[EDITOR'S NOTE: This Region 4 DVD from Australia will not play in a standard U.S. DVD player; it requires a (very affordable) international region-free player.]
The Madman Entertainment DVD release of the 1969 swinging caper film "Mister Jerico" is the second reviewed "shouldabeen a series" from the Madman Britannia film collection series. An August 2015 Unreal TV post discusses the uber-awesome 1973 Leonard Nimoy atmospheric thriller "Baffled."
Patrick Macnee of the classic swinging British series "The Avengers" stars as the titular sophisticated and charming con man. The Bond-style pre-opening credits has him scamming a millionaire out of a coerced finder's fee related to allegedly recovering an expensive bracelet. The discovery of the subterfuge and the subsequent pursuit are classic late '60s entertainment.
The fun continues with a very catchy (also Bond style) theme song by British pop royalty Lulu; you figuratively will leave the theater humming it.
The action then shifts to the primary plot, which has Jerico perpetuating a complex plot to steal the Gemini diamond from his friend Victor Russo. Frenchwoman Claudine soon arriving on the scene apparently with the same objective as Jerico both complicates matters and transforms what already is a real hoot into a true late-60s style caper free-for-all.
Highlights include Jerico displaying mad cat burglar skills, confusion regarding which of the three gems in play is fake, and the international feel of the film. The seductions and courtships add further value.
American actress Connie Stevens joining the fun as the hard to pin down secretary of Russo greatly enhances the film to an extent that is not fully known until roughly the final 15 minutes of "Jerico." Suffice it to say that the walls do start tumbling down.
Pure conic relief comes in the form of broad American comedian Marty "Hello Dere" Allen as Wally, who is the sidekick of Jerico. Allen particularly shines in the final scene of the film in a manner that solidifies that creates actual aching for a series.
These elements additionally combine to create a genuine time capsule. Anyone who is familiar with the late '60s/early '70s will immediately recognize the film as a relic of that era and consider it a genuine find.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Jerico" is strongly encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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