Released the same year as the first Matt Helm flick, "The Silencers" it's sequel MURDERERS ROW must have been a rush job to the theatres. It fires mostly blanks compared to the first film.
Dean Martin returns at his laid back, martini drinking, cigarette smoking best but almost gives the impression this time he's never read the script as he acts it out. Laid back is great, going through the motions, not so much.
Ann Margaret is the love interest this time, at her full tilt, high energy, sex kitten mode and she is gorgeous, but she appears to be about 21 and Dean must be in his early 40's here. I kept waiting for that dude from To Catch a Predator to walk out at any moment....
There are some funny moments early on when Helm fakes his own death to throw off enemy spies and every good looking girl in a black trenchcoat lines up to mourn for him, but the laughs fade pretty early.
The music score by Lalo Schifrin is very good and Karl Malden has fun as the bad guy, but Murderers Row won't slay anyone in the fun department. I'll shoot it a C-.
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