Former tank sergeant Boysie Oakes (Rod Taylor) – codenamed “L” – is a reluctant secret agent assigned to dispose of known enemy agents, although he prefers conquests in the bedroom to violent action in this carbon-copy of Our Man Flint (1965) – so he hires a professional hitman for that part of the job.
Of course, events soon plunge Oakes into situations that require him to be a hero in spite of himself.
The cast includes two beauties who would soon return to sexy subterfuge: Gabrielle Licudi in 1967’s spoof Casino Royale (1967) and Jill St. John, who played Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
Trevor Howard is a delight as Boysie’s unscrupulous boss, Colonel Mostyn of British Intelligence and Eric Sykes is unusually cast as cold-blooded killer, Griffen.
The redoubtable character actor Akim Tamiroff appears as a somewhat inept torturer.
Shirley Bassey sings the title theme.
Boysie Oakes
Rod Taylor
Colonel Mostyn
Trevor Howard
Iris Mackintosh
Jill St. John
The Chief
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Coral
Gabriella Licudi
Griffen
Eric Sykes
Sheriek
Akim Tamiroff
Quadrant
David Tomlinson
Chekhov
John Le Mesurier
Fly
Derek Nimmo
Janice Benedict
Jennifer Jayne
Frances Anne
Betty McDowall
Betty
Jo Rowbottom
Jessie
Louise Dunn
Yakov
Henri Cogan
Gregory
Daniel Emilfork
Mac
Ronald Leigh-Hunt
Judith
Suzy Kendall
Director
Jack Cardiff
