Fathom (1967)

Director:

Leslie H. Martinson

Writers:

Larry Forrester (novel)
Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 December 1967 (Finland)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

The world's most uncovered undercover agent!

Plot:

In Europe with a U.S. team, skydiver Fathom Harvill is approached by a Scottish colonel working for a top-secret Western agency...

Plot Keywords:

Yacht | Parachute | Bull | Female Protagonist | Spy Spoof

Cast

Anthony Franciosa	...	Peter Merriwether (as Tony Franciosa)
Raquel Welch	...	Fathom Harvill
Ronald Fraser	...	Col. Douglas Campbell, Chief of HADES
Richard Briers	...	Flight Lt. Timothy Webb
Greta Chi	...	Maj. Jo-May Soon (KGB)
Tom Adams	...	Mike, Owner of Casa Miguel
Elizabeth Ercy	...	Ulla
Ann Lancaster	...	Mrs. Trivers
Tutte Lemkow	...	Mehmed, Serapkin's servant
Reg Lye	...	Mr. Trivers
Clive Revill	...	Sergi Serapkin

Directed by
Leslie H. Martinson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry Forrester		novel
Lorenzo Semple Jr.		screenplay

Produced by
John Kohn	....	producer
Peter Medak	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Dankworth

Cinematography by
Douglas Slocombe

Film Editing by
Max Benedict

Art Direction by
Maurice Carter

Makeup Department
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist
Joan Smallwood	....	hairdresser
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clifford Parkes	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Medak	....	second unit director
Alan Roderick-Jones	....	second unit director
David Tringham	....	assistant director
Peter Beale	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Miguel Gil	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Jack Halstead	....	assistant unit director (uncredited)
Nigel Wooll	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Alan Cassie	....	set dresser
Jack Maxsted	....	assistant art director
Alan Roderick-Jones	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Cyril Collick	....	sound recordist
Bob Jones	....	sound recordist
Mike Le Mare	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Elizabeth Thoyts	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunt double: Raquel Welch (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jacques Dubourg	....	photographer: parachute sequences
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator
Mike Roberts	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Henry Bardon	....	costumes: Clive Revill
Kiki Byrne	....	wardrobe designer
Michele Rosier	....	parachute jump suits: Miss Welch (as Michele Rosier for V de V)
Bridget Sellers	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Elizabeth Thoyts	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Dankworth	....	conductor
David Lindup	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Barbara Allen	....	production secretary
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main title sequence
Ken Vos	....	parachute sequences
Helen Whitson	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century-Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox (1967) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1967) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Vog  bikini by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Mijas, Málaga, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Fathom's name was an amalgam of the first names of the character's uncles who were called (in order of the letters in Fathom's name) Freddie, Arthur, Tom, Harry, Oscar and Milton.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the first moments of the shot where Fathom walks down the steps in her bikini, she is standing still on one step, and the people below are also standing largely motionless, all obviously awaiting their cues to start the action.

Quotes:

Peter Merriwether:[while watching Fathom running away from the bull] I love this world!
Fathom Harvill:Then why do you want to blow it up?
Peter Merriwether:Isn't that a little melodramatic?
Fathom Harvill:What do you call H-Bombs - light comedy?
[Starts running again]
Peter Merriwether:H-Bombs? How did H-Bombs get into this cosy chat?

Fathom, a film of its time

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.