The Wrecking Crew (1969 film)
Encyclopedia
The Wrecking Crew, released in 1969
and starring Dean Martin
, Elke Sommer
, and Sharon Tate
is the fourth and final film in a series of American
comedy-spy-fi
theatrical releases featuring Martin as secret agent Matt Helm
.
As with the previous three Helm spy movies (The Silencers
, Murderers' Row
, and The Ambushers
), it is based only loosely upon Donald Hamilton
's 1960 novel of the same title
and takes great liberties with the plot and characters, being developed as a spoof of the James Bond
films. The Wrecking Crew was the second Helm novel published and the earliest of the books to be adapted.
This was the last film of Tate's to be released before her murder at the hands of Charles Manson
's followers on August 9, 1969.
Helm travels to Denmark, where he is given a guide, Freya Carlson, a beautiful but bumbling woman from a Danish tourism bureau.
A pair of Contini's accomplices, the seductive Linka Karensky and Yu-Rang, each attempt to foil Helm's plans. The former is killed in an ambush intended for Helm, the latter in an explosion. On each occasion, Freya's clumsy attempts to assist Matt are helpful but not particularly appreciated.
McDonald, his chief at ICE, turns up to aid Helm, but is wounded in action. McDonald confides to Helm that the seemingly inept Freya is actually a top secret agent herself, using a clever guise.
They go to Contini's chateau for a showdown and Helm creates chaos and destruction with a variety of unique gadgets. Contini escapes on a train bound for Luxembourg, but with a mini-helicopter, Helm and Freya are able to catch up.
Contini is killed on the train, dropping through a trap door. Successful and alone at last, Helm finally has an opportunity to thank Freya as only he can.
makes his film debut in a small role, and Bruce Lee
is credited with being the film's karate advisor.
Also appearing in the film are Nancy Kwan
as Yu-Rang, Tina Louise
as Lola Medina, and Nigel Green
as the villainous Count Contini.
Helm's chief at ICE, MacDonald, is John Larch
in this film, replacing James Gregory
, who played the role in the other three films. Gregory said in an interview in Filmfax magazine that he was sent a reduced amount for his fee in the film. He was told that the film was reducing its budget, but Gregory refused to take the lower fee.
This is the only film in the series not to feature Helm's secretary, Lovesy Kravesit, played by Beverly Adams
.
composed the score and Mack David
and Frank DeVol wrote the theme song played over the opening and end credits, "House of Seven Joys," which was the working title
of the film.
but by former police reporter and crime novel author William P. McGivern
. It is also notable for the appearance of Tate and martial arts scenes choreographed by Bruce Lee
.
). However, Dean Martin declined to return for another film in the face of a declining box office. When Martin refused to make The Ravagers, Columbia held up Martin's share of the profits on Murderers' Row. The project was then cancelled.
A "Tony Rome Meets Matt Helm" movie with Frank Sinatra
reprising the character he had played in the films Tony Rome
(1967) and Lady in Cement
was also bandied about, but never amounted to anything.
Several years later, a Matt Helm
TV series featuring Tony Franciosa would be attempted, but in a much more serious vein, and it was unsuccessful. As of 2009, early planning for a new Matt Helm-based film was underway through DreamWorks
.
Miscellaneous credits: Bruce Lee as choreographer for the fight scenes. World Karate and Kickboxing Champion Joe Lewis and American Kenpo Founder Ed Parker
both had fight scenes with Dean Martin.
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
and starring Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer , born Baroness Elke Schletz, is a German actress, entertainer and artist.-Career:Sommer was born in Berlin to a Lutheran minister and his wife...
, and Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
is the fourth and final film in a series of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy-spy-fi
Spy-fi
-Definition and characteristics:It often uses a secret agent or superspy whose mission is a showcase of science fiction elements such as technology and ideas used for extortion, plots for world domination or world destruction, futuristic weapons, gadgets and fast vehicles that can travel on land,...
theatrical releases featuring Martin as secret agent Matt Helm
Matt Helm
Matt Helm is a fictional character created by author Donald Hamilton. He is a U.S. government counter-agent—a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of the term as used in spy thrillers.-The character and the series:The...
