RIP Peter O'Donnell

[wabbitseason]

Peter O'Donnell, Modesty Blaise's creator, died at the age of 90. I posted a short tumblr piece with some book covers. Rather unwisely, I watched the 1966 "Modesty Blaise" movie off Netflix Watch Instantly. The movie stars Monica Vitti and Terence Stamp as Modesty and Willie. It's a 60s spy movie with gadgets, glamorous locales, cheesy theme songs and really weird villains. Unfortunately it bore absolutely no resemblance to the comic strip or novels. Vitti only wore the darker hair shown in the Japanese movie poster for effect. There were also two cutesy musical duets between Vitti and Stamp, suggesting they should have gotten together. The songs struck me very "A Fine Romance"/ "I Remember It Well" in the attempt, but nowhere near the execution. Still, absolutely not. Willie and Modesty worked best as partners in crime, not as lovers. Vitti and Stamp had very little chemistry anyway. Avoid this, unless you are quite supremely drunk (maybe I should have been) or morbidly curious.

There is another movie "My Name is Modesty" that is also on Netflix and also a tv pilot starring Ann Turkel. (Who I mostly remember as a divinely ruthless Kristin in "Chivalry" on Highlander.)

Times Online Obit
Guardian obit