Modesty Blaise (1966)

Directed by: Joseph Losey

Joseph Losey made several films with Dirk Bogarde during the 1960s.  Modesty Blaise must be the worst.  It might well mark the career low point for everyone who found themselves involved in the production.  It would be fruitless to attempt a summary of the plot (which has something to do with preventing a shipment of diamonds intended for a Sheik from falling into the hands of a master criminal) because it wanders all over the place.  If this meandering provided an opportunity for witty dialogue, brilliant acting, fabulous locations and great drama, we might excuse it.  But none of those is present.

Essentially a costume drama, it features low production values, self-consciously weak dialogue and a strangely prudish attitude to sex.  Running throughout is an unpleasant theme of ageism (old bad, young good) which does nothing to help the characterisation. Even the relatively weak Barbarella, made two years later, was better than this. Avoid.