.
As with the previous three Helm spy movies (The Silencers
The Silencers (film)
The Silencers is the title of an American spy film spoof motion picture produced in 1966 and starring Dean Martin as agent Matt Helm. It is only loosely based upon the novel The Silencers by Donald Hamilton, as well as another of Hamilton's Helm novels, Death of a Citizen.The film was the first of...
, Murderers' Row
Murderers' Row (film)
Murderers' Row is a 1966 American comedy-spy-fi film starring Dean Martin and very loosely based upon the Matt Helm spy novel Murderers' Row by Donald Hamilton, which was published in 1962....
, and The Ambushers
The Ambushers (film)
The Ambushers is a 1967 spy comedy film filmed in Acapulco starring Dean Martin, Senta Berger and Janice Rule. It is loosely based upon the novel of the same title by Donald Hamilton....
), it is based only loosely upon Donald Hamilton
Donald Hamilton
Donald Bengtsson Hamilton was a U.S. writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction but also crime fiction and Westerns such as The Big Country...
's 1960 novel of the same title
The Wrecking Crew (novel)
The Wrecking Crew is a spy novel by Donald Hamilton first published in 1960. It was the second novel featuring Hamilton's ongoing protagonist, counter-agent and assassin Matt Helm. In this book Hamilton continued the hard-headed and gritty realism he had built up around Helm in the first novel of...
and takes great liberties with the plot and characters, being developed as a spoof of the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
films. The Wrecking Crew was the second Helm novel published and the earliest of the books to be adapted.
This was the last film of Tate's to be released before her murder at the hands of Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
's followers on August 9, 1969.
Plot
Matt Helm is assigned by his secret agency, ICE, to bring down an evil count named Contini who is trying to collapse the world economy by stealing a billion dollars in gold.Helm travels to Denmark, where he is given a guide, Freya Carlson, a beautiful but bumbling woman from a Danish tourism bureau.
A pair of Contini's accomplices, the seductive Linka Karensky and Yu-Rang, each attempt to foil Helm's plans. The former is killed in an ambush intended for Helm, the latter in an explosion. On each occasion, Freya's clumsy attempts to assist Matt are helpful but not particularly appreciated.
McDonald, his chief at ICE, turns up to aid Helm, but is wounded in action. McDonald confides to Helm that the seemingly inept Freya is actually a top secret agent herself, using a clever guise.
They go to Contini's chateau for a showdown and Helm creates chaos and destruction with a variety of unique gadgets. Contini escapes on a train bound for Luxembourg, but with a mini-helicopter, Helm and Freya are able to catch up.
Contini is killed on the train, dropping through a trap door. Successful and alone at last, Helm finally has an opportunity to thank Freya as only he can.
Production
Chuck NorrisChuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
makes his film debut in a small role, and Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
is credited with being the film's karate advisor.
Also appearing in the film are Nancy Kwan
Nancy Kwan
Nancy "Ka Shen" Kwan is a Eurasian-American actress, who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian descent in major Hollywood film roles...
as Yu-Rang, Tina Louise
Tina Louise
Tina Louise is an American actress, singer, and author. She is best known for her role as the "movie star" Ginger Grant on the television situation comedy Gilligan's Island .-Early life:...
as Lola Medina, and Nigel Green
Nigel Green
Nigel Green was a South African-born English character actor. Because of his strapping build and commanding demeanour he would often be found playing military types and men of action in such classic sixties films as Jason and the Argonauts, Zulu, Tobruk and The Ipcress File.-Early life and...
as the villainous Count Contini.
Helm's chief at ICE, MacDonald, is John Larch
John Larch
John Larch was an American film and television actor.After his lead role in the radio serial Captain Starr of Space , John Larch entered films in 1954. He usually appeared in westerns and action films, including Miracle of the White Stallions as General George S. Patton Jr...
in this film, replacing James Gregory
James Gregory (actor)
James Gregory was an American character actor noted for his deep, gravelly voice and playing brash roles such as McCarthy-like Senator John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate , the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and loudmouthed Inspector Luger in Barney Miller...
