In Like Flint (1967)

Absolutely amazing

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

It's ironic Derek Flint gets not one but two post-mortems in James Coburn's second and final turn as Twentieth Century Fox's goof on James Bond. Twice in the film his boss Lloyd Cramden (Lee J. Cobb) mourns the secret agent's passing; each time he learns Flint has managed an impossible escape."Of course it's impossible, that's why he's Flint!" a teary Cramden chortles.Flint was always a tricky balancing act; making a spy that genuinely wowed viewers with his feats of daring-do while simultaneously mocking his ability in that and other departments. The first Flint film, "Our Man Flint," managed to develop the character quite well that way; it works as a comedy as long as there's some attempt at grounding it as a serious adventure.This time, goofiness takes over early. "In Like Flint" pits Flint and Cramden against a female conspiracy that supplants the president with an actor and works toward a society where men no longer get much of a say. Of course, Flint is the ideal weapon against this crew; just a flick of his famous cigarette lighter sets hottie opponents a-purring.Unfortunately, even with tongue in cheek, "In Like Flint" doesn't really have the craft to pull off this idea, or a related one about a renegade general who wants to use the nation's nuclear arsenal in some diabolical if unexplained way. At just under two hours, "In Like Flint" drags noticeably, suffering from plot sprawl and a tendency to play things too cute.The film boasts a visibly larger budget than "Our Man Flint," a sign of that film's left-field success. This time, the enemy lair is well- designed, and the cinematography quite brilliant in places, especially when the movie moves to Jamaica, Bond's home territory.Cobb, a boon in the first film, really shines here, showcasing a warmer side in Cramden's relationship with Flint. For his part, Coburn employs his growing star power at close to full magnitude, never taking things too seriously, even allowing himself to be introduced in conversation with a dolphin. He has three women living with him, catering to his every whim."Didn't there used to be four?" Cramden asks."There were five at one time, but that got to be a bit too much," Flint replies.Not much else is too much for Flint; whether ballet dancing in Moscow or riding a rocket into space. His brilliance was more fun the first time, though; when it took you more by surprise. Here, it amuses, thanks to some nice twists, but still, after two hours the joke wears thin.I did like director Gordon Douglas's fight scenes, especially one set in a document disintegration chamber and another in a gymnasium, where action and comedy are well-mixed. Otherwise, what passes for a plot moves aimlessly from scene to scene. Whatever what Flint doing in Moscow? Watching Coburn have a rather steamy kissing scene with Yvonne Craig put me in an accepting mood, but too many U-turns make you feel the film isn't really playing fair. James Bond stories never got quite as goofy as this.Coburn apparently had enough after this, retiring the lighter and the harem for keeps. It's a fun film, but there's nothing in "In Like Flint" to make you think he shouldn't have gotten out.

This follow-up is much goofier and sillier than the original, but still every bit as amusing and entertaining. This time hip, clever, and dashing freelance spy and playboy extraordinaire Derek Flint (James Coburn in splendidly wry and laid-back assured form) must thwart a dastardly plot by a gang of lovely, yet formidable ladies who have developed a method of brainwashing so they can put arrogant and domineering men in their place and thus take over the planet. Director Gordon Douglas, working from a bright and witty script by Hal Fimberg, relates the delightfully wacky narrative at a steady pace, maintains an engagingly blithe and madcap very 60's camp sensibility throughout, and stages the rousing action set pieces with real skill and gusto (Coburn's fancy martial arts moves in particular are quite impressive and exciting). Coburn's amiably breezy'n'easy persona fits the character of Flint like a fine pair of stylish slippers; he talks fluently to dolphins, romances an endless bevy of beautiful babes, dons various disguises, briefly poses as a ballet dancer (!), and beats up numerous baddies without ever loosing a single ounce of his divinely unflappable cool the whole time. The rest of the cast are likewise up to par: Lee G. Cobb returns as Flint's loyal, but disgraced superior Lloyd C. Cramden, the gorgeous Jean Hale excels as classy and crafty head villainess Lisa Norton, Andrew Duggan does spirited work as both the hearty President and the hammy actor impersonating him, and Steve Ihnat hits it out of the ballpark with his excellent portrayal of the sneaky and cunning General Carter. Yvonee "Batgirl" Craig has a small, but nifty part as fetching, yet duplicitous Russian ballerina Natasha. Moreover, this movie in some ways was uncannily ahead of its time: The cabal of angry women Flint opposes neatly foretells the 70's feminist movement while the premise of an actor as President offers a frighteningly accurate prediction of Reagan getting elected into office as Chief Executive a mere decade or so down the line. Jerry Goldsmith's funky swinging score and William H. Daniels' slick widescreen cinematography are both on the money, too. A tremendously fun film.

