)and Catherine Rouvel are gorgeous ladies.Raymond Pellegrin is an excellent villain ( although this earnest thespian deserves much better!) However ,I like Hunebelle's swashbucklers best ,for they were part of me and my best friend 's childhood.
By 1963,winds had shifted ,with the coming of James Bond."Furia à Bahia" was Hunebelle's third "OSS 117" effort.Unlike James Bond which was always played by Sean Connery till 1969,OSS 117 was the three- faced spy.First there was Kervin "Sinbad" Matthews and then John "imitation of life" Gavin,in the Italian episode.Hunebelle hired Frederick Stafford whose part may or may not help him become the lead in Hitchcok's "Topaz".
Hunebelle's movie can boast a nice cinematography.The magnificent Brazilian landscapes make up for the triteness of the story:another man who wants to rule the world.Mylene Demongeot (check her name :they tried to make her another BB)and Catherine Rouvel are gorgeous ladies.Raymond Pellegrin is an excellent villain ( although this earnest thespian deserves much better!) However ,I like Hunebelle's swashbucklers best ,for they were part of me and my best friend 's childhood.
One of the very best Euro-spy films
shakspryn5 July 2019
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.
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