Watch The Silencers

The 1966 movie The Silencers is the first film in a series of four produced by Columbia Pictures and based on the novels by Donald Hamilton featuring a spy named Matt Helm. Directed by Phil Karlson and starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm, the film is a light-hearted and entertaining spy caper that follows the titular hero as he tries to stop an evil organization from using a satellite to destroy the world's major cities.

The film opens with Helm retired from his spy duties and working as a best-selling author. However, when a former colleague is killed by a mysterious assassin named Big O, Helm is recruited by the agency to stop Big O and his employers, a group of terrorists known as "The Big O Meets."

Helm is paired with Gail Hendricks, played by the gorgeous Stella Stevens. Hendricks is an agent who is demoted to being Helm's assistant after she disobeys orders on a previous mission. The two have a flirty and fun dynamic, with Helm frequently using his charm to get her to do things for him or help him out of sticky situations. Stevens is perfectly cast in the role, and her chemistry with Martin is a highlight of the movie.

As Helm and Hendricks investigate, they discover that the Big O Meets have a master plan to use a powerful satellite to destroy major cities around the world. This is where the film's title comes in, as Helm and Hendricks use a number of "silencers" - high-tech weapons and gadgets - to stop the villains from carrying out their dastardly plan.

The movie features a number of exciting action sequences, including a thrilling car chase and a tense underwater fight. The set pieces are well-staged and edited, and the film has a breezy sense of fun throughout.

The Silencers also boasts a great supporting cast, including the beautiful Daliah Lavi as a sultry villainess named Tina. Lavi lights up the screen every time she appears, and her sizzling chemistry with Martin adds another layer of fun to the film. The rest of the supporting cast is solid as well, with Victor Buono and Robert Webber both standing out as memorable villains.

The film also has a number of musical numbers, as you might expect from a Dean Martin vehicle. The opening credits feature a catchy song called "The Silencers" sung by Martin, and there are a few other musical interludes throughout the movie. These moments may not be to everyone's taste, but they add to the overall fun and breezy tone of the film.

Overall, The Silencers is a fun and engaging spy movie that perfectly captures the cheeky and irreverent tone of the Matt Helm novels. Dean Martin is perfectly cast as the charming and wise-cracking hero, and the supporting cast is strong as well. The action sequences are exciting, the humor is on-point, and the film is a great time from start to finish.

Fans of classic spy movies or Dean Martin will find a lot to enjoy in The Silencers, and it's a great introduction to the world of Matt Helm. While it may not be a classic on the level of James Bond or even other spy movies from the 60s, it's a fun and entertaining film that is well worth checking out.

The Silencers is a 1966 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9.