Dino and Stella in groovy spy spoof!
If you dig Dean Martin, glamorous gals, or groovy gadgets, you'll love THE SILENCERS, the first of Dino's fondly-remembered "Matt Helm" films (based on the series of books by Donald Hamilton).

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Dean Martin plays Matt Helm, part-time spy and full-time ladies' man, assigned to stop power-mad megalomaniac Tung-Tze (Victor Buono in Asian makeup) from destroying the world with a rogue nuclear missile. Stella Stevens is Gail, a scatterbrained innocent caught up in the action.

Forget about trying to follow the plot, just sit back and revel in the outrageous clothes (designed by Moss Mabry), and the comic skills of Dean Martin and Stella Stevens, who both give sensational performances. Ms Stevens in particular will stun you with her physical comedy and luminous beauty. Dancing legend Cyd Charisse (with singing dubbed by Vikki Carr) performs the Main Title sequence plus "Santiago". The bevy of screen beauties also includes Daliah Lavi, Nancy Kovack, Beverly Adams and Barbara Burgess.

If you get a kick out of the James Coburn "Flint" movies, you'll flip for Dino and Stella in THE SILENCERS! (Single-sided, dual-layer disc).

Close but not complete!
I didn't see any of the Matt Helm films in the theatre, but the first broadcast network television showing of the Silencers made quite an impression on this young man, mainly due to the striptease opening title sequence involving Cyd Charisse. At the end of the shot, Cyd draws up a zipper from her hip to her armpit, revealing more than just a little leg, but still legal. You can imagine my disappointment on subsequent showings to find that the title sequence had been cut short by the network censors.

You can also imagine how disappointed I was to find that this DVD has a reworked title sequence, which dissolves quickly from the end of the dance number before too much is revealed, to the I.C.E. shield on the office wall. It would be nice if the footage still exists somewhere, but it isn't on this dvd version!

dated formula movie
Although I had good memories of this movie seeing it as a kid in the theatre, I was very disappointed seeing it again now. The only way its watchable, is to think of how Mike Myers would adapt some of it for Austin Powers later. Unlike the Bond and Flint flicks, this one is sort of a musical with Dino himself singing half a dozen numbers. The action scenes are stupid. Dino has not a single redeeming quality other than the adolescent wisecracks. The effects are extremely cheesy, and I can't even bear to watch the "laser" scene - the noisiest non-lasers ever envisioned. The women are treated like props more than any other movie I can think of - half a dozen beauties quickly pass through the movie during the credits and first 20 minutes - until it settles on Stella and Israeli actress Daliah. This movie was an obvious cheap copy of the Bond and Flint movies at the time, and it does not hold up well after 40 years.

After Further Review...
Contrary to what some viewers say, this dvd is not cropped.
The widescreen format is exactly the same throughout the film.
However, it is true that one brief scene involving Stella Stevens has been deleted, probably due to an oversight.

Watching Dino Is Such A Pleasure
Although I think the coolest Matt Helm flick is "Murder's Row, watching Dino in any of his films provides such pleasure. Dino majored in the three B's---Butts, Booze, and Broads and so does this Matt Helm caper. Who cares about plots and subplots when Dino is making the scene. I really like that the DVD includes a preview of the second Helm film at the end. Dino making it with all those chicks is really where it is at! I'm looking forward to the issueing of all 4 Matt Helm films in the box set this December!