Movies - The Wrecking Crew

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	Movies - The Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew, released in 1969, is the fourth and final film in a series of American comedy-spy-fi theatrical releases starring Dean Martin as secret agent Matt Helm. As with the previous three films (The Silencers
, Murderers' Row
and The Ambushers
), the film is based only loosely upon Donald Hamilton's original storyline (the novel was first published in 1960) and takes great liberties with the plot and characters, being developed as a spoof of the James Bond films.

In a plotline reminiscent of the Bond novel/film, Goldfinger
, Helm is assigned by his secret agency, ICE, to bring down an evil count who is trying to collapse the world economy by stealing gold. Along the way, Helm is reluctantly partnered with a British agent played by Sharon Tate in one of her final appearances on film before her murder at the hands of Charles Manson's followers. Chuck Norris appears in a small role.

Also appearing in the film are Elke Sommer, Nancy Kwan, Tina Louise and Nigel Green plays the villain. Macdonald, Helm's chief, is played by John Larch in this film, replacing John Gregory who played the role in the other three films. This is the only film in the series not to feature Helm's secretary, Lovesy Kravesit.

Critical response to this film varies, with some calling it the worst of the series, and others calling it the best due to its reduced reliance on outlandish gadgets and storylines. It is also notable for the appearance of Tate.

The film ends with the announcement of a fifth Matt Helm film, The Ravagers (which would have been based upon Hamilton's 1964 novel of the same title). However, Dean Martin declined to return for another film, and the project was cancelled. Several years later, a Matt Helm TV series would be attempted, but in a much more serious vein, and it was unsuccessful. As of 2006, early planning for a new Matt Helm-based film was underway through DreamWorks.

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