Ralph Thomas, mastermind of the Doctor… comedy franchise, had dipped a toe into Cold War comedy with Hot Enough for June (1964), casting Dirk Bogarde as reluctant agent 008¾, but really scored with these two camp-outs, dragging HC McNiele’s hardboiled ’20s creation Bulldog Drummond into the swinging era. One-time potential Bond Richard Johnson incarnated the suave Hugh D, pitched against deadly but naturally ravishing female baddies such as Elke Sommer and Daliah Lavi. The first film was packed with gadgets and set-pieces like the climactic giant chessboard shoot-out, but the sequel reached new heights of preposterousness, with a tale of a supersonic airliner hijacked by a squadron of scantily-clad robot lovelies as an ultra-camp Robert Morley demonstrates how to cook an egg.
