The Ambushers (1967)

"What's the matter with a broad in the daylight?", 10 December 2005

This is not an exact quote, but I read somewhere on the internet that Dean Martin's portrayal of Matt Helm could make Perry Como look hyper. The Ambushers is a great example of this. Martin literally sleepwalks his way through this one. He's in very little hurry to get anywhere other than to the nearest bar. And, if you look close, you'll notice that Martin used a stunt double for even the most routine of actions. I suppose that if the activity involved anything more strenuous than lifting a glass of scotch, Dino wasn't up for it.

Even though I had a decent enough time watching The Ambushers, I can't rate it any higher because of some of the ridiculousness of the plot. A flying saucer? I'm sorry but I'm not buying it. And where did the writers dream up the idea that a man couldn't fly the thing because the electro-magnetism (or some such nonsense) was deadly to males? I realize that the Matt Helm movies are based in what is essentially an alternate reality, but come on. The implausibility of the whole thing really took away from my enjoyment.

The highlight of the movie for me had to be Senta Berger. Wow, what a woman! Some of the outfits she wears throughout The Ambushers (and really those worn by most of the female cast members) are just too much.

5/10