The Karate Killers *** (1967, Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Joan Crawford, Herbert Lom, Curt Jurgens, Telly Savalas, Terry-Thomas, Kim Darby, Diane McBain, Jill Ireland) – Classic Movie Review 374

Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Joan Crawford star in the 1967 film The Karate Killers, another genial, campy, action-packed adventure from the incredibly popular The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 

In 1967 Barry Shear directs The Karate Killers, another genial, camp, action-packed adventure from the incredibly popular The Man from U.N.C.L.E.  It was known as The Five Daughters Affair when it was shown in two parts by NBC on American TV in 1966 but retitled by MGM for lucrative film distribution abroad, including in the UK.

It is written by Carry On writer Norman Hudis and based on a story by Boris Ingster. Hudis was born in London in 1922, wrote the first six Carry On films, and left to become a TV writer in the US, work which included six Man from U.N.C.L.E shows.

Everyone – including U.N.C.L.E. operatives and THRUSH and its karate-killer agents – is chasing the split pieces of a secret formula that turns seawater into gold. It was left by a deceased scientist to his five daughters, who are spread across the globe.

Spy boss Mr Waverly (Leo G Carroll) sets Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) to travel around the globe on the case to track down a secret formula and put the Karate Killers out of action.

Surprisingly, the great Joan Crawford is a guest star in a rare TV appearance. She has very little to do except be there commandingly in a brief, though notable appearance early on as Amanda True – but then again maybe that’s a good thing with this kind of amiable junk. Crawford apparently appeared in the movie to impress her grandchildren.

Herbert Lom, though, is great value as the main villain, the evil THRUSH agent Randolph, who wants to wants to get the formula, aided by his karate-killing henchmen. And there is a great vintage cast of the day in Curt Jurgens, Telly Savalas, Terry-Thomas, Kim Darby, Diane McBain and Jill Ireland. It is worth watching if even just for the actors.

It is followed by The Helicopter Spies in 1968.

The eight films in the series: To Trap a Spy (1964), The Spy with My Face (1965), One Spy Too Many (1966), One of Our Spies Is Missing (1966), The Spy in the Green Hat (1966), The Karate Killers (1967), The Helicopter Spies (1968), and How to Steal the World (1968).

The Man from U.N.C.L.E theme is by Jerry Goldsmith. There were 105 U.N.C.L.E episodes from 1964 to 1968, all but a couple of them with all three stars.

In 2015 Guy Ritchie directed a The Man from U.N.C.L.E. movie with Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as Solo and Kuryakin and Hugh Grant as Mr Waverly.

Robert Vaughn died on 11 November 2016, aged 83.

David McCallum died at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City on 25 September 2023 of natural causes, aged 90.

© Derek Winnert Classic Film Review 374 derekwinnert.com