That was an excellent one.

best movie i've ever seen.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I should probably start by saying that I have now seen this movie a couple of times and yet I still have no idea what the hell is going on in it! Its story-line seems like it is pretty simple but the excessively casual approach in how it is told makes it borderline incomprehensible. It reminded me a lot of the later Casino Royale (1967) which was also a spy spoof which threw many things at the screen, except for a story. Modesty Blaise was directed by Joseph Losey who by all accounts hated the James Bond films and no doubt wanted his film to damage the spy film genre to such an extent that the Bond franchise would cease to exist. To be honest, it would be easy to believe that Losey wasn't really taking this film very seriously as it is something of a mess in many ways. But, like Casino Royale, it's a mess that I have to admit a certain fondness for. It's a wilfully trivial movie which is overwhelmingly about style over content.So what is the best thing about it? The answer is simply Monica Vitti, Monica Vitti, Monica Vitti. This Italian actress had up to this point been principally known for her appearances in Michelangelo Antonioni's new wave art films, such as L'avventura (1960). To put it mildly, Modesty Blaise is something of a departure from those oh-so-serious art-house dramas. Some people think her to be miscast here but I for one think she is perfect. She suits the comic goings on and is quite frankly one of the most beautiful women of her era. This playful film unashamedly makes the most of her super chic image and decks her out in a multitude of costume changes and differing hairstyles. Vitti is effortlessly cool and sexy here, with her heavy Italian accented English merely a further plus point.Aside from Vitti there is Dirk Bogarde having a laugh as the incredibly unscary villain, replete with blonde wig and camper than camp persona. Rossella Falk plays his female enforcer who at one point tortures and kills a mime artist for reasons that simply elude me (but the fact that a mime artist is killed is not exactly a bad idea in principal). Terence Stamp plays Vitti's side-kick and he doesn't make too much of an impression in an under-written role. The film essentially is made up of parts. Some of which are good enough to ensure this remains a 60's curiosity. It has a lush theme song, colourful pop art sets, a sunny setting and breezy atmosphere, an utterly random musical routine in the middle, great outfits and a band of Arabs turning up to save the day for no real discernible reason.Modesty Blaise is really something of an obscure film these days. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it failed at the box office back in the day. But its sheer oddness and incomprehensibility is something that ensures it has a bit of cult value and I have to admit that it improved on a second watch – once you know what not to expect, you can more easily enjoy what actually does unfold on-screen. It's definitely one for anyone with any interest in 60's pop art cinema or for those who appreciate the sensual ice queen that is Monica Vitti.

I love crazy 6o's films and I adore Monica Vitti so this film has had a special place in my heart over the years. I've only seen it a handful of times and now when i got the DVD I understand why... It has Vitti, it has Stamp, it has Losey and Bogard and bright colours and op-art sets, sunshine, songs, fab clothes, yet it does go on for a while... With no understandable plot it all turns out to be rather...pointless. The film is so busy being charming! I think it's sad that it wasn't better for Monica's sake. This was her break-out film into English language cinema and it wasn't very good as a spy/Bond film because it's not an adult movie!I now understand why it was not a hit when it was released. Losey didn't take Modesty Blaise seriously enough.There was even too many wigs and clothes changes even for me. Yet I still love the film and la Monica!!!!!Tina Marquand is in it and she's good even if her part is small.

"Modesty Blaise" was worth watching for me for the eye candy of Dirk Bogarde and Terence Stamp. This type of glamorous, pop art spy film was all the fashion in the '60s, and I guess it's not surprising that Joseph Losey, unlikely a director as he may be for a film like this, got funding to do it.Modesty (Monica Vitti) is asked by the British government to go after some diamonds, which she agrees to do, with the help of her partner, Willie Garvin (Mr. Stamp of the dazzling blue eyes). They need to keep the evil Gabriel (Bogarde), previously believed dead, from stealing them.The film leaves one feeling flat, but it's not all bad. Other than a divine figure, it's unclear to me how Monica Vitti played as many starring roles as she did. She doesn't register much in the way of presence, no matter how many wigs and outfits she dons. And we're talking a lot of wigs and outfits. (She told Tony Curtis when they made a film, "I get top billing in Italy.") Clive Revill and Bogarde give very good performances, Bogarde donning a white wig. He loved working with Losey, and gave himself a strong back story for the part. Bogarde could be quite mannered, and it works well here. He's evil, warped, and silly as Gabriel.The other part of the film that I liked was the little song that Stamp and Vitti sang at different points in the film. It cracked me up. In the midst of imprisonment, escape, stealing, they're singing "The End (We Should Have)" and it's actually quite clever and funny.Other than that, there's not much to recommend "Modesty Blaise." It's pretty on the outside, empty on the inside.

When I first saw this on its original release in the mid sixties, I remember being disappointed. I had been bewitched by Monica Vitti's performances with Antonioni and had much enjoyed Losey's earlier film with Dirk Bogarde, the 1963 film, The Servant. It seemed shallow and frivolous, completely lacking in any seriousness. And maybe my assessment still stands, it's just that now I love it. I love its crazy lurches, this way and that, the sinister, yet amusing Bogarde and his extraordinary drinking vessels. I love the successfully over the top performance from Terence Stamp and the glorious pop art set designs and costumerie, which I probably took for granted back in the day. But most of all, I love Monica Vitti. She can be beautifully moody and introverted for Antonioni but here she smoulders and glows with a knowingness that maybe puts her above Bardot. The scenes with Bogarde are alive, those with Stamp amusing but with Vitti on screen, it is hard to look at anything or anyone else. Worry not whether this is a spoof or not, just sit back and enjoy a very special cinematic experience that encapsulated a moment in time perfectly. Wonderful.