''A Man Called Dagger'' (1968) is a low-budget

spy film The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a film genre, genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many Jame ...

that was the first collaboration between director

Richard Rush Richard Rush (August 29, 1780 – July 30, 1859) was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat who served as the 8th United States Attorney General from 1814 to 1817 and the 8th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1825 to 1829. He serv ...

, cinematographer László Kovács, and stuntman Gary Warner Kent (who also did the film's special effects). It was filmed in 1966 by Lew Horwitz's Global Screen Associates (GSA) under the title ''Why Spy?'' The film was originally intended to have been released by Mike Ripps' Cinema Distributors of America (CDA) in September 1966. When GSA and CDA's partnership collapsed, the film was picked up by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

and released a year later.

Plot

Secret agents Dick Dagger and Harper Davis are on the trail of former SS Colonel Rudolph Koffman, who is using a meat-packing plant as his secret lair. Ingrid is the wheelchair-using Koffman's mistress and runs a beauty spa. A massage therapist there, Joy, reveals to Dagger that another employee, Erica, is being held captive in Koffman's secret lair. Erica has been brainwashed and tries to kill Dagger, but does not succeed. After the madman also kidnaps Harper, it is up to Dagger to stage a daring rescue operation. He is captured and tortured, but escapes thanks to a laser beam in his wristwatch. Koffman tries to kill him with a meat cleaver, but Dagger foils the villain and gets the women.

Cast

* Paul Mantee as Dick Dagger * Jan Murray as Rudolph Koffman * Terry Moore as Harper Davis * Maureen Arthur as Joy * Richard Kiel as Otto * Eileen O'Neill as Erica * Sue Ane Langdon as Ingrid * Bruno VeSota as Dr. Grulik *Mimi Dillard as Melissa *

Leonard Stone Leonard Stone ( Steinbock; November 3, 1923 – November 2, 2011) was an American character actor who played supporting roles in over 120 television shows and 35 films. Early life Stone was born in Salem, Oregon, the son of Jewish parents Julia ...

as Karl Rainer

Score

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and ...

composed the film's score with Ronald Stein arranging and conducting it. Maureen Arthur sang Buddy Kaye's lyrics to Allen's title song.

Deleted scenes

Sue Ane Langdon recalled several scenes that did not make the final print. One featured a

West Highland White Terrier The West Highland White Terrier (commonly shortened to Westie) is a dog breed, breed of dog from Scotland with a distinctive white harsh coat and somewhat soft white undercoat. It is a medium-sized terrier, though with longer legs than other ...

whose fur was dyed to match Langdon's hair in the film. When she toured with the dog, people thought the fur colouring was hurting the dog. Most of the dog’s scenes were left out of the final cut. Langdon also recalled scenes of people hanging on meat hooks that were cut.p. 173 Lisanti, Tom and Paul, Louis ''Film fatales: women in espionage films and television, 1962-1973'' 2002 McFarland

References

External links