The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967, Frankie Avalon, George Nader, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Klaus Kinski, Shirley Eaton) – Classic Movie Review 11,370

Director Lindsay Shonteff’s exceptionally awful and amusingly inept 1967 British spy film The Million Eyes of Sumuru stars Frankie Avalon, George Nader, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Klaus Kinski and Shirley Eaton, and is produced by Harry Alan Towers and filmed at the Shaw Brothers’ studios in Hong Kong.

It is based on a series of novels by Sax Rohmer about a megalomaniacal femme fatale called Sumuru, played by Shirley Eaton, who amazingly got to play the role twice, reprising it in Jess Franco’s The Girl from Rio (1969).

Head of British intelligence Colonel Baisbrook (Wilfrid Hyde-White) gets American agents in Hong Kong Tommy Carter (Frankie Avalon) and Nick West (George Nader) to investigate when the Chief of Security for President Boong of Sinonesia (Klaus Kinski) is killed and the trail leads to the beautiful, evil, sadistic Sumuru, who plans world domination by having her sexy all-female army eliminate and replace male leaders.

Eaton recalled: ‘I did enjoy being the wicked lady Sumuru in two rather bad films, which I had not had the chance to be before. I do believe they have become cult films now.’ She retired from acting shortly afterwards, following making The Girl from Rio (1969), to devote herself to bringing up a family. ‘After I finished The Million Eyes of Sumuru and was coming home in the plane was when I made the decision to quit. I hated being away from my baby Jason and his brother Grant.’

It was released in the US by American International Pictures on 17 May 1967 and was released as Sumuru in the UK by Warner-Pathé on 3 December 1967.

The cast are Frankie Avalon as Agent Tommy Carter, George Nader as Agent Nick West, Shirley Eaton as Sumuru, Wilfrid Hyde-White as Colonel Sir Anthony Baisbrook, Klaus Kinski as President Boong of Sinonesia, Patti Chandler as Louise, Salli Sachse as Mikki, Ursula Rank as Erno, Krista Nell as Zoe, Maria Rohm as Helga Martin, Paul Chang Chungas as Inspector Koo, Essie Lin Chia [Essie Huang] as Kitty, Jon Fong as Colonel Medika, and Denise Davreux, Mary Cheng, Jill Hamilton, Lisa Gray, Christine Lok, Margaret Cheung and Louise Lee as Sumuru Guards.

The Million Eyes of Sumuru [Sumuru] runs 95 minutes, is made by Sumuru Films, is written by Kevin Kavanagh, shot by John von Kotze and scored by John von Kotze. Terry Bourke is production manager.

Shirley Eaton (born 12 January 1937) appeared regularly in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and was golden girl Jill Masterson in the Bond film Goldfinger (1964). She is also fondly remembered for Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Nurse and Carry On Constable.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,370

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com