, who played the role in the other three films. Gregory said in an interview in Filmfax magazine that he was sent a reduced amount for his fee in the film. He was told that the film was reducing its budget, but Gregory refused to take the lower fee.
This is the only film in the series not to feature Helm's secretary, Lovesy Kravesit, played by Beverly Adams
Beverly Adams
Beverly Adams is a Canadian-born actress and author.-Early life and career:Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Adams moved to Burbank, California as a child. As a teen, she competed in and won beauty contests before becoming an actress. During her career, Adams appeared in various guest roles in television...
.
Music
Hugo MontenegroHugo Montenegro
Hugo Montenegro was an American orchestra leader and composer of film soundtracks. His best known work is derived from interpretations of the music from Spaghetti westerns, especially his cover version of the main theme from the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
composed the score and Mack David
Mack David
Mack David was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning from the early 1940s through the early 1970s. Mack was credited with writing lyrics and/or music for over one thousand songs...
and Frank DeVol wrote the theme song played over the opening and end credits, "House of Seven Joys," which was the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
of the film.
Reception
Critical response to this film varies, with some calling it the worst of the series, where it mostly features Helm playing up to glamorous women and the storyline is the bits that join those many encounters together. There was also some poor acting and the film had many minor mistakes in it which should have been edited out as well as so-so special effects. Others called it the best due to its reduced reliance on outlandish gadgets and story lines. It was the first film in the series to not be written by comedy writer Herbert BakerHerbert Baker (screenwriter)
Herbert Baker born Herbert Abrahams in New York City 25 December 1920 died 30 June 1983 of cancer in Encino, California was a songwriter and screenwriter for television and films.- Biography :...
but by former police reporter and crime novel author William P. McGivern
William P. McGivern
William Peter McGivern was an American novelist and television scriptwriter. He published more than 20 novels, mostly mysteries and crime thrillers, some under the pseudonym Bill Peters...
. It is also notable for the appearance of Tate and martial arts scenes choreographed by Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
.
Legacy
The film ends with the announcement of a fifth Matt Helm film, The Ravagers (which would have been based upon Hamilton's 1964 novel of the same titleThe Ravagers
The Ravagers is the title of a novel by Donald Hamilton that was first published in 1964. It was the eighth novel in his long-running series of adventures featuring secret agent Matt Helm.-Plot summary:...
). However, Dean Martin declined to return for another film in the face of a declining box office. When Martin refused to make The Ravagers, Columbia held up Martin's share of the profits on Murderers' Row. The project was then cancelled.
A "Tony Rome Meets Matt Helm" movie with Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
reprising the character he had played in the films Tony Rome
Tony Rome
Tony Rome is a 1967 detective film starring Frank Sinatra and directed by Gordon Douglas, adapted from Marvin Albert's novel Miami Mayhem. Filming took place on location in Miami, Florida, with some scenes being shot during the day at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, where Sinatra was performing in...
(1967) and Lady in Cement
Lady In Cement
Lady In Cement is a 1968 detective film, directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Martin Gabel and Richard Conte. A sequel to the 1967 film Tony Rome, and based on the novel by Marvin H...
was also bandied about, but never amounted to anything.
Several years later, a Matt Helm
Matt Helm (TV series)
Matt Helm is a short-lived American mystery television series which aired on the ABC Network during the 1975-1976 season. The title character was played by Anthony Franciosa.-Overview:...
TV series featuring Tony Franciosa would be attempted, but in a much more serious vein, and it was unsuccessful. As of 2009, early planning for a new Matt Helm-based film was underway through DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
.
