Fathom

I'd never seen or even heard of this offering in the 60's comedy spy genre until Film 4 padded out their evening schedule with it. How dated it all looked, understandably. But it was a jolly romp, great locations and with pretty good enthusiastically staged stunts. Ms Welch was very decorative as usual and the Britsh character actors excellent in support. Good to see Tom Adams in a solid supporting role, Clive Revill was always good value in this sort of movie too. Amazingly the two aircraft flown in this movie, a Cessna 172 and a Piper Cherokee 180, are still active and licenced in the UK, wearing their original registrations, forty years after the film was made.

Aside from her prehistoric antics ONE MILLION YEARS B.C., this is the quintessential Raquel Welch movie from her heyday as the ultimate 60's sexpot. The tone is light 'n bright in this bouncy adventure flick with Raquel doin' her swinging sixties thing in a colorful assortment of very suitable costumes. It's nice to see the lighter side of Ms. Welch after falling for her as an atonal cavegal with nothing to smile about. British jazz musician Johnny Dankworth provides a breezy pop score that caps things off quite nicely. A great mid-century, midnight flick.

Raquel Welch, at the peak of sexiness, does the perfect Bond girl one better--she's Bond herself! The flimsy and kooky premise has Fathom caught up in a international hunt for a Red Chinese nuclear device hidden in a Ming Dynasty dragon statuette. She dodges bullets, jumps out of planes, and plays each side against one another, all along looking sensational. This is a stylish little movie directed by the same guy who later delivered such colorful TV fluff as "The Brady Bunch," "Wonder Woman," and "Fantasy Island." But the real draw is the understated almost smirky performance by Raquel. Raquel's Fathom is all woman: a gorgeous fashion-plate, yet strong, smart, and very much in control. Catch her if you can!

Welch looks good in this, to be sure. But she also carries across the oddball charm this movie is attempting to convey. She looked good in Bedazzled and Myra Breckinridge as well, but wasn't given much to do. Here she gets some good dialogue to parry the men with, and she comes across as an exciting heroine that unlike Flynt or Matt Helm, should have been given more than one movie to do her thing. This film is very reminiscent of the more whacked-out Modesty Blaise. Just a little funnier. One could also find the roots of the current Charlie's Angels flix in this movie, albeit without the battering music.

Leslie H. Martinson is a director who should be studied more closely. He did so many TV shows, it would be easy to dismiss him as style-free. But from what I've seen (Hot Rod Girl, PT 109, Batman) he uses simplicity in his favor, and makes good little movies that stick with you.

Let's face it, unless you are a BIG fan of "B"-grade 60's spy flicks, and can't get your hands on a "Matt Helm" copy, the ONLY reason you would watch this film is for the incredible Raquel Welch. For the most fun, turn the sound down and make up your own dialogue as you go along.