Released in 1969 this late entry in the Bondesque spy thriller genre that has all the essential ingredients, yet somehow the direction, the script and the editing make this a movie that is less than the sum of its parts.
A lot of starts made spy thriller movies in the 1960s beginning with the Bond franchise, extending to James Coburn, Dean Martin's Matt Helm series, James Coburn as Derek Flint and several others. Dashing Gregory Peck would seem tailor made for this genre.
The story line of a Chinese scientist, a former mentor of Peck's character, who develops an enzyme that allows plants to grow everywhere regardless of soil conditions, temperature or moisture conditions is certainly intriguing. This enzyme cannot be made in sufficient quantities without the assistance of Peck's character in the movie helping to commercialize it.
Yet the movie never really comes together, the seams are showing and it never really draws one in. The best of the Bond type movies give one a "Wind and a nod" as to the excesses of the movies, but this one takes itself a little too seriously for its own good- to its detriment.
A lot of starts made spy thriller movies in the 1960s beginning with the Bond franchise, extending to James Coburn, Dean Martin's Matt Helm series, James Coburn as Derek Flint and several others. Dashing Gregory Peck would seem tailor made for this genre.
The story line of a Chinese scientist, a former mentor of Peck's character, who develops an enzyme that allows plants to grow everywhere regardless of soil conditions, temperature or moisture conditions is certainly intriguing. This enzyme cannot be made in sufficient quantities without the assistance of Peck's character in the movie helping to commercialize it.
Yet the movie never really comes together, the seams are showing and it never really draws one in. The best of the Bond type movies give one a "Wind and a nod" as to the excesses of the movies, but this one takes itself a little too seriously for its own good- to its detriment.