''Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117'' released in the USA as ''Shadow of Evil'' is a 1964 French/Italian

international co-production A co-production is a joint venture between two or more different production companies for the purpose of film production, television production, video game development, and so on. In the case of an international co-production, production companie ...

Eurospy Eurospy film, or Spaghetti spy film (when referring to Italian-produced films in the genre), is a genre of spy films produced in Europe, especially in Italy, France, and Spain, that either sincerely imitated or else parodied the British James ...

spy-fi film. It was based on

Jean Bruce Jean Bruce (22 March 1921 – 26 March 1963), born Jean Brochet, was a prolific French popular writer. He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Alexandre, Jean Alexandre Brochet, Jean-Martin Rouan, and Joyce Lindsay. He died in a car accident in ...

's 1960 novel ''Lila de Calcutta'', the 74th OSS 117 novel. It was the second

OSS 117 OSS 117 is the codename for Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, a fictional secret agent created by French writer Jean Bruce. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is described as being an American Colonel from Louisiana of French descent. After service in the O ...

film directed by

André Hunebelle André Hunebelle (1 September 1896 – 27 November 1985) was a French maître verrier (master glassmaker) and film director. Master Glass Artist After attending polytechnic school for mathematics, he became a decorator, a designer, and then a mas ...

and produced by

Paul Cadéac Paul Cadéac (1918–2004) was a French film producer active in the post-Second World War era. He also directed the 1954 crime film ''Quay of Blondes''.Kermabon p.461 He frequently collaborated with the director André Hunebelle. Selected filmog ...

, the first in the series in colour, the first co-produced by the Italian company Da.Ma. Cinematografica and the last to star

Kerwin Mathews Kerwin Mathews (January 8, 1926 – July 5, 2007) was an American actor best known for playing the titular heroes in ''The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'' (1958), ''The Three Worlds of Gulliver'' (1960) and ''Jack the Giant Killer'' (1962). Early life ...

as OSS 117. The film was shot on Thai locations and featured action scenes arranged by Hunebelle's

stunt coordinator A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company for stunt casting. Their job is to arrange the casting (stunt players and stunt doubles) and performance of stunts for a ...

Claude Carliez with production design by

René Moulaert René Moulaert (1901–1965) was a Belgian art director who worked on designing stage and film sets.Thys p.316 Selected filmography * '' The Marriage of Mademoiselle Beulemans'' (1932) * '' Strange Inheritance'' (1943) * '' Night Shift'' (1944) ...

Plot

Secret Agent OSS 117,

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath (

) is sent to Thailand following the murder of OSS agent Christopher Lemmon. Lemmon had been investigating the break out of

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pe ...

epidemics in India following health workers inoculating the locals to protect them from cholera. Lemmon had discovered that the medicine made in Hogby Laboratories in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

had been switched with plague germs infecting the population with fatal results. After surviving several assassination attempts, OSS 117 infiltrates the secret lair of Dr. Sinn (

Robert Hossein Robert Hossein (30 December 1927 – 31 December 2020) was a French film actor, director, and writer. He directed the 1982 adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and appeared in '' Vice and Virtue'', '' Le Casse'', '' Les Uns et les Autres'' and '' ...

), an Indian hypnotist and psychologist with the help of his sister Lila ( Pier Angeli). Dr Sinn is the cape wearing supervillain and mastermind

mad scientist The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or " insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly a ...

of a

Malthusian Malthusianism is the idea that population growth is potentially exponential while the growth of the food supply or other resources is linear, which eventually reduces living standards to the point of triggering a population die off. This event, ...

organisation known as the "People Elect". The "People Elect" (inoculated by Dr Sinn for immunity) desire to spread plague around the world to reduce the Earth's population and stop atomic testing that is ruining the planet.

Cast

Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath OSS 117 is the codename for Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, a fictional secret agent created by French writer Jean Bruce. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is described as being an American Colonel from Louisiana of French descent. After service in the Of ...

* Pier Angeli as Lila Sinn, the doctor's sister *

as Dr Sinn *

Dominique Wilms Dominique Wilms (born 8 June 1930) is a Belgian film actress. Life and career Married to actor Jean Gaven, she was widowed by him in 2014.Lentz IIII, Harris. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2014', p. 126. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarlan ...

as Eva Davidson, Leacock's secretary *

Gamil Ratib Gamil Ratib ( ar, جميل راتب; 18 August 1926 – 19 September 2018) was an Egyptian actor. He appeared in television and film productions and briefly in theater over a 65-year career. He was known for numerous villainous roles and his appe ...

as Akhom *

Henri Virlojeux Henri Virlogeux (22 March 1924 – 19 December 1995) was a French actor. He is known for "The 400 Blows" (1959), "Les rois maudits" (1972) and "Schulmeister, espion de l'empereur" (1971). He was married to Véronique Silver. He died on December 19, ...

as Leacock *

Jacques Mauclair Jacques Mauclair (12 January 1919 – 21 December 2001) was a French film actor. He appeared in 30 films between 1950 and 2000. He was born in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,00 ...

as Mr Smith * Henri Guégan as Karloff *

Raoul Billerey Raoul Billerey (1920 - 2010) was a French actor. Partial filmography *''The Three Musketeers'' (1953) *''Cadet Rousselle'' (1954) - Un soldat à l'auberge des Trois Pichets / Un garde au Tribunal Révolutionnaire / Un sans-culotte *'' The Impo ...

as Christopher Lemmon *

Jacques Hilling Jacques Hilling (26 May 1922 – 16 February 1975) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1949 and 1975. Selected filmography * ''Return to Life'' (1949) - Un soldat (segment 4 : "Le retour de René") (uncredite ...

as Hogby

References

External links

* * original French film trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tycLRoQtpbg 1964 films 1960s spy thriller films Films directed by André Hunebelle Films set in Thailand Films shot in Thailand 1960s French-language films French spy thriller films French sequel films 1960s French films {{1960s-France-film-stub