Cast
- Dean MartinDean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
as Matt Helm - Elke SommerElke SommerElke Sommer , born Baroness Elke Schletz, is a German actress, entertainer and artist.-Career:Sommer was born in Berlin to a Lutheran minister and his wife...
as Linka Karensky - Sharon TateSharon TateSharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
as Freya Carlson - Nancy KwanNancy KwanNancy "Ka Shen" Kwan is a Eurasian-American actress, who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian descent in major Hollywood film roles...
as Yu-Rang - Nigel GreenNigel GreenNigel Green was a South African-born English character actor. Because of his strapping build and commanding demeanour he would often be found playing military types and men of action in such classic sixties films as Jason and the Argonauts, Zulu, Tobruk and The Ipcress File.-Early life and...
as Count Contini - Tina LouiseTina LouiseTina Louise is an American actress, singer, and author. She is best known for her role as the "movie star" Ginger Grant on the television situation comedy Gilligan's Island .-Early life:...
as Lola Medina - John LarchJohn LarchJohn Larch was an American film and television actor.After his lead role in the radio serial Captain Starr of Space , John Larch entered films in 1954. He usually appeared in westerns and action films, including Miracle of the White Stallions as General George S. Patton Jr...
as 'Mac' MacDonald - John BrasciaJohn BrasciaJohn Brascia is an American actor and dancer, noted for his dancing partnerships on film with Vera-Ellen in White Christmas and with Cyd Charisse and Liliane Montevecchi in Meet Me in Las Vegas . With dancer Tybee Arfa , the dance team known as Brascia and Tybee became - beginning in 1957 - a...
as Karl - Weaver Levy as Kim
- Wilhelm von HomburgWilhelm Von HomburgWilhelm von Homburg was a German wrestler, boxer, and film actor most noted for his portrayal of Vigo the Carpathian in the 1989 film Ghostbusters II.-Wrestling:...
as Gregor - Bill Saito as Ching
- FujiFuji-People:* Mr. Fuji, ring name of wrestling and manager Harry Fujiwara* Keiko Fuji, a Japanese singer of the 1960s and 1970s, and mother of Hikaru Utada* Sumiko Fuji, a Japanese actressFictional characters* Fuji , a character in the Stormwatch series...
as Toki - Pepper MartinPepper MartinJohnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager. He was known as the Wild Horse of the Osage because of his daring, aggressive baserunning abilities. Martin played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman and an outfielder for the St...
as Frankie - Ted H. Jordan as Guard
- Whitney Chase as Miss Natural Gas (uncredited)
- David ChowDavid ChowDavid John Chow is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by actor Vincent Irizarry from January 9, 2007 to August 1, 2008.-Character biography:...
as Bartender (uncredited) - Noel Drayton as Man at Downing Street Meeting (uncredited)
- Tony Giorgio as Gadget Agent for I.C.E. (uncredited)
- Joséphine James as Girl (uncredited)
- Kenner G. Kemp as Officer in Hospital Room (uncredited)
- John Kowal as Kelly (uncredited)
- James LloydJames LloydJames Lloyd may refer to:*James Lloyd , U.S. Senator*James Lloyd , U.S. Senator*James Lloyd , convict transported to Western Australia...
as Desk Clerk (uncredited) - Byron MorrowByron MorrowByron Morrow was an American television and film actor, born in Chicago.His TV work ran from Peter Gunn in 1957 to Father Dowling Mysteries in 1991...
as Officer in Hospital Room (uncredited) - Chuck NorrisChuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
as Man in the House of 7 Joys (uncredited)- This movie was Chuck Norris' film debut.
- Allen Pinson as Page (uncredited)
- Bartlett Robinson as President's Aide (uncredited)
- Bill M. Ryusaki as Henri (uncredited)
- Dick Winslow as Man (uncredited)
Uncredited
- James Daris
- Harry Fleer
- Harry Geldard
- Joe Gray
- Rex Holman
- Brick Huston
- J. B. Pick
- Vincent Van Lynn
Miscellaneous credits: Bruce Lee as choreographer for the fight scenes. World Karate and Kickboxing Champion Joe Lewis and American Kenpo Founder Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
both had fight scenes with Dean Martin.