Agent 505-Death Trap Beirut

Agent 505-Death Trap Beirut (Agent 505-Todesfalle Beirut) (1966)

Runtime: 88 minutes

Directed by: Manfred R. Kohler

Starring: Frederick Stafford, Genevieve Cluny, Chris Howland, Willy Birgel, Renate Ewert

From: A few companies in West Germany, Italy, France, and Lebanon

I would love to dine at a place known as CHEZ POPEYE.

Via a random YouTube channel I just stumbled across that has a lot of obscure movies from the past (mainly from Europe) it was time to see a Eurospy movie, a genre that was white-hot over there for a few years after the first Bond films were white-hot successes. As I've only seen a few of those before and all were at least amusing, the need to see another one was strong. There was no lack of choice on that channel-and many had incredible titles-yet this was chosen due to the Lebanon setting and my recognizing the star-Frederick Stafford. Most likely will have only seen him in Hitchcock's Topaz, a film I like more than most. Unlike the serious spy he played there, this was one of the roles where he was a stereotypical Connery Bond... making some quips, being more concerned w/ getting laid than investigating in a brisk manner, etc.

A sheikh who only has four fingers on one hand has an insidious scheme to kill everyone in Beirut. Of course it's an over the top scheme and of course the general idea may sound tired at first. While not a must-see, at least I was amused by the expected tropes. I'm not referring to the sexism; what I mean is the gadgets, the bizarre ways of killing someone that someones succeed, the exotic locations (Beirut and the area at least looked lovely in the mid 60's; this includes the restaurants*), the double-crosses, people undercover, etc.

Stafford looks the part as a suave secret agent, so no surprise he was later in a few OSS 117 pictures. Even with some rather implausible moments and bits I thought were silly at best, overall this was a pleasant hour and a half diversion. There was enough competent action, an impressive helicopter stunt & a nice jazzy Morricone score to leave me feeling satisfied.

* The movie has some fake restaurants/clubs known as The Red Cockatoo and The Green Elephant; an establishing shot shows a real life eatery actually known as Chez Popeye, with Popeye the Sailor Man on the sign. If only they had a scene in there.