My very brief plot synopsis: After Agent 009 is killed in Jamaica while looking into gun smuggling, Agent 001 Ken Stewart (Larry Pennell) is sent in to investigate.
I watched Our Man in Jamaica last night and, overall, quite enjoyed the experience. Not, it's not James Bond and it's not even one of the better Eurospy films I've seen, but it is fun enough that I got a decent amount of entertainment from it. A few things that make Our Man in Jamaica work: 1. Larry Pennell - He's got the personality and the physical attributes to believably play the lead in a spy film. Whether it's one of the many fight scenes or romancing a lady, Pennell looks the part. Teaming Pennell with Brad Harris, who would go on to make a bunch of these movies, was smart. 2. Location - The 1960s era Jamaica locations are stunning - from the beaches to the resorts to the downtown areas - it all looks very nice. I often wonder when I watch one of these movies what the locations look like today. 3. The reveal - I admit that the final reveal of the head baddie caught me off guard. It's well played. 4. Pacing - With a lot of what I'm going to call lesser Eurospy films, there's sometimes too much standing around talking because the budget wouldn't permit anything else. Our Man in Jamaica certainly has its budget limitations, but director Ernst Ritter von Theumer (as Richard Jackson) keeps things moving along quite nicely.
So, to sum it all up, Our Man in Jamaica isn't the best Eurospy you're likely to run across, nor is it the worst. Pennell makes a good lead, the Jamaican locations are often stunning, the plot has some interesting bits, and the movie is competently directed. A solid 6/10 from me.
