Bullseye! saw Roger Moore and Michael Caine work together onscreen for the first time. Great friends in real life, it must have seemed like a good idea. The director of the film, Michael Winner, was also a friend and by all accounts, a good time was had by all. All that is except for the audience.
Dodgy scientists Dr Daniel Hicklar (Michael Caine) and Sir John Bavistock (Roger Moore) have invented a new form of nuclear fusion. These crooks plan to sell the technology to the highest bidder despite being funded by governments.
It transpires though that they have a couple of doppelgangers in the form of con artists Sidney Lipton (also Michael Caine) and Gerald Bradley-Scott (also Roger Moore, obvs).
Sidney and Gerald team up with Willie (Sally Kirkland) to take advantage of their likeness to the scientists and soon have designs on the diamonds that Hicklar and Bavistock received as a down payment from prospective bidders for the fusion formula.
Michael Caine, with a truly terrible American accent, is not especially convincing as a scientist and neither is Roger as his accomplice.
The supporting cast included Roger’s daughter Deborah (billed as Deborah Barrymore) and a number of cameo guest stars – including John Cleese and Patsy Kensit. Michael Winner’s career as a film director was almost at rock bottom by now.
You can tell that the cast of Bullseye! are having fun. The performances are tongue-in-cheek and everyone looks as if they are about to start laughing at any point. Unfortunately, this feel-good factor never transfers to the viewer in this hopelessly dated and groan-inducing comedy.
Sidney Lipton/Dr Hicklar
Michael Caine Gerald Bradley-Smith/Sir John Bavistock
Roger Moore Willie
Sally Kirkland Flo Fleming
Deborah Barrymore (Moore) Darrell Hyde
Lee Patterson Nigel Holden
Mark Burns Inspector Grosse
Derren Nesbitt Francesca
Deborah Leng Death’s Head
Christopher Adamson Donna Dutch
Steffanie Pitt Korean Bidder
Eddie Yeoh Nigerian Bidder
Raymond Johnson Italian Bidder
Nadio Fortune Iranian Bidder
Amir M. Korangy Reverend Simkin
Angus MacKay Man on the Beach in Barbados Who Looks Like John Cleese
John Cleese Sick Lady on Train
Patsy Kensit
