The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World (1965)
"Licensed to Kill" (original title)

Dauntless British agent Charles Vine is called upon to escort to London the famed Swedish scientist Henrik Jacobs to negotiate the sale of a secret formula. However, sinister forces ... See full summary »

Director:

Lindsay Shonteff

Writers:

Howard Griffiths, Lindsay Shonteff

Stars:

Tom Adams, Karel Stepanek, Peter Bull

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Adams	...	Charles Vine
Karel Stepanek	...	Henrik Jacobsen
Peter Bull	...	Masterman
John Arnatt	...	Rockwell
Francis De Wolff	...	Walter Pickering
Felix Felton	...	Tetchkinov
Veronica Hurst	...	Julia Lindberg
Judy Huxtable	...	Computer Center Girl
Carol Blake	...	Crossword Puzzle Girl
Claire Gordon	...	Hospital Doctor
Sarah Maddern	...	Hotel Maid
Mona Chong	...	Chinese Girl
Shelagh Booth	...	Governess
George Pastell	...	Russian Commissar
Denis Holmes	...	Maltby

Storyline

Dauntless British agent Charles Vine is called upon to escort to London the famed Swedish scientist Henrik Jacobs to negotiate the sale of a secret formula. However, sinister forces gambling for enormous stakes are already at work. With the aid of the most fantastic gadgets, Vine manages to extricate his charges from the most diabolical traps until the final battle in a mile-a-second showdown fought along the Thames dockside and culminating to a wild and unexpected climax.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | james bond spoof | spoof | spy spoof | parody | 

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Taglines:

Meet Charles Vine. He tries, spies harder...fights deadlier...and loves more dangerously!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1966 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World

Filming Locations:

London Heliport, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alistair

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

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Soundtracks

"The Second Best Secret Agent in the World"
(U.S. version only)
Written by Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
Sung by Sammy Davis Jr.

User Reviews

Tom Adams is tougher and manlier than all the other James Bond actors combined.

Wielding a heavy broomhandle Mauser, double 00 agent Tom Adams shows how to shoot down a helicopter by concentrating on its tail blades. Predicting an ambush, he sneaks to the rear of his enemies and shoots them summarily in the back of their heads without quarter or qualm. He shoots and kills a dozen or so people in this movie, some from a moving car in busy London traffic, with the nonchalance of Al Capp's Detective 'Fearless' Fosdick.

The action scenes are well executed and Tom Adams is better built than Sean Connery and certainly lacks the jocular effeteness of Roger Moore. He sort of looks like those goony secret service men who guard the President of the United States. In short, he looks like the real thing.

I understand from an IMDb correspondent that there was one sequel to this film. It turns out there are two but their reviews are not promising.

This was shown in the Philippines under the title Licensed to Kill.