Madame Sin

I know very little about Director David Greene, who did mostly TV work and appears to have been no relation of Graham Greene's, the British writer. That much is clear from the campy script that David and Oringer hammered together with some self-deprecating humor, especially in the shape of eyelid-painted Bette Davis as MADAME SIN, the sinister lady who carries out all manner of experiments on the unfortunate souls who get caught in the waves of her sonar-sounding waves that basically turn the brain into jelly, and pliable to her despicable whims.

Of course, the fact that she wants a British Polaris submarine, apparently to make a fortune out of it, is preposterous, Even harder to believe is Robert Wagner as some top spy/agent who keeps getting hit by the sonar, to the point of going deaf, which has laughable consequences as he tries to enlighten the British military on the foul plays by the evil MADAME SIN.

Cinematography is just OK, editing not that great. The best thing about this TV flick is Denholm Eliott as the Madame's evil sidekick, looking prim and proper, constantly adjusting his tie. His initial encounter with Wagner, with two Catholic nuns on hand, provides the film's most memorable segment. The other good bit is the end, with MADAME asking when the lease on Buckingham Palace, or Windsor Castle or whatever that royable abode is, will be up because she wants to take it over.

Also interesting to see Burt Kwouk, of Cato Fong fame in the Pink Panther franchise as Inspector Clouseau's sparring manservant, as the wordless hand-scarred man who remains shadowy until close to the end.

Not bad fun, but having just rewatched it all I remember are the beginning and end. 6/10.

Robert Wagner does a Eurospy.

Wikipedia says that "Wagner's friend and agent Albert Broccoli suggested that he audition to play James Bond, but he decided it was not right for him." (Yeah right!)

And

"The following year, he produced and cast himself opposite Bette Davis in the made-for-TV film Madame Sin, which was theatrically released overseas as a feature film."

Robert played a jewel thief who becomes a reluctant secret agent in "It Takes A Thief" on the television, as well as another jewel thief alongside David Niven in "The Pink Panther" on the big screen, and would later play a high class con-man in "The Switch" (and much, much later, he would play #2 in the Austin Powers spoof series), so it's the type of smooth operator role that suits him well.

Bette Davis plays a female "Dr No" (half Chinese and no more convincing than Joseph Wiseman in that regard) who runs a SPECTRE like organisation with designs on a British Nuclear submarine. She plans to use brainwashing to gain the co-operation of the subs captain, Gordon Jackson, and kidnaps Catherine Schell in order to coerce Robert into assisting her. She also has a fancy sonic rifle in her arsenal which can disable and kill.

She has oily Denholm Elliott as her second in command and Dudley Sutton brings his distinctive skull like visage to the role of henchman. Pik Sen Lim and Bert Kwouk are also along to add a more authentic Asian flavour.

It's a polished TV level production, but never feels like anything more than that, plus I've never been a fan of 1960s "Manchurian candidate" subgenre of espionage movies. The downbeat ending doesn't sit quite right with me either (the price of having Bette on board?)

However I've always had a big crush on Catherine Schell, so it worth waiting around till the end just to see her in a bikini.

Catherine was fresh from being one of Blofeld's "Angels of Death" in "On Her Majesties Secret Service" with George Lazeny (As Catherina von Schell). Previously she had a small role in "Assignment K", then continued her espionage career in "The Black Windmill" with Michael Caine and "Callan" with Edward Woodward.

On television she was almost ubiquitous, appearing in "The Persuaders" with Roger Moore, "The Return Of The Saint" with Ian Ogilvy and almost any other UK drama series in the 1970s and 80s you can think of.

Ever wonder what Fu Manchu would look like if Christopher Lee looked just like Bette Davis?

Stop wondering, here's the answer. Ms. Davis plays the evil Madam Sin, an oriental villainess who is plotting world conquest from her Scottish castle, fully equipped with laboratory, sonic weapons, hypnotic drugs, etc.

She abducts Robert Wagner, an ex-CIA man whom she frames as a defector. Then she dupes him into helping her kidnap a naval officer and steal a nuclear submarine. European audiences paid to see this pilot for an unsold TV series.

The idea of "Madame Sin" isn't bad...but casting Bette Davis...that's insane!

When the story begins, a secret agent, Anthony Lawrence (Robert Wagner) is kidnapped in the UK and brought to a manor home. This place is run by Madame Sin (Bette Davis), a half-Asian supervillian much like Fu Manchu or a Bond character. She is rich and evil and has scientists working for her making evil gadgets, such as as sonic device that can kill or render someone into human jelly as well as a machine where she can probe mines and even implant memories!! With this, she plans on making a fortune...sort of a mercenary criminal genius for hire! So why does she need Lawrence? Well, using him, she plans on stealing a Polaris submarine and selling it to a buyer willing to give her a billion dollars for it! Can Lawrence possibly twart her evil plans?

This was originally made as a pilot for a TV series...a series that was never picked up by any of the networks. And, when you watch it you can see why. The basic idea and location shooting are all fine...but having Bette Davis in the role was utterly ridiculous and she looks about as Asian as Lassie! I am sure a lot of folks laughed when they saw this...and it's sad that when the film was made, Davis was essentially doing ANYTHING provided it paid. See films like "Bunny O'Hare" and you'll see what I mean.

The bottom line is that is actually a very cool spy/action film...but is fatally flawed simply because of the casting. Fun to watch...and unfortunately a bit silly.

Madame Sin will never go down as a great Bette Davis movie. But as with a lot of less worthwhile projects, Bette just turns on the malice and let's it carry the film through.

Her role as Madame Sin is an Anglicized version of the Dragon Lady from Terry and the Pirates. What nefarious scheme she has in mind is to steal a Polaris submarine and sell it to some terrorists. To do that she's brainwashed Captain Gordon Jacksonm of the Royal Navy.

Trying to stop her is CIA guy Robert Wagner. Bob has his problems dealing with Bette and her bag of tricks including stealing every scene she's in.

Bette's fans will enjoy it though don't expect Dark Victory.