1966 - REQUIEM FOR A SECRET AGENT - Italian Eurospy stuff part 1

During the height of the 60's James Bond film craze almost every studio and production company had to get in on the act.  The movie going audience was assaulted with spy movies in about every language possible.  Almost every major star had to make a spy thriller.  Few of the films actually captured the special qualities of the Sean Connery Bond films but it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying.

Chief among those making these ripoff James Bond films were the Italians.  Their formula seemed to be copy and rework as many scenes from the James Bond movies that they could.  In most cases imitation was not the sincerest form of flattery.  The films had too many girls, too many guns and too many car chases.  The leading men usually had a passing resemblance to Sean Connery.

Requiem for a Secret Agent is a good a place to start with this stuff as any.  The film starred Stewart Granger a one time star in the 1950's particularly at MGM.  The producers also were able to lure one of the James Bond women Daniela Bianchi in to the film as well. 

These films are basically critic proof.  I think it's safe to say they are what they are, cheap and kind of lame reworkings of the James Bond series.  Still the films have shall we say I certain charm to them.  One can't help but admire the blatant recycling of scenes from the better Bond films.  Let's begin the journey.

102 minutes, written by Sergio Donati, Antonio del Amo and Sergio Sollima.