The Love Factor (1969)

A race of topless, large-breasted women from the planet Angvia, in another dimension, come to earth to kidnap women to repopulate their planet.

Director:

Michael Cort

Writers:

Michael Cort (screenplay), Alistair McKenzie (screenplay)

Stars:

James Robertson Justice, Charles Hawtrey, Robin Hawdon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Robertson Justice	...	Maj. Bourdon
Charles Hawtrey	...	Swyne
Robin Hawdon	...	James Word
Anna Gaël	...	Clotho
Brigitte Skay	...	Lachesis
Dawn Addams	...	Zeta
Valerie Leon	...	Atropos
Lionel Murton	...	W
Yutte Stensgaard	...	Ann Olsen
Wendy Lingham	...	Edwina 'Ted' Strain
Rita Webb	...	Clippie
Carol Hawkins	...	Zara (as Carolanne Hawkins)
Steve Kirby	...	Sleuth
Paul Baker	...	Bourdon's Assistant
Walter Sparrow	...	Stage Manager

Storyline

A British superspy comedy with a Pop Art aesthetic, ZETA ONE is the kind of psychedelic, sexy thriller that inspired the Austin Powers series. In this playful spoof at the James Bond films, Robin Hawdon stars as Word...James Word, a womanizing secret agent whose investigation of a criminal mastermind (James Robertson Justice) leads him to discover a race of beautiful, exotic superwomen. Further inquiry exposes the naked truth, that these women have been abducted and brainwashed by the alien, interdimensional goddess Zeta (Dawn Addams).

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Plot Keywords:

alien | female alien | humanoid alien | alien invader | kidnapping plot | 

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Taglines:

A bedroom romp through the fifth dimension!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Love Factor

Filming Locations:

Camden Studios, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tigon

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charles Hawtrey was second choice to play Swyne. The first choice was not free.

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Quotes

Voice of the Lift: [James enters lift] Call out your floor, please... Call out your floor, please.
James Word: Thirteenth.
Voice of the Lift: Thirteenth what?
James Word: Thirteenth, please?
Voice of the Lift: Thank you. You just don't get any politeness these days. Here's me slaving up and down all day and never a please or a thank you. People like you make me sick... sick... sick.
James Word: We've stopped.
Voice of the Lift: That's right.
James Word: Well, are we going on?
Voice of the Lift: You can do what you like. I'm staying here. This is my teabreak.
James Word: Couldn't we go up a few floors? You could have your teabreak then.
[...]

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Connections

References The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

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Soundtracks

Zeta One Song
Written by Johnny Hawksworth
Performed by The Hawksworth Studio Group
(Main Title)

User Reviews

ZETA ONE (Michael Cort, 1969) *1/2

I believe I first became aware of this sci-fi/sexploitationer via the biography for actress Valerie Leon included among the extras on the Anchor Bay DVD of Hammer's superior BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1971); incidentally, the film under review was made by rival company Tigon.

To begin with, the script was apparently inspired by a comic strip (such cinematic adaptations were all the rage at the time – no doubt, the makers were encouraged by the success of BARBARELLA [1968]). Still, even reading through the cast list, I knew not to raise my 'artistic' hopes too highly – given that it featured both James Robertson-Justice and Charles Hawtrey, stalwarts of (respectively) the popular "Doctor" and "Carry On" comedy franchises…who actually turn out to be the villains of the piece!! The narrative drew heavily on another then-current fad i.e. espionage – in fact, the hero is a stud-like albeit laid-back secret agent who naturally proves irresistible to the alien women (actually, an alternate moniker for the film) the titular figure (played by veteran Dawn Addams) sends his way in order to derail his investigation into the abduction of several earth girls.

That said, the plot is barely there and becomes especially confusing – not to say silly – during the latter stages; for what it's worth, the film culminates in a chase wherein the otherworldly gals kill virtually all of their male pursuers simply by pointing their fingers at them (accompanied by the incongruous noise of gunshots)!! Needless to say, ZETA ONE's raison d'etre and prime asset is its relentless parade of innumerable but anonymous starlets of the era in the nude or otherwise scantily-clad: the above-mentioned Valerie Leon herself is underused, but fellow future Hammer lead Yutte Stensgaard – who engages the hero (to whom he's recounting his non-exploits) in a lengthy and decidedly irrelevant game of strip-poker – comes off quite well (no pun intended). Also worth mentioning are the low-budget but appropriately psychedelic sets and the title tune (featuring a reasonably effective guitar riff).