The Wrecking Crew (1969)

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Donald Hamilton (novel)
William P. McGivern (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 January 1969 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

Matt Helm gets it from the Wrecking Crew!

Plot:

The count has stolen enough gold to cause a financial crisis in the world markets so I.C.E. sends in ace spy Matt Helm to stop him...

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Matt Helm | Spy | Train | Beautiful Woman

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Dean Martin	...	Matt Helm
Elke Sommer	...	Linka Karensky
Sharon Tate	...	Freya Carlson
Nancy Kwan	...	Yu-Rang
Nigel Green	...	Count Contini
Tina Louise	...	Lola Medina
John Larch	...	'Mac' MacDonald
John Brascia	...	Karl
Weaver Levy	...	Kim
Wilhelm von Homburg	...	Gregor
Bill Saito	...	Ching
Fuji	...	Toki
Pepper Martin	...	Frankie
Ted Jordan	...	Guard (as Ted H. Jordan)

Also Known As:

The House of Seven Joys (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sensuality, violence and some language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | UK:PG (cut) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1996)

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This was the final film in the Matt Helm series. Although plans were afoot for a fifth film ("The Ravagers"), as well as a proposed teaming with Frank Sinatra for "Matt Helm Meets Tony Rome", the poor box-office showing of both "The Wrecking Crew" and Sinatra's second go round as Rome in "Lady In Cement" brought the Matt Helm series to an end.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: There are no mountains in Denmark

Quotes:

Matt Helm: [to Freya] I don't know what you got, but you sure got bad timing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Once Upon a Body (1969)

Soundtrack:

Red Sails in the Sunset

Flirtatious silly fun

As I watched this movie I couldn't help smiling. The movie is essentially a spoof of James Bond flicks with super-guy fighting well-equipped villain. Seductive women and ridiculous gadgets are abundant. Some are as cute as they come (I am talking about women here). All are fallible (women). All women fall for our super-guy. He seemed to be bemused by this (who wouldn't). While he conquers one woman after another, he also manages to rescue a few tons of gold from the grip of the above mentioned villain (the later is usually considered to be the main plot - what a preposterous notion). One has to love the irreverent soundtrack. They don't make movies like this anymore. Pity. 9/10.