Danger: Diabolik **** (1967, John Phillip Law, Marisa Mell, Michel Piccoli, Adolfo Celi, Terry-Thomas) – Classic Movie Review 3,528

Mario Bava’s bravura 1967 live-action comic film Danger: Diabolik stars the engaging John Phillip Law as black-clad master thief Diabolik, and rattles along from one hairy adventure to the next. It is a triumph of huge style over zero substance.

Director Mario Bava’s bravura 1967 psychedelic live-action comic Danger: Diabolik stars the appealing John Phillip Law as black-clad master thief Diabolik and rattles along from one hairy adventure to the next, with the whole of the movie shot through with exuberant visual style and entertaining tongue-in-cheek humour. It is a triumph of enormous style over zero substance.

The campy mix of comedy, crime caper and spy drama produces great Sixties fun all round, with eye-catching set-pieces and energetic playing as the world’s police forces unite to try to ensnare handsome gentleman crook/ anti-hero Diabolik (Law), who erases the Italian nation’s tax accounts and makes off with a huge lump of gold.

Diabolik plans various large-scale heists with his girlfriend Eva Kant (Marisa Mell), but is pursued by police Inspector Ginko (Michel Piccoli), who blackmails the gangster Ralph Valmont (Adolfo Celi) into helping him catch Diabolik. It all starts with Diabolik stealing the $10 million in money being transported from a bank, despite Ginko’s best attempts to stop him, and continues when Diabolik decides to steal Lady Clark (Caterina Boratto)’s famous Aksand emerald necklace from Saint Just Castle for Eva’s birthday.

It also stars Marisa Mell as the gorgeous, dolly-bird Eva Kant, Michel Piccoli as the dogged Inspector Ginko, Adolfo Celi as the villainous Ralph Valmont and Terry-Thomas as the ridiculously pompous Minister of the Interior, then Minister of Finance. Ennio Morricone’s sprightly score is a special treat, one of his best, and Antonio Rinaldi’s cinematography brings a cute, glossy Swinging Sixties look to the movie, while producer Dino De Laurentis provides the budget and studio for the lavish production. Some brilliant sets, stunts and action are balanced against some rotten toy-style trick work, though that works fine in the comic book context. And there is another truly ridiculous Morricone theme song. which works real well in the campy circumstances.

Diabolik is spectacularly silly, pointless and empty-headed, just as intended, never for once justifying its place in a list of Italian heist movies unfortunately, but nevertheless enormously diverting fun retro entertainment in the style of Modesty Blaise. What is Terry-Thomas doing here? Ah, yes, the comedy relief in a film that is already quite daft enough. Terry-Thomas is mugging like mad because he knows that is what’s expected of him, and that his voice won’t appear in most versions of the film, certainly not the original Italian version. Just for once, the film might be better off without him, though he is a UK national treasure.

Mell (eroticised shamelessly throughout, but still carving out a strong presence), Piccoli (taking it seriously, which is good) and Celi (tongue in cheek as the villain, which is good) are all good value, but not as much as John Phillip Law, who is perfect casting, lean, lithe and limber. It pointed the way to his finest hour as the blind angel Pygar in Barbarella (1968), another spectacularly silly, diverting comic book adaptation entertainment.

Also in the cast are Mario Donen, Claudio Gora, Edward Febo Kelleng, Caterina Boratto, Giulio Donnini, Annie Gorassini, Renzo Palmer and Andrea Bosic.

Dino Maiuri, Adriano Baracco, Angela Giussani and Luciana Giussani came up with the story, based on the Italian comic series Diabolik by Angela and Luciana Giussani.

Dino Maiuri, Tudor Gates and Brian Degas worked with Bava on the screenplay.

Diabolik is the incredibly popular Italian comic series created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962, consisting of more than 900 volumes. It led to the birth of the fumetti neri comic sub-genre.

It is rebooted as Diabolik (2021).

Producer Tonino Cervi set up an international co-production deal in 1965 to adapt the comics, and he hired Seth Holt to direct the film starring French actor Jean Sorel. But Dino De Laurentiis, head of one of the production companies, Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, hated original director Seth Holt’s footage and took control of the production, starting again with a new screenplay and Bava as director. De Laurentiis produced Diabolik alongside Barbarella, with financial support from Paramount Pictures and sharing many of the cast and crew.

It is Bava’s only film for a major Hollywood studio. He shot Danger: Diabolik way below budget by using many of his usual low-cost visual effects.

Austrian actress Marisa Mell (born Marlies Theres Moitzi; 24 February 1939 – 16 May 1992) replaced Catherine Deneuve as Eva over her incompatibility with Law and after disagreements with Bava.

The cast are John Phillip Law as Diabolik, Marisa Mell as Eva Kant, Michel Piccoli as Inspector Ginko, Adolfo Celi as Ralph Valmont, Claudio Gora as Police Chief, Terry-Thomas as Minister of the Interior, then Minister of Finance, Mario Donen as Sergeant Danek, Renzo Palmer as Mr Hammond, Second Minister of the Interior, Caterina Boratto as Lady Clark, Lucia Modugno as Prostitute, Annie Gorassini as Valmont’s moll Rose, Carlo Croccolo as Truck Driver, Lidia Biondi as Policewoman, Andrea Bosic as Bank Manager, Federico Boido as Valmont’s henchman Joe, Tiberio Mitri as Valmont’s Henchman, Isarco Ravaioli as Valmont’s Henchman, Giorgio Sciolette as Forensic Surgeon Dr Ferrara, Ennio Antonelli as Syndicate Member, Giulio Donnini as Dr Vernier, Giuseppe Fazio as Identikit Operator Tony, Giorgio Gennari as Gast Station Informant Rudy, Guidarino Guidi as Syndicate Member Frank, Wolfgang Hillinger as Valmont’s Henchman, Edward Febo Kelleng as Sir Harold Clark, Francesco Mulè as Crematorium Official, Chuck Painter as Newscaster, and Walter Williams as Gold Ingot Supervisor.