The success of the James Bond films spurred on the various studios to make their own spy movies. Some of them were very good (such as the Harry Palmer films with Michael Caine or the Jerry Cotton series starring George Nader) and some were terrible (Matt Helm films come quickly to mind). Somewhere towards the middle of the pack I'd put the Flint films. They do bear a similarity to the Helm movies but lack the 3rd grade humor....but still abound with gorgeous women.
Flint (James Coburn) is an odd character. As I said, he's a bit like Matt Helm but also a bit like the later film "Buckaroo Bonzai" in that he's not just like catnip to women but Flint is an expert at practically everything....ballet, gymnastics, martial arts, the sciences and more.
The story begins in the aptly named Virgin Islands. An organization filled with goegeous and very well coiffed women have a plan to take over the world. First, they replace the President with an exact double. Second, they plan on taking over the new Space Platform. And, while the women are incredibly dedicated to their plans and are doing it to prove women are at least as capable and competent as men (probably more so), they have to stop Flint first. And then, they've got another enemy to contend with....one within their own.
Having just seen two of the Matt Helm films only a couple nights ago, my seeing "In Like Flint" was perfect timing. The smarminess and silliness of Helm helped me look past how superficially similar the two series of movies are...with so many obvious double-entendres in the Helm films (with characters such as Lovey Cravesit and sex jokes galore). While the two Flint films DO have tons of lovely women, Flint loves women instead of using them like Helm. In other words, he's a bit more politically correct!
So is "In LIke Flint" any good? Yes...at least if you are looking for some light and brainless entertainment. It's not exactly a work of genius...but it's amiable and worth your time if you like this sort of thing.
Flint (James Coburn) is an odd character. As I said, he's a bit like Matt Helm but also a bit like the later film "Buckaroo Bonzai" in that he's not just like catnip to women but Flint is an expert at practically everything....ballet, gymnastics, martial arts, the sciences and more.
The story begins in the aptly named Virgin Islands. An organization filled with goegeous and very well coiffed women have a plan to take over the world. First, they replace the President with an exact double. Second, they plan on taking over the new Space Platform. And, while the women are incredibly dedicated to their plans and are doing it to prove women are at least as capable and competent as men (probably more so), they have to stop Flint first. And then, they've got another enemy to contend with....one within their own.
Having just seen two of the Matt Helm films only a couple nights ago, my seeing "In Like Flint" was perfect timing. The smarminess and silliness of Helm helped me look past how superficially similar the two series of movies are...with so many obvious double-entendres in the Helm films (with characters such as Lovey Cravesit and sex jokes galore). While the two Flint films DO have tons of lovely women, Flint loves women instead of using them like Helm. In other words, he's a bit more politically correct!
So is "In LIke Flint" any good? Yes...at least if you are looking for some light and brainless entertainment. It's not exactly a work of genius...but it's amiable and worth your time if you like this sort of thing.