bkoganbing Though it wasn't planned that way, The Wrecking Crew became the last of the Matt Helm series that Dean Martin brought to the screen. At the end credits it was announced that the audience could expect a new Matt Helm film The Ravagers would be coming out next.It wasn't to be because Dino frankly got bored of the whole thing and in those days Martin would bore easily. You could tell it on the screen and in his performance that the Matt Helm series just wasn't interesting him any longer. The Wrecking Crew was filmed minus Beverly Adams as Martin's private secretary Lovey Kravezit and the role of his boss MacDonald was taken over by John Larch in place of James Gregory. It was not as ridiculous as the third film in the series, The Ambushers which was clearly the worst of them. This one involved Nigel Green stealing a shipment of gold bullion worth a cool billion.The gimmick here is that the USA does not want anyone knowing that such a shipment was stolen because of the financial implications. Which is why they've sent in Dino to get it back.One thing this film does not lack is the bevy of beautiful women working with and against Dino in his mission. They include in this film, Tina Louise, Elke Sommer, Nancy Kwan and Sharon Tate. The Wrecking Crew turned out to be the tragic Ms. Tate's next to last film.Like the James Bond films, the Helm series also had some nice spy gadgets. The Wrecking Crew had one of the best of them. It was a portable helicopter that you carried in the trunk of your car. It gets Dino and Sharon out of a tight spot. It has to be seen to be believed.Just as well the Matt Helm series ended here if Dino was as bored with it as he plainly shows.

MARIO GAUCI This certainly isn't up to THE SILENCERS (1966), being too derivative in nature and uneven in tone, but hardly the terrible film most critics would have one believe (though I still give them the benefit of the doubt with respect to the remaining two entries in the Matt Helm series – which I couldn't get my hands on and, consequently, haven't watched).As I said, many of the elements found in the original film (with which it shares director Karlson) are repeated here – from Dean Martin's tuneful (and humorous) interjections to the gadgets provided by I.C.E. (which seem to have become progressively sillier!) and even the love/hate relationship between Helm and his stunning but 'klutzy' partner (played by the ill-fated Sharon Tate: this was her penultimate film). As a matter of fact, the glamorous nature of her character is kept under wraps during the film's first half – allowing the triumvirate of femme fatales (Elke Sommer, Nancy Kwan and Tina Louise) to take center-stage – but Tate's subsequent unforeseen blossoming is all the more effective because of this reason! The villain is also ideally cast: Nigel Green, who wisely opts to play it straight; the character of Helm's superior, then, is now played by John Larch (who even gets in on the action towards the end!). While there's the usual array of car chases and gun-toting action, this entry provides some novelty with its burst of karate fighting (featuring a debuting Chuck Norris and choreographed by none other than Bruce Lee, though he seems to have been caught on an off-day as these mostly come off as lackluster here – including a duel between Tate and Kwan, which was a good idea in itself!). As expected, the film generates considerable steam (notably the bedroom scenes Martin shares with gypsy Louise – whom Green has dropped in favor of chic Sommer and who has now decided to spill the beans about his involvement in a bullion robbery from a moving train – and, later, the scheming Sommer herself); however, the fact that Tate would be brutally murdered within months makes her presence arresting – even when indulging in slapstick situations (down to imitating Oliver Hardy from WAY OUT WEST [1937] by unwittingly walking through deceptively shallow waters!).The fourth entry in the "Matt Helm" series does seem to have managed a more elaborate climax than THE SILENCERS, as the action starts in Kwan's club "The House Of Seven Joys" (at one point, intended as the film's title – the current credits are even accompanied by a song about it!) – which includes a secret revolving panel leading straight to Green's château (this location is then destroyed largely through Tate's clumsiness!), continues with a helicopter chase (built on the spot by Martin, whose parts he conveniently keeps in the booth of his car!) and finally relocates to a speeding train (armed with a trapdoor!) being driven by the fleeing Green. Another solid element here, indeed the best thing about the entire film, is Hugo Montenegro's catchy score (it was pure coincidence that I watched two thrillers scored by him and featuring members of the Rat Pack in quick succession!). Still, there are a number of surefire gags involving Kwan's name (Yu-rang – "No, I didn't", replies Helm at her formal introduction to him!), Martin reversing Tate's victory sign in exasperation when she interrupts his dalliance with Sommer, and Tate borrowing one of Martin's exploding hankies (which she then throws away in panic in the direction of his car, naturally wrecking it completely in the process!).Again, the ending promotes an upcoming Matt Helm adventure to be entitled THE RAVAGERS – but which was never made given increasingly diminishing returns at the box-office (though Helm did return in the form of a TV series starring Anthony Franciosa)! Tying this up with the Frank Sinatra/Tony Rome vehicle LADY IN CEMENT (1968), which preceded my viewing of THE WRECKING CREW, there was talk at the time of bringing together the two Rat Packers once again in the guise of Helm and Rome – but the idea was subsequently dropped and, in any case, the mood of each individual series is so different that it's hard to see how they could have coalesced convincingly

mark doyon the wrecking crew was the last of Dino's Matt helm flicks. i always thought as bad as some people thought this was, I felt the ambushers was worst. Granted Dean was a little long in the tooth for this role but it wasn't as bad as say, Cannonball Run, where it was obvious he was only doing it for his own reasons. I always thought Dean after seeing this film felt he couldn't do the role anymore. i thought that was why he didn't do the ravagers which had been announced as the next Matt Helm movie. I only tonight discovered in an IMDb mini bio that he was so distraught after Sharon Tate's death he refused to do the role any longer. as a dean martin fan i enjoyed his film and singing career.

shepardjessica The 4th and final M. Helm film, this is definitely the bottom of the barrel, except for the lovely and funny Sharon Tate near the end of career. There are other babes as well: Elke Sommer (hot for many years), Nancy Kwan lovely as always and Tina Louise who doesn't get to do much. Nigel Green is a noble villain and very creepy. Dino slogs along the best he can under the circumstances and Sharon Tate is just a joy! If she'd ever been given a decent role in a good film, I think she might have surprised a few skeptics about her talent.A 3 out of 10. Best performance = Sharon Tate. All of these Helm flicks are cotton candy at best, but a pleasant reminder of bad fun films of the late 60's.