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Purely Joyful Movie!

As Good As It Gets

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Blistering performances.

"The Assassination Bureau" has nearly everything that money can buy - which doesn't include the laughs. It takes you on a tour around Europe, the period recreation and the production values (apart from a couple of instances of iffy effects) are splendid, the cast (including 3 Bond veterans) is distinguished, but as a (black) comedy, the film is not particularly funny, and it's also too long. It does have its own unique flavor, however, as it combines the comedy with an offbeat romance between Oliver Reed (uncommonly charming) and Diana Rigg (quite beautiful in period clothes, though nearly upstaged by Annabella Incontrera) and an action climax (including a swordfight aboard a zeppelin) that would not be out of place in a James Bond movie. And I have to admit that the ending IS pretty funny. **1/2 out of 4.

This is based on an unfinished novel by the immortal Jack London, The novel was finished by Robert L Fish. Micheal Relph wrote the delightful screenplay & Basil Reardon directed.Both the writer & director were 2 of the best.We now come to the cast & what a cast.Oliver Reed,this was his second major role,his first major role was the murderous Bill Sykes in Oliver-- 1968's best film..Diana Rigg who had just finished her long run as Emma Peel in The Avengers.This film is a satiric comic look at Europe right before the start of World War 1.Giving excellent support to our stars are Curt Jergens,Telly Sevallas,Philipe Noiret & Beryl Reed among others.At times it may be a bit silly,BUT the director was able to bring the proper focus back easily. In 1969, when I first saw this may rating may have been lower,BUT compared to the junk today, this is an excellent film.It is not to be take seriously, sit back & enjoy the shenanigan's.Ratings: ***1/2 (out of 4) 95 points (out of 100) IMDb 9 (out of 10)

Have always loved this movie - an almost perfect combination of Victorian Toy-Store sets and costumes, dry, black humor with witty priceless dialog ("You're not an assassin, you're a critic!") Add the perfect cast..well, I personally think it's a minor classic. I could be wrong, but I think this the only time Oliver Reed had anything close to a traditional, dashing-leading-man role. Awesome Diana Rigg seemed to be channeling both Glynis Johns and Julie Andrews roles in "Mary Poppins" at the same time.Best of all, Michael Relph's production design...take a second and remember his incredible designs...the French bordello, the assassination bureau's meeting hall, the Zeppelin interiors...and I couldn't even stop humming the idiotic Faux-Henry Mancini theme song ("Life Is A Precious Thing") This may have been one of the last movies that you could apply the adjective "frothy fun" to.

Perhaps it's the effect of vibrations from all the bombs in the story, but the intended comic souffle of `The Assassination Bureau' never rises beyond mild amusement. While the movie doesn't crash and burn, it also doesn't take full advantage of the ingredients at hand, including a story co-written by Jack London. In the hands of director Basil Dearden and writer Michael Relph, what should be lighter than air becomes a lead zeppelin.That said, `The Assassination Bureau' does have its moments, and won't actually kill brain cells like much current summer fare. Things start off promisingly enough. Diana Rigg seems well-cast as a prim, proto-feminist trying to break into journalism by exposing the nefarious bureau. Oliver Reed is suitably bemused as the bureau's idealistic head, embarrassed by too polite to demur when Rigg suggests his own murder. Telly Savalas isn't very British, but he does have fun as the real villain. He's that epitome of evil, a Fleet Street press lord (some things never change). Morose Vernon Dobtcheff and corrupt Philippe Noiret have amusing turns as two of the bureau's henchmen, who are all represented as national stereotypes. Unfortunately, the repeated misfire attempts on Reed's life lack panache, they become predictable and repetitious.Mid-way through, glamorous Beryl Reid is brought in to sex things up a bit as a Borgia-like Venetian bella donna. There's a brief cross-cut scene contrasting the curvaceous Reid with the boyish Diana Rigg as they lace themselves into corsets. But this is a tame movie, an action-comedy as opposed to a romance. Beryl Reid is quickly dismissed. Despite their off-screen reputations, Rigg and Oliver Reed generate no sparks on it. Indeed, once Beryl Reid is gone, the movie becomes a sort of ripping yarn for boys. Oliver Reed buckles his swash well enough, but Rigg is marginalized. `The Assassination Bureau' is worth renting on an otherwise idle evening, but you might want to read Jack London instead.