The Silencers (1966)

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Donald Hamilton (novels)
Oscar Saul (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 February 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Follow Matt Helm secret agent from bedroom to bedlam with guns, girls and dynamite!

Plot:

In this, the first Matt Helm movie, we see Matt Helm coaxed out of semi-retirement by an attractive ex-partner...

Plot Keywords:

Underground Installation | Pantyhose | Clothes Torn Off | Extreme Closeup | Telephone Booth

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Dean Martin	...	Matt Helm
Stella Stevens	...	Gail Hendricks
Daliah Lavi	...	Tina
Victor Buono	...	Tung-Tze
Arthur O'Connell	...	Joe Wigman
Robert Webber	...	Sam Gunther
James Gregory	...	MacDonald
Nancy Kovack	...	Barbara
Roger C. Carmel	...	Andreyev
Cyd Charisse	...	Sarita
Beverly Adams	...	Lovey Kravezit
Richard Devon	...	Domino
David Bond	...	Dr. Naldi
John Reach	...	Traynor
Robert Phillips	...	1st Armed Man
John Willis	...	M.C.
Frank Gerstle	...	Frazer
Grant Woods	...	Radio Man
Patrick Waltz	...	Hotel Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Todd Armstrong	...	Guard (uncredited)
Barbara Burgess	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Vikki Carr	...	Sarita (singing voice) (uncredited)
Amadee Chabot	...	Girl (uncredited)
Carol Cole	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Myron Cook	...	Guard (uncredited)
Bill Couch	...	Armed Man (uncredited)
John Daheim	...	Student Guard (uncredited)
Dirk Evans	...	Armed Man (uncredited)
Robert Glenn	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	(uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Patrick Hawley	...	Eddie the Bartender (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Armed Man (uncredited)
Harry Holcombe	...	Agent 'X' (uncredited)
Susan Holloway	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Thomas Horton	...	Hunter (uncredited)
Ted Jordan	...	Man (uncredited)
Art Koulias	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Gary Lasdun	...	Armed Man (uncredited)
Anna Lavele	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Grace Lee	...	Oriental Girl (uncredited)
Karen Lee	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Nelson Leigh	...	Man (uncredited)
Victoria Lockwood	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Gay MacGill	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Mary Jane Mangler	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Gigi Michel	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Ray Montgomery	...	Agent 'C' (uncredited)
Inga Neilsen	...	Statue (uncredited)
Margie Nelson	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Scott Perry	...	Guard (uncredited)
Pat Renella	...	Man (uncredited)
Leoda Richards	...	Older Couple at Nightclub (uncredited)
Bruce Ritchey	...	Hunter (uncredited)
Pamela Rodgers	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Older Couple at Nightclub (uncredited)
Tom Steele	...	Guard (uncredited)
Thomas A. Sweet	...	Guard (uncredited)
Margaret Teele	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Rita Thiel	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Larri Thomas	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Glenn Thompson	...	Student Guard (uncredited)
Marilyn Tindall	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Richard Tretter	...	Guard (uncredited)
Vincent Van Lynn	...	Agent 'Z' (uncredited)
Robert Ward	...	Man (uncredited)
Jan Watson	...	Slaymate (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Farmer (uncredited)

Directed by
Phil Karlson

Writing credits
Donald Hamilton		(novels "The Silencers" and "Death of a Citizen")
Oscar Saul		(screenplay)

Produced by
Irving Allen	....	producer
James Schmerer	....	associate producer (as Jim Schmerer)

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Burnett Guffey

Film Editing by
Charles Nelson

Art Direction by
Joseph C. Wright		(as Joe Wright)

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry

Makeup Department
Virginia Jones	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Ralph E. Black	....	unit production manager (as Ralph Black)
Sergei Petschnikoff	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Curtis Havens	....	second unit director (as James Havens)
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)

Sound Department
Lambert E. Day	....	sound (as Lambert Day)
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor

Special Effects by
Marlowe Newkirk	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Thomas A. Sweet	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glen Thompson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Friedman	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sy Devore	....	wardrobe: Dean Martin

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Herbert Baker	....	parodies
Robert Sidney	....	choreographer
George Barris	....	car customizer (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Jean-Étienne Siry	....	poster designer (french version) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Meadway-Claude Productions Company (I) (II)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia-Bavaria Filmgesellschaft m.b.H. (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1971) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Esselte Video (1989) (Finland) (video)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Sony Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1990) | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

ICE is an acronym for Intelligence and Counter Espionage.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the car chase, Gail Hendricks can be seen sitting much closer to Matt Helm in the shots inside the car compared to the shots from outside (behind) the car. Also the front seat is significantly different when seen from outside the car. It is a bench seat with headrests.

Quotes:

Matt Helm:Don't you think we should be introduced first?
Barbara:You're Matt Helm.
Matt Helm:Good enough for me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Magic Sword (#5.11)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

On the Sunny Side of the Street

Dean Martin as a secret agent?

Yep, that's the premise, and the beginning to the silliest spy series, before a certain dentally-challenged International Man of Mystery arrived.

Dean Martin starred as Matt Helm, the lead character in a series of novels by Donald Hamilton. The books were serious spy adventures; but, there is nothing serious about the film series. Dean plays it tongue-in-cheek, often making fun of his own image and rivalry with fellow Rat Packer Frank Sinatra. The films are filled with strange characters and silly gadgets.

Martin has fun with the role and keeps the film rolling along, but Stella Stevens makes it memorable. She is sexy as hell, but is such a lovable klutz that she dominates every scene. Victor Buono gets to chew the most scenery this side of his Batman appearances.

The gadgets make James Bond look like a documentary: a gun that shoots backward unless the trigger is pushed, exploding buttons, a station wagon with a fold down bed and bar, and Helm's many household appliances.

These films were anything but serious, but this one is very entertaining. The films tended to get worse with each new entry, but most of the elements work well here. If you are looking for serious spy cinema, try 007 or Harry Palmer. If you want some goofy fun, try this.