This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
DrWatson · 70-79, M
I am thinking of one particular scene in a not very great movie.
Back when the James Bond movies were new, Dean Martin starred as agent Matt Helm in "The Silencers", which was blatantly more tongue-in-cheek than the Bond films.
And so the climax of the movie involved the old cliche: The bad guy (part of an evil organization called the Big O ) has a huge complex from which he is about launch nuclear missiles, the bad guy's girl friend has fallen in love with the good guy, and the bad guy has caught the good guy trying to sabotage his operation.
And thus the ultimatum, "Call your headquarters, tell them you have succeeded in shutting us down , or else I will kill the girl."
So you know that Dean Martin has to say something clever in the phone call that will warn his superiors about the truth, and yet it has to be something that the bad guys don't pick up on.
What happens next could only be done by Dean Martin!
Martin says, "All right. Mind if I have a drink first?"
"Of course, Mr. Helm. We are civilized here. What would you like?"
"Scotch on the rocks, please."
They serve it to him, and he makes the call.
His boss is played by Lee J. Cobb, who plays his role with dire seriousness.
Martin tells Cobb, incorrectly, that the Big O has been shut down. Cobb, concerned about not having heard from Martin in a while, asks "are you sure everything's all right."
"Everything's fine. I'm sitting back sipping my Scotch as we talk."
After hanging up, Cobb tells the men in his office that something seemed not quite right. He can't quite put his finger on it. And then...
"Wait! He said he was sipping his Scotch. Matt Helm never had a drop of Scotch in his life. He's a bourbon man!"
Dean Martin had to be the guy playing that role!
Back when the James Bond movies were new, Dean Martin starred as agent Matt Helm in "The Silencers", which was blatantly more tongue-in-cheek than the Bond films.
And so the climax of the movie involved the old cliche: The bad guy (part of an evil organization called the Big O ) has a huge complex from which he is about launch nuclear missiles, the bad guy's girl friend has fallen in love with the good guy, and the bad guy has caught the good guy trying to sabotage his operation.
And thus the ultimatum, "Call your headquarters, tell them you have succeeded in shutting us down , or else I will kill the girl."
So you know that Dean Martin has to say something clever in the phone call that will warn his superiors about the truth, and yet it has to be something that the bad guys don't pick up on.
What happens next could only be done by Dean Martin!
Martin says, "All right. Mind if I have a drink first?"
"Of course, Mr. Helm. We are civilized here. What would you like?"
"Scotch on the rocks, please."
They serve it to him, and he makes the call.
His boss is played by Lee J. Cobb, who plays his role with dire seriousness.
Martin tells Cobb, incorrectly, that the Big O has been shut down. Cobb, concerned about not having heard from Martin in a while, asks "are you sure everything's all right."
"Everything's fine. I'm sitting back sipping my Scotch as we talk."
After hanging up, Cobb tells the men in his office that something seemed not quite right. He can't quite put his finger on it. And then...
"Wait! He said he was sipping his Scotch. Matt Helm never had a drop of Scotch in his life. He's a bourbon man!"
Dean Martin had to be the guy playing that role!
