| The Last of the Secret Agents? | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Norman Abbott |
| Produced by | Mel Tolkin |
| Written by | Norman Abbott Mel Tolkin |
| Starring | Marty Allen Steve Rossi Nancy Sinatra Theo Marcuse |
| Music by | Pete King |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 25 May 1966 (U.S.) |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Language | English |
The Last of the Secret Agents? is a 1966 film that spoofs the spy film genre starring the then-popular comedy team of Allen & Rossi.
Contents |
Two Americans in Paris (Allen & Rossi) are reluctantly recruited by the Good Guys Institute (GGI) led by John Williams to thwart the plans of the evil crime and espionage organisation THEM led by Theo Marcuse. THEM has plans to steal priceless international art treasures, most notably the Venus de Milo.
In addition to the then popular spy film genre, the film spoofs many other item of the day such as cigarette commercials.
Allen & Rossi were a popular comedy team in their nightclub and television appearances, notably on The Ed Sullivan Show. Paramount Pictures had highly successful comedy teams of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in the 1940s and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in the 1950s and no doubt wished to recreate their success with the duo's screen debut and swan song in the film. Mel Tolkin had written for Your Show of Shows and had many other comedy credits, whilst Norman Abbott, the nephew of Bud Abbott had experience of directing many successful American television comedy shows. Steve Rossi wanted to incorporate material from their comedy routine into the film but his ideas were refused.[1]
Nancy Sinatra had made several film appearances previously, but a planned song written for her by Paramount's Famous Music Burt Bacharach and Hal David was cut due to budget constraints.[2] During post-production in January 1966, Sinatra's These Boots Are Made for Walkin' composed by Lee Hazelwood was a smash hit. Paramount ordered the producer to have Sinatra sing in the film with Hazelwood quickly composing a title song for her reminiscent of John Barry's Thunderball that wasn't on the Pete King soundtrack album. Neal Hefti wrote the song You Are for Steve Rossi that does appear on the soundtrack as does the song Don Jose, Ole written by Tolkin and Abbott. Sinatra's title song was reused as an end title song in Bill Murray's The Man Who Knew Too Little.