Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966)

In this spoof of spy films, CIA agent, Kelly, is in Rio De Janeiro spying on a wealthy industrialist, David Ardonian, who secretly plans to turn the world sterile and repopulate it with his harem. UK spy, Susan Fleming, helps Kelly.

Directors:

Henry Levin, Dino Maiuri

Writers:

Dino Maiuri (story), Jack Pulman (screenplay)

Stars:

Mike Connors, Dorothy Provine, Raf Vallone

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mike Connors	...	Kelly (as Michael Connors)
Dorothy Provine	...	Susan Fleming
Raf Vallone	...	Mr. Ardonian
Terry-Thomas	...	Lord Aldric / James
Margaret Lee	...	Grace
Nicoletta Machiavelli	...	Sylvia
Beverly Adams	...	Karin
Marilù Tolo	...	Gioia
Seyna Seyn	...	Wilma Soong
Oliver MacGreevy	...	Ringo
Sandro Dori	...	Omar
Jack Gwillim	...	British ambassador
Andy Ho	...	Ling
Renato Terra
George Leech

Storyline

An outlandish science-fiction, comedy-thriller full of tongue-and-cheek action, ingenious gadgets in the James Bond style combining violence and tension with polished villainy and flippant espionage, as the resourceful CIA Mike "Mannix" Connors and British agents, Dorothy Provine and Terry-Thomas (both previously in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World") escape death-traps on land, sea and air.

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Plot Keywords:

espionage | american agent | female british spy | amazon river | yacht | 

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Taglines:

Rio...where the action is! Where all systems are go-go-go...

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Mike Connors and Dorothy Provine had previously worked together in the 1964 comedy, "Good Neighbor Sam" starring Jack Lemmon.

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Quotes

Mr. Ardonian: Thank you, James. Tell me how long does it take to turn out a chauffeur like you?
James: Oh, not long, sir. About four or five generations.
Mr. Ardonian: I think I asked for that.
Susan Fleming: No he really means it. Seriously. It's quite true.

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Connections

Referenced in The Swinging Sixties: Movie Marathon (2019)

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Soundtracks

Bacia E Uccidi (Kiss The Girls And Make Them Die)
Music by Mario Nascimbene, Lyrics by Howard Greenfield
Sung by Lydia MacDonald accompanied by Mario Nascimbene Orchestra

User Reviews

VIsually great, somewhat tedious otherwise

Kiss the Girls and Make them Die has a great title, and since it was shot in 1966, great chic value at this point. Plus it was a studio movie with enough budget to be shot with top shelf cinematography, film stock, and sets (including locations in Brazil), but the actors don't really carry it over the top. Mike Connors is recognizable and active, but his lines aren't the best. It's not edgy or intense enough to shadow James Bond, and not camp enough to be Matt Helm. It's quite a blah in between. ANother problem is there are a LOT ofstylistic and plot 'borrowings' from the specific Bond movie You Only Live Twice, and this undermines it being a parody. Then there are moments when the film inexplicably fails to capitalize on both small and big moments, and just kind of lets them drift away, which is frustrating because at other times you're marvelling at the frame and sets.

Most of the female actresses are forgettable, particularly the one who develops into the lead. The arch villain is threatening, but also not maximized, and his henchman is particularly uninteresting, and unconvincing as a bad guy. THe film switches up between serious and campy, and it's just not written clever enough to pull it off.

That said, the movie is visually gorgeous, with shots of a Rio De Janiero in the late 1960s, with one fantastic interior after another, a mix of Brazilian culture with mid-century modern. You want to see a Rolls Royce driving a jungle road? You'll see it here. It's too bad the leads weren't more engaging, or given more character in the script to work with.

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 September 1966 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die

Filming Locations:

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1