"In Like Flint" is a sequel to the spy parody film "Our Man Flint" starring James Coburn. It posits an international feminist conspiracy to depose the ruling American patriarchy with a feminist matriarchy. To achieve and establish it, they kidnap and replace the U.S. President, discredit the Head of the Z.O.W.I.E. intelligence agency, and commandeer a nuclear-armed space platform, all directed from Fabulous Face, a women's spa in the Virgin Islands. Circumstances compel ex-secret agent Derek Flint to help his ex-boss, and so uncover the conspiracy. Actors James Coburn and Lee J. Cobb reprise their roles as "Derek Flint" and spy chief "Lloyd C. Cramden", Flint's ex-boss.Like all parodies, it's not fair to compare it to the original genre and you have to expect it to be at least somewhat silly - especially in this film the plot of feminists trying to take over the world. The last reviewer who gave it a low score obviously totally missed t.he point it's a parody It's a fun movie that moves along at a fast & Coburn is great in the James Bond spoof role. Enjoy the film & don't take it too seriously & you'll have a fun ride.

With 'Our Man Flint' ( 1966 ), it seemed as though Twentieth Century Fox had themselves a spy franchise to potentially rival that of James Bond. The late James Coburn possessed magnetism and agility comparable to Sean Connery. However, things did not go according to plan when they made the first sequel. It begins at the 'Fabulous Face' health and beauty resort in the Virgin Islands. A group of beautiful and powerful women - headed by 'Miss Elisabeth' ( Anna Lee ) - watch through telescopes as America puts the world's first space platform into orbit. Unbeknowest to Cramden ( Lee J.Cobb ), head of Z.O.W.I.E., aboard are two Russian cosmonauts. Relaxing with the President ( Andrew Duggan ) over a game of golf, Cramden notices that a swing took over three minutes ( during that time, the President was abducted and replaced by a double ). Baffled, Cramden goes to see Flint. The adventurer agrees to investigate once he has returned from Death Valley. Cramden is then caught in bed with a Skid Row hooker ( Jean Hale ), and loses his job. Flint sets out to clear his friend's name. Something seems to have gone with security at Z.O.W.I.E. and no-one in the organisation can now be trusted as it has been infiltrated by traitors... Interviewed by 'The T.V. Times' in 1981, Coburn claimed that Fox were so keen to get the picture into cinemas they didn't care if the script was ready or not. Hal Fimberg reversed the premise of the original, the 'baddies' here are women attempting to impose a new world order whereby men are slaves. Which makes it all the more strange why they then have to rely on General Carter ( the late Steve Ihnat ) of Z.O.W.I.E. and actor Sebastian Trent. Coburn is, as ever, terrific and Cobb generates some laughs. The film looks marvellous ( have you ever seen so many beautiful girls in one film before? Jean Hale is absolutely stunning! ) and gets off to a cracking start, but goes awry when Flint goes to Russia, and never recovers. Why haven't 'Fabulous Face' prepared for the possibility of Carter turning against them? How is he able to take over their operation without so much as a shot being fired? Why does Carter go into space with the bombs when he knows Flint is in the rocket too?There are some funny moments - the ballet sequence and Flint's line "The President...an actor?" - but not nearly enough. The action sequences are inferior to those in the first film, in particular the fight in outer space is distinctly unspectacular. Poor effects work from the normally reliable L.B. Abbott. What little excitement there is comes mainly from Jerry Goldsmith's wonderful music. Compared to 'You Only Live Twice' - which came out soon afterwards - this is limp stuff indeed. Coburn claimed that Gordon Douglas was ill for most of the shoot, hence much of the film was directed by the cinematographer. A rewriting of the script was badly needed to eliminate tedious scenes such as Flint's seduction of Natasha ( Yvonne Craig ). The Russian Premier's ( Herb Edelman ) phone call to The President ( named as 'Melvin Muffly' in the novelisation ) looks suspiciously like an attempt to parody 'Dr.Strangelove'. There was to have been a third movie - called either 'Bride Of Flint' or 'F For Flint' - but it was never made, due to Coburn's concerns over typecasting. In 1975, an attempt was made to transfer the character to television, with 'Our Man Flint Dead On Target' starring Ray Danton. It did not lead to a series. More recently, it was announced that Flint would be returning in comic book form, as 'That Man Flint'.