The Assassination Bureau

source: The Assassination Bureau

Perhaps it's the effect of vibrations from all the bombs in the story, but the intended comic souffle of `The Assassination Bureau' never rises beyond mild amusement. While the movie doesn't crash and burn, it also doesn't take full advantage of the ingredients at hand, including a story co-written by Jack London. In the hands of director Basil Dearden and writer Michael Relph, what should be lighter than air becomes a lead zeppelin. That said, `The Assassination Bureau' does have its moments, and won't actually kill brain cells like much current summer fare. Things start off promisingly enough. Diana Rigg seems well-cast as a prim, proto-feminist trying to break into journalism by exposing the nefarious bureau. Oliver Reed is suitably bemused as the bureau's idealistic head, embarrassed by too polite to demur when Rigg suggests his own murder. Telly Savalas isn't very British, but he does have fun as the real villain. He's that epitome of evil, a Fleet Street press lord (some things never change). Morose Vernon Dobtcheff and corrupt Philippe Noiret have amusing turns as two of the bureau's henchmen, who are all represented as national stereotypes. Unfortunately, the repeated misfire attempts on Reed's life lack panache, they become predictable and repetitious. Mid-way through, glamorous Beryl Reid is brought in to sex things up a bit as a Borgia-like Venetian bella donna. There's a brief cross-cut scene contrasting the curvaceous Reid with the boyish Diana Rigg as they lace themselves into corsets. But this is a tame movie, an action-comedy as opposed to a romance. Beryl Reid is quickly dismissed. Despite their off-screen reputations, Rigg and Oliver Reed generate no sparks on it. Indeed, once Beryl Reid is gone, the movie becomes a sort of ripping yarn for boys. Oliver Reed buckles his swash well enough, but Rigg is marginalized. `The Assassination Bureau' is worth renting on an otherwise idle evening, but you might want to read Jack London instead.

This film is an enjoyable enough lightweight romp, with an array of locations and actors that is perhaps excessive. Oliver Reed is suavely bucaneering as the main protaganist, while the other main star, Diana Rigg of Avengers fame, does a very well-judged comic performance as the feminist journalist in 1910. It's a shame she didn't appear in more films. No other actors get much of a chance to shine, as there are far too many minor characters. The writing is OK; you get the feeling that there should be more laughs than there are. Still, it's an enjoyable enough way to spend an hour and a half. Rating:- *** (out of *****)

A somewhat dated film. It can't decide if it's Bond or the Pink Panther. Rigg is fine, but seems to be a more deadpan Julie Andrews. Reed is miscast - he has no comic timing at all. David Niven would have been better. Telly Savalas simply doesn't cut it as an English Aristocrat. Peter Sellers should have played multiple roles as all the other board members. Still, it has some charm (a 'quaintness') and isn't all that bad on a slow Sunday afternoon.

source: The Assassination Bureau

Usually I'm not a fan of old movies, not by a long shot. I consider them cheesy and unbearably boring. But this is one of the exceptions to that rule. This is a lighthearted comedy, even though it works with very serious theme. But it does it wonderfully, I never felt that it was inappropriate. The lightheartedness is there through the entire 110 minutes. I guess I could compare it to the Great Race from 1965. It uses the same road movie style, with a little bit of romantic side story. Some could even go as far to say it's a rip off, but that's not entirely true. It could've gotten some inspiration there, but It's different in just enough ways for the resemblance to be a plus rather than a minus. But maybe it's just my bias talking as the Great Race is one of my other favorite old movies. The acting is of course typical sixties, over the top, stage play style. But in comedies that is even beneficial as it makes the punchlines hit that much harder.

I didn't dislike this film, but also found it to be very slight and very forgettable. In many ways, this film is highly reminiscent of the earlier film, THE GREAT RACE. Both are set in a similar time period, both feature a lot of over-the-top performances and both have a silly musical style about them (though the music in THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU was a lot more annoying--particularly the singing). The film does not take itself very seriously and as comedy, it almost hits the mark. I wonder, though, if this might have been a much more interesting film if it had been done as serious drama instead of kitsch. The basic plot of an international murder for hire organization is pretty intriguing. The problem is, this topic really had very little depth in the film as it was mostly played for laughs. I appreciate the effort, but it just didn't do much for me.

