Tom Adams appeared in three Eurospy movies as Secret Agent Charles Vine, this one, "Where The Bullets Fly" and "OK Yevtushenko", plus a heist movie called "The Fast Kill". He also appeared in supporting roles in Rachel Welch's espionage movie "Fathom" and another called "Subterfuge" starring Gene Barry and Joan Collins.
On the tele he was a regular in a show called "Spy Trap" and put in guest appearances in "The Avengers", "The Persuaders", "Ghost Squad", "The Strange Report" and a series called "The Spies", of which all but one episode was wiped during the BBC's tape wiping holocaust, but he was possibly most well-known, back in the day, for his role as arch rival Daniel Fogarty in the "Onedin Line".
Filmed in the UK as a serious Eurospy, repackaged for American audiences with a more spoofy title and a matching title song by serial Sinatra collaborators Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen, with a vocal from fellow rat packer Sammy Davis junior.
As I say, the film is played about 95% straight, which does not preclude some respectable attempts at Bond-esque one liners relating to, and during interactions with, women, plus a handful of references to James Bond himself, who is treated as a more senior agent and colleague.
Tom Adams looks the part, but there's something missing. Perhaps he's a bit wooden, or perhaps he's been instructed to under play, but just doesn't have the skill or charisma to pull that off. Whichever, he is far below Richard Johnson level, not even able to reach Ray Danton level in my opinion. But the rest of the cast is populated with familiar characters from UK productions, who all contribute suitably colourful performances
The only gadget Tom is provided with is an eeny-weeny, teeny-tiny gun, from Y branch, which is rather underwhelming. Fortunately he still has his regular pistol, a "broom handle / box cannon" Mauser C96, which he keeps in a special holster on the small of his back. However he does manage to bed three woman across the course of the movie, so his sexual prowess credentials are not in question.
The film has two major faults
Firstly its hugely overcomplicated plot, which is such that the director felt the need to have an entire long winded scene at the end of the film in order to explain it to Tom (and the viewer), and the amount of screen time devoted to the theory and nature of the Macguffin ("regrav" - reverse gravity), is quite un-necessary.
Secondly, and more significantly, the dull and lifeless direction, which is completely without imagination or flair, on a level acceptable for a television show, but not the big screen.
The same goes for the action scenes, which mainly involve lots and lots of shooting. (OK, to be fair, I should acknowledge he makes a couple of nice moves with his guns, in amongst the dross). There's only one hand to hand combat scene, which is a mess, and one car chase, which is very run of the mill, but no less than three vehicle-blocking-the-road ambushes. Clearly there was no budget for car crashes or explosions either, as the helicopter scene at the climax is embarrassingly inept.
However enough people liked it to make someone believe that sequels were viable.
Bondian Banter
Rockwell - "I'll give you one man"
Pickering - "Alright, one man, but he must be your best... how about that boy who settled that gold conspiracy, what's his name? Bondson...?"
Rockwell - "I'm afraid he's otherwise engaged, but I've got a good man for you..."
(Tom is in bed with a beautiful girl, phone rings...)
Tom - "Hello"
Rockwell - "Is that Charles Vine"
Tom - "Yes, of course it is"
Rockwell - "Its Rockwell here"
Tom - "Oh, good morning sir"
Rockwell - "Are you tied up at the moment?"
Tom - "No, I've nothing on at present..."
Rockwell - "Ah, could you possibly drag yourself away from her?"
(At the airport)
Prof Jacobsen - "This is my assistant, Miss Lindberg"
Tom - "Miss Lindberg, it will be a pleasure having you"
Miss Lindberg - "Having me where Mr Vine?" (smirk)
Tom - (smirks and turns back to the professor) "Your car is waiting..."
(Later, in the car, where Tom and the cameraman have been leering at Miss Lindberg's legs)
Prof Jacobsen - "You are a scientist Mr Vine?"
Tom - "Yes, in a way"
Miss Lindberg - "In which field?"
Tom - "I studied mathematics, why?"
Miss Lindberg - "I'm sorry, I assumed it was physiology, you seem to have an obsessive interest in anatomy"
Tom - "I am interested in certain areas of the subject" (smirk)
Miss Lindberg (smirk)
(At the research facility)
Tom - "You enjoying yourself?"
Computer Girl - "I am. I have an aptitude for figures."
Tom - "So have I. Tell me, what does this machine do?"
Computer Girl - "It gives general information, depending on the questions it receives."
Tom - "I see. Ask it for your telephone number, will you?"
(Later, in bed)
Computer Girl -"Why, what's your name?"
Tom - "Charles Vine"
Computer Girl -"It's funny, I met someone like you in Florida"
Tom - "Oh really, who was he?"
Computer Girl -"James, James something"
Tom - "Oh, ah, what did he do?"
Computer Girl -"He told me he was a vacuum cleaner salesman"
Tom - "Ah, isn't that a coincidence, so am I" (clinch)