A great cast are wasted in this perfect cure for insomnia. At first you may be attracted by the likes of Diana Rigg, Oliver Reed and Richard Attenborough but the slow, drawn out tale unfolds at a snail's pace. Well crafted with some nice sets but just painfully slow.

'The Assassination Bureau Ltd.' was an incomplete novel by Jack London finished years after his death by thriller expert Robert L.Fish. The 1969 film version was produced by Michael Relph and directed by Basil Dearden, whose other credits include 'The League Of Gentlemen' ( 1960 ). Crusading journalist Sonya Winter ( Diana Rigg ) uncovers the existence of a secret society of hired assassins operating at the turn of the 19th century. Their founder is cocksure Russian nobleman Ivan Dragomiloff ( Oliver Reed ). He is hired by Sonya to murder...himself. Feeling the Bureau to have become complacent, he accepts the challenge. The tables have been turned. Before he can end the meeting by banging his gavel, the first of many attempts on his life is made. An army of assassins pursues Ivan and Sonya across Europe, but they manage to stay one step ahead of them. Newspaper owner Lord Borstwick ( Telly Savalas ) - also Sonya's employer - wishes to the Bureau to become a political weapon and plans on using a dirigible to bomb a Bavarian castle in which the crowned heads of state are soon to gather... This is a fun tongue-in-cheek romp, almost like an extended episode of 'The Avengers' in period costume, and the presence of Diana Rigg supports this view. 'Wynter' resembles Mrs.Peel in as much as she is also stubbornly independent, but her 'feminism' is largely played for laughs. Oliver Reed was tipped at one point to replace Sean Connery as 'James Bond', but his hell-raising image put producers off. On the evidence of his performance here, he would have been terrific. He is wonderfully cool and resourceful, boasting a Sherlock Holmes-like talent for disguise. In one of the best scenes, he disposes of a waiter ( Kenneth Griffith ) on a train by blowing hot brandy into the man's face. In Paris, he turns a cellar into a bomb that goes off as soon as his would-be killers open the door. One of the many pleasures this affords is spotting well-loved British characters in small roles. An uncredited Peter Bowles is in the brothel sequence, Warren Mitchell and Clive Revill are among the other Bureau members, and Frank Thornton is one of the Bureau's victims who plummets down a lift shaft. Rigg and Savalas reunited later in the year for the Bond picture 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Michael Relph is credited with the script but Wolf Mankowitz ( one of the writers of 'Dr.No' ) provided additional dialogue. This is most evident in the scene where Sonya first meets Ivan. His attempt to justify the Bureau's existence is borderline persuasive. Despite a few longueurs ( notably the Venice sequence ), 'The Assassination Bureau' is ideal Sunday afternoon viewing.

This charming film, made when Oliver Reed and Diana Rigg were at the height of their appeal, is what they used to call a "romp", when it wasn't considered to be a putdown. Reed, as Ivan, born and bred to lead an international group of highly-placed assassins, is hired by would-be reporter Sonia (Rigg) to have his group kill him, and realizing that his house badly needs some cleaning out, Ivan accepts the commission. The rest is a whirlwind tour of Europe, taking out substantial portions of the terrain as they go, avoiding bungled attempts on his life as he tries to track down the traitors who would turn the Bureau into a political machine. The dialogue is refreshingly devoid of political correctness, but maintains a firm respect between the unlikely couple as they go from bickering rivalry to bickering fondness. Guest villains include Clive Revill as a gluttonous Italian, and sad stories include the accidental demise of Roger Delgado (Dr. Who, the first Master) while on location. Much worth the time and effort, although sadly almost never seen on TV, and abysmally represented